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Save our cities - a national action plan

The Board of the Australian Local Government Association has agreed to adopt the Sustainable Cities - National Action Plan (NAP) as a basis for further developing ALGA's position on sustainable urban planning policy and climate change.

At a meeting in Canberra on Wednesday, ALGA President Cr Paul Bell said urban development was shaping up to be an important issue and should be tackled in tandem with climate change. He called on the Federal Government to state a clear position and coordinate a national response.

"The buck-passing has to stop," he said. "Matters of urban policy are a concern of all spheres of government and we need to work together to address the issues facing our cities - environmental, design, community services and transport."

The Sustainable Communities National Action Plan (NAP) has been specifically developed to provide a policy focus for the future sustainable management of Australia's major urban centres. It was developed by the Centre for International Economics after considerable consultation with all State and territory government senior planning officials, peak industry bodies, and national associations. It ultimately seeks to engage the Australian Government in adopting a collaborative position on a national sustainable urban planning policy.

"To be successful, Australia's cities and towns need to be diverse, vibrant and support inclusive communities," Cr Bell said. "Urban development needs to reduce its ecological impact and demonstrate best standards of infrastructure and design. Urban Australia will need new investment in infrastructure to enhance equity of access and to be globally competitive. In every respect, they will have to be sustainable (social, economic and environmental) communities." Cr Bell said that increasingly poor urban design could result in developing unsafe, children and age unfriendly environments and welfare dependent enclaves that contribute to inactivity that in turn contributes to heart disease, obesity and other national health costs.

The NAP provides for the development of Urban Action Plans (UAP) at a local/regional level, which typically might cover one or more of the following: integrated water and storm water management systems, including capture treatment and re-use opportunities; bush land conservation: industrial and domestic waste minimisation: protection of urban green zones; the efficient use of energy and exploration of renewable energy applications; the development of sustainable transport networks; nodal transport development and improved transport infrastructure and logistics; and the incorporation of eco-efficiency principles into houses and other building developments. Projects arising from these UAPs would then be used to provide exemplars to others so that successes could be replicated.

A sustainable future will not be achieved without an active and integrated approach (read whole of governments) to planning and clearly articulated strategies for achieving change and more sustainable outcomes. This is reflected in the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) decisions of 10 February 2006, with the recognition of a need to establish a Collaborative Plan of Action on Climate Change, where land use and transport planning figure prominently.

To date, it is understood that only the ACT Government has endorsed the NAP. All other States and Territory Governments are still to formally consider the Plan and their position on engaging the Australian Government on this proposal. The next meeting of the LGPMC is to be held on the 26 March 2007.

Yesterday, Anthony Albanese MP, Shadow Minister for the Infrastructure and Water, said a Rudd Labor Government would "address the failure of the Commonwealth to engage in urban infrastructure programs through the creation of Labor's "Major Cities" program, which will support practical initiatives in our major cities, including Perth."

Caucus Regional Committee

The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, was invited to address the Caucus Regional Committee at Parliament House last week.

The meeting was chaired by Dick Adams MP and included Shadow Ministers, Senator Kate Lundy (Local Government) and Simon Crean MP (Regional Development). Senator Ursula Stephens, Catherine King MP and Gavin O'Connor MP were also present.

Cr Bell briefed the meeting on the PricewaterhouseCoopers report into local government funding and the need for a program to meet local government's growing community infrastructure crisis. He also emphasized the importance of high-speed broadband coverage, particularly in rural and regional areas, as outlined in the 2006-07 State of the Regions Report and the success of the AusLink program.

"It was a very productive meeting and I was pleased to have the opportunity to canvas a range of issues with senior Labor Party parliamentarians and policy-makers," Cr Bell said. "I look forward to further discussions."

Improving sustainability for local government

Addressing CPA Australia at conferences in Melbourne and Brisbane recently, ALGA President Cr Paul Bell outlined the financial sustainability crisis facing councils and what action was needed to ensure that local governments remained financially viable into the future.

Quoting extensively from the PricewaterhouseCoopers report into local government funding, Cr Bell said that while local government had a role in putting its own house in order, it was clear that there was a need for fundamental reform to inter-governmental financial transfers to the local government sector.

