ALGA News

From the President

The Community Infrastructure Ideas Register launched a fortnight ago on the ALGA website has demonstrated that there is a strong need in the community to renew our failing infrastructure.

A range of councils cross Australia have lodged more than 30 examples of community infrastructure that needs upgrading, ranging from ageing and leaking swimming pools, to community halls, health centres, playing fields and sport and recreational facilities. I am delighted with this enthusiastic early response and the worthy examples that councils have provided.

We expect many more examples to be posted on our website in coming weeks and these will be highlighted through 'ALGA News.'

The Register is important to back up the proposal by ALGA with the support of the State Associations to the Australian Government for a Local Community Infrastructure Renewals Fund (LCIRF).

The proposed fund of $250 million per annum over four years was a major recommendation of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report into local government financing which was launched in December 2006 at Parliament House. The recommendation is that the fund could be distributed based on relative need and perhaps use the Roads to Recovery distribution method as a model.

Amongst other key opinion-makers, I have met with the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, to discuss this proposal and have briefed the Opposition's Caucus Regional Committee.

We have had strong and vocal support from other stakeholders including the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, the Local Government Managers Association and the Heart Foundation of Australia. The health benefits of improving recreational facilities is particularly appealing, with an obesity crisis and a growing need to address unacceptable levels of diabetes and heart disease in our community.

I know that most of you are keenly aware that local government is responsible for around $13b in community infrastructure, much of which was established in the 1950s or earlier and is reaching its use-by date. This community infrastructure is at the very heart of local towns and communities and includes libraries, ovals, walking tracks, community centres, public halls, senior citizens' centres, swimming pools and playgrounds.

The PwC report says the backlog in infrastructure renewal has resulted from the growing gap in many councils between their revenue base and the funding required to deliver a broader range of services as well as maintain and renew the infrastructure which supports these services.

For those who have not already done so, I would appreciate your support for the fund by registering examples of infrastructure, including photos, which I will present to Minister Lloyd at our meeting next month. Thank you for your practical assistance in bringing the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund one step closer to becoming reality. We must all continue to argue our case strongly and with conviction, knowing that we are advocating on behalf of our communities for facilities which will improve their everyday lives, health, fitness and well being. Nothing can be more important than that.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

SA road project funding

The Australian Government Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, announced at the 2007 South Australian Local Government Association conference in Adelaide that regional road projects in South Australia that will receive $3.75 million under the Australian Governments Supplementary AusLink Roads to Recovery Programme.

Cr Paul Bell welcomed this additional funding for roads in South Australia especially the funding for the upgrading of key local roads for freight efficient vehicles.

"Upgrading these freight routes improves the economics of local businesses serviced by these routes and is a further demonstration of the successful partnership between the Federal and local government in improving regional transport to the benefit of local communities" he said.

The Supplementary Programme was announced in the May 2006 federal budget. It provides an additional $27.7 million to South Australia, of which $3.75 million is being allocated through the South Australian Local Government Grants Commission to various councils for a series of inter-regional roads.

Four regional projects and four metropolitan projects had been approved for funding.

In Adelaide the Australian Government is providing:

• $962,500 to upgrade 2.5km of Curtis Road in the City of Playford to support its role of linking the Main North Road and northern suburbs of Munno Para West, Smithfield Plains and Andrews Farm
• $195,900 to widen the carriageway and build two new roundabouts on Helps Road, in the City of Salisbury, to improve freight access;
• $40,000 to repair the carriageway of Hallet Road, Stonyfell, an important freight route in the City of Burnside; and
• $90,000 for similar work on The Parade, also in the City of Burnside.

Non urban road projects being funded are:

• $149,760 toward the replacement of the Dorrien Bridge on Seppeltsfield Road over the North Para River. Funding for this project will be split between the Barossa Council ($41,720) and the Light Regional Council ($108,040);
• $1.4 million to upgrade 11.7km of Ferries McDonald Road in the Rural City of Murray Bridge to B-double standard;
• $733,335 to upgrade 9.3km of Kangaroo Road in Alexandrina Council to B-double standard;
• $178,505 for stage 