"Local government taxation revenues (rates) have increased steadily from $706 million dollars in 1974-75 to $8.1 billion in 2004-05 - an increase of 8.5 per cent per annum, or 2.8 per cent per annum in real terms," Cr Bell said. "However, Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) are only escalated annually by the CPI and population growth, meaning they have not kept pace with cost growth. Construction costs alone far exceed the CPI and no account is taken of this in the FAGs escalation. Local government infrastructure is massively under-funded.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report recommends a "twin-track" approach to improving financial sustainability, through the pursuit of further internal efficiency reforms - building on past efforts to improve financial performance and management, and reforms to inter-government transfers. PwC's recommendations in relation to internal performance are targeted at four key objectives: improving efficiency, effectiveness and scale; expanding own-source revenue; setting clear and appropriate priorities; and deepening asset management and financial capacity.

Cr Bell congratulated the CPA on its work in the area of local government governance, particularly the Excellence in Governance in Local Government manual published in 2005.

"ALGA will continue to prosecute the case for additional funding for the Australian Government - through programs such as the proposed asset management program, and the PwC recommended community infrastructure fund, and in the long-term for a dedicated proportion of taxation funding," he said.
From the President
Expected boost to road funding

I note with interest recent speculation in the media that Cabinet will shortly be considering a package dubbed 'AusLink 2.' Funding of up to $19b for roads and rail has been mooted.

With local government roads comprising 80% of Australian roads - over 645,000km in total - this is a crucial issue for local government.

I have been discussing these issues with the Federal Government - particularly an extension to the regional component of AusLink and a renewal of the Blackspot Program which expires at the end of 2007-08 financial year. I am also lobbying for permanent funding for the Roads to Recovery program which expires in July 2009.

Roads to Recovery is a very important program for communities and it has been widely acknowledged by both sides of politics that local government has shown it can deliver on time, efficiently and provide value for money in terms of building and maintaining local roads. Similarly, the Blackspot Program is a long-running, popular, high-profile road safety program re-established by the current Government to address deficiencies at locations with high crash records on both state and local roads.

The Blackspot Program has made a very important contribution towards achieving the Government's objective of a substantial and sustained reduction in the road toll. It would be fair to say that these are two of the Government's most popular spending programs.

In a speech this week to the Australian Logistics Council Annual Forum on the Gold Coast, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Mark Vaile, said that he was turning his attention to the projects that will need to be funded in the second five years of the AusLink program, from 2009 to 2014. He said he believed the Government would need to spend at least another $15b during those years, on top of the $15b that is already being spent. He also underlined its importance as 'the biggest investment program of its kind in Australia's history.'

I will be meeting with the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd next Tuesday where I will discuss these issues including the administrative arrangements for the Blackspot Program. I am determined through these meetings to ensure that local government's views are included in the Cabinet deliberations. I have already spoken with Minister Vaile about these matters.

Last week I addressed the Labor Caucus Regional Committee and stressed the importance of maintaining current levels of road funding to local government and local communities.

Labor has made some encouraging noises about the structure of a road funding program under a Labor Government but much more is needed in terms of a specific funding commitment.

There is a need for a project on the scale of AusLink and AusLink 2 and it deserves bipartisan support. In November 2005, Federal Labor committed to establishing Infrastructure Australia, a Commonwealth Statutory Authority to coordinate the planning, regulation and development of infrastructure. Infrastructure Australia would report directly to State and Commonwealth Infrastructure Ministers through COAG. The question remains however, about how much funding the Opposition is prepared to commit.

I strongly believe that the safety of Australians is too important an issue to be used as a political football and this is what our communities quite rightly expect from the Government and the alternative Government.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Local Government and Planning Joint Committee Meeting

The Local Government and Planning Joint Committee (LGPJC) met in Melbourne last Friday. Issues discussed were the draft Climate Change Adaptation Framework, developing nationally consistent frameworks in the areas of definition of sustainability, financial reporting and asset management, reporting on implementation of the IGA on Cost Shifting, and local government concerns about airport planning.

Water the hot topic

As Prime Minister John Howard reconvenes the National Water Summit this morning to consider his $10b proposal for the Murray-Darling River, a new survey shows water is set to be the hottest issue at the next federal election.

The Newspoll survey published in The Australian newspaper this week showed 82 per cent of respondents found water planning as a very important issue, putting it ahead of health and Medicare, education and the environment.

More people say Labor will best handle water planning, with 34 per cent believing the Opposition is best suited compared to the Coalition's 33 per cent.

Labor is also seen as the best party to handle health, education, the environment, and welfare and social issues.

Missing wheelie bins, extra drought assistance for WA

Amid reports by councils of missing wheelie bins with suspicions they are being used to hoard 'grey water' by householders, there is good news on the drought front for WA.

The Prime Minister has announced that more Western Australian producers and small businesses would be able to apply for drought assistance following amendments to boundaries for the Southern Rangelands Exceptional Circumstances area.

Drought assistance will now be available until 31 March 2008 to farmers and agriculturally-dependent small businesses in:

  • parts of the Shires of Murchison, Yalgoo, Sandstone, Leonora, Menzies, Kalgoorlie/Boulder and Dundas;
  • the pastoral areas of the Shires of Esperance, Ravensthorpe, Kondinin, Mt Marshall, Dalwallinu, Perenjori, Mullewa, Chapman Valley and Northampton; and
  • the whole of the Shires of Coolgardie and Shark Bay.

A buffer zone extending east and north of the existing southern region is included within these areas (see the map for further details).

This announcement builds on the Australian Government's commitment of $2.3 billion in assistance. Since 16 October 2006, the Government has announced measures totalling $1.1 billion, including.

For further information on Australian Government drought assistance measures, please visit the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website.

Wingecarribee shire council bans animal circuses

Wingecarribee's Deputy Mayor Councillor Nick Campbell-Jones and Councillor Penny George were the driving force behind forwarding a motion that was passed by council banning circuses with animals. The ban was welcomed by Animal Liberation which urged other councils to follow suit.

ACMA proposes new phone number ranges for five areas

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is proposing to introduce new phone number ranges for parts of Melbourne and Sydney and certain regional areas in Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria.

The areas and the new number ranges are:

Area New Existing
Bundaberg, QLD (07) 43 (07) 41
Camperdown, VIC (03) 45 (03) 55
Deloraine, TAS (03) 65 (03) 63
Western Melbourne (03) 73 (03) 83 and 93
Western Sydney (02) 81 (02) 87 and 97

These new numbers would supplement the existing ranges, which are nearing full utilisation. It is estimated these new numbers will provide at least a ten-year supply for the affected areas.

The proposed changes will have no impact on the cost of calls or existing numbers. Equipment such as PABX systems however will require reprogramming.

ACMA is seeking public comment on the new number ranges, which are included in a draft variation to the Telecommunications Numbering Plan (the Numbering Plan) released today.

'Understandably, there is significant public interest in the introduction of new geographic numbers, and it is important to consult prior to implementing such changes,' said Jonquil Ritter, Acting General Manager of ACMA's Inputs to Industry Division.

The proposed changes have been developed by ACMA in consultation with its Numbering Advisory Committee. The committee includes representatives of telephone companies, state and federal government and organisations representing consumer and user interests.

Further details of the proposed variation are attached and are also available on the ACMA website or by calling ACMA on 03 9963 6872.

Written submissions must be lodged with ACMA by 23 March 2007. Submissions cannot be accepted beyond this date.

Australia's cancer care leaders to focus on rural and remote issues at 9th Conference

Improving the comparatively poor cancer care outcomes experienced by patients in rural and remote Australia will be a key focus of the 9th National Rural Health Conference, to be held in Albury, 7-10 March 2007.

The National Rural Health Alliance, which hosts the conference every two years, has invited the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA), the peak body for multidisciplinary cancer care professionals, to participate at the event in response to evidence showing cancer patients in rural and remote areas have higher mortality rates than their urban counterparts and significantly reduced access to services.

"A report published in the Medical Journal of Australia in 2004 showed that people with cancer in regional NSW were 35% more likely to die within five years of diagnosis than patients in cities," Craig Underhill, Chair of COSA's Rural Oncology Group, said. "Mortality rates increase with remoteness. For some cancers, remote patients are up to 300% more likely to die within five years of diagnosis."

Dr Underhill, a medical oncologist based in Albury, is a lead author of a 2006 COSA study that shows access to cancer care services also decreases markedly with remoteness. He will be discussing the study's findings at the conference.

The sessions will also feature the heads of Australia's leading cancer control organisations from the clinical, community and government sectors, including David Goldstein (COSA), Ian Olver (The Cancer Council Australia), David Currow (Cancer Australia), Helen Zorbas (the National Breast Cancer Centre), Jim Bishop (the Cancer Institute NSW) and Chris Brook (Victorian Government).

Leading epidemiologists Bruce Armstrong (rural disadvantage in cancer care) and David Roder (cancer in remote Aboriginal communities) will also present, along with experts from a range of allied health disciplines.

"The burden of cancer in Australia is increasing significantly as our population ages and as we make greater advances in controlling cardiovascular disease," Dr Underhill said. "Evidence shows that people in rural and remote areas will experience a disproportionate amount of this burden. The conference will provide a good opportunity for everyone with a stake in rural healthcare to contribute to understand the challenges of cancer care in rural and remote Australia and contribute to solutions."

State of the Regions report 2006-07
The impact of tourism

The Tourism Impact Model (TIM) provides a free service to local councils so that they can assess the economic impact of tourism on their local area.

TIM may also be a useful tool to support applications for the Australian Tourism Development Program (ATDP). The ATDP is providing more than $31 million over the four years from 2004/05 to 2007/08. "

The website has the following items on it.

Tourism Impact Model Fact Sheet
A fact sheet outlining the tourism impact model for Australian Local Government…
Tourism Impact Model - Frequently Asked Questions
This page provides Frequently Asked Questions for users of the tourism impact model…
Tourism Impact Model for Australian Local Government
The tourism impact model will provide local governments with access to a financial model to assist them in measuring the costs and benefits of tourism on their budgets…
Tourism Impact Model for Local Government
The tourism impact model helps local governments identify planning issues and priorities to assist them to optimise outcomes for both local communities and tourists…
The brochure is being revised and the following version should not be used.
Tourism Impact Model Brochure
A Tourism White Paper brochure on the tourism impact model, aiming to help local governments identify planning issues and priorities to assist them to optimise outcomes for both local communities and tourists…
Road ads

ALGA President Cr Paul Bell has warned of safety concerns associated with ads placed on road surfaces.

Cr Bell said it had come to his attention that councils around Australia were being heavily lobbied by advertising companies to place ads on road surfaces. He said that while this was primarily a matter for state associations and state governments which make and administer the road rules, he was concerned about safety.

"Whilst I can understand cash-strapped councils wishing to generate income, road safety should be a paramount in any deliberations about placement of such ads and ALGA would not support anything that could distract motorists," he said. "I believe these ads could potentially contribute to crashes, particularly in high traffic areas where they are more likely to be placed."

National Human Pandemic Influenza Planning

ALGA is continuing its work within the national framework provided by the National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic.

Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FACSIA) has commenced consultations with Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to look at managing the social and community impacts of influenza pandemics.

A Business Continuity Planning (BCP) resource is being developed for NGOs, based on the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources' Kit for small businesses. Consultations with community organisations have informed work to recast the kit. The draft BCP Kit will be circulated for comment by jurisdictions, and suggestions about training strategies to support its use will be sought

Two research projects are underway, working in communities to gain information about the social and community impacts of implementing health containment strategies, and recovery. The research report is to be finalised next month.

As part of the national strategy to promote volunteering in a pandemic, a national communications campaign is being developed, through close liaison between FACSIA and the Department of Health and Ageing. The campaign will be informed by research on current attitudes toward volunteering in the event of Pandemic Influenza, which is being assisted by input from Volunteering Australia.

ALGA was successful in arguing that additional workshops be planned to take place with the State and territory local government associations and nominated Councils to talk through issues and concerns the local government sector may have in managing the social and community impacts of a pandemic influenza. The workshop is scheduled to take place late February in Sydney.

Local govt encouraged to apply for regional medical infrastructure fund

The Federal Opposition has accused the Government of failing to spend most of a $15 million fund for providing medical infrastructure for rural areas.

The Rural Medical Infrastructure Fund (RMIF) was established under the Government's Regional Partnerships program.

Labor's regional development spokesman Simon Crean says $10 million from the fund has been returned to the Government.

"Of the remaining $5 million, it now turns out over the last year only $2 million of that has been spent, so another initiative under the Regional Partnerships program announced in great fanfare just before the election and essentially, not delivered," he said.

A spokesman for Regional Development Minister Mark Vaile says only $2.1 million of the fund has been spent because it is demand driven.

The Government has changed the program guidelines to encourage more applications for funding.

Qld Govt promotes bush to "treechangers"

The Queensland government is hoping to persuade city dwellers longing for a "tree change" to move to the bush.

This would help revitalise rural communities struggling with population decline and the closure of businesses, schools, banks and other services, Communities Minister Warren Pitt said today.

The $1.3 million initiative, which includes an expo, would help city people understand the full range of issues affecting rural people and their communities.

"The major part of this funding will allow in-depth research to be carried out on perceptions of rural life and implement a statewide campaign promoting the bush," Mr Pitt said.

People seeking a change in lifestyle by moving to the country could also help their rural community, he said.

"These people are often referred to as 'treechangers'," Mr Pitt said.

"They can make a big difference to the economic viability of rural communities by slowing population decline, increasing business, keeping school numbers up and sustaining services such as post offices and banks."

The Revitalising Rural Image funding will be spent over three years as part of the broader Blueprint for the Bush strategy launched last June.

Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) president Paul Bell said most rural communities felt undervalued and not well understood, particularly by city people.

"This funding is aimed at addressing this misunderstanding and bringing the rural and urban sectors closer together," Mr Bell said.

Smoking banned in playgrounds

A Victorian municipal council will ban smoking in its public playgrounds, in what is said to be a first for the state.

People caught smoking in playgrounds spread across the City of Monash, the municipality in Melbourne's inner south-east, will soon face fines of more than $100.

"We are asking our residents to help us make our playgrounds smoke-free in order to protect our children," City of Monash Mayor Tom Morrissey said.

"Clearly we don't have the resources to patrol all of the city's 126 playgrounds, but in any event this is the sort of law for which we would expect widespread support and compliance."

Mr Morrissey said the ban would be in force from July 1 this year, after Tuesday's council meeting approved a proposal first raised in August last year.

He said signs would be erected in playgrounds to warn smokers they could be handed an infringement notice, and a $107 fine, if caught.

Mr Morrissey said it was a first for a Victorian council, but it followed a similar ban in a Tasmanian council and a NSW council was also considering the move.

Quote of the week

Irrigation of the land with seawater desalinated by fusion power is ancient. It's called 'rain'.
- Michael McClary

International news  
EU's planned low-carbon economy

EU environment ministers said that they would cut overall carbon dioxide emissions 20 per cent by 2020 and were ready to go to 30 per cent if other industrialised nations would match European efforts to curb global warming.

But the EU's 27 nations are still to agree what each should do to meet a 20 per cent target for the entire bloc, with Finland, Spain and Denmark calling on other nations to share the burden.

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who led the talks, said his country was prepared to go even further, saying the German parliament had already backed a 40 per cent cut.

"There will be some countries like Germany that will see a steeper reduction in greenhouse gases," he said, while other nations, such as former Soviet bloc countries in eastern Europe would face lesser reductions as their economies grow and they try to clean up heavy polluting industries and generate more power from lower-carbon sources.

European countries will try to see if other nations will go further when it meets G-8 nations - the United States, Russia, Japan and Canada - in the German resort of Heiligendamm June 6-8. They will also seek CO2 cuts from the emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

Talks will cover other EU initiatives, including a mandatory limit on CO2 emissions from cars and whether to include aviation in the EU's emissions trading program.

Gabriel said environment ministers would revisit an attempt by energy ministers to fix a binding 20 per cent target for all energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2020, but said he did not expect a final decision.

EU leaders meet in March to fix Europe's general strategy to turn itself into a low-carbon economy, weaning itself off imported oil and natural gas, cutting energy consumption and doing more to combat climate change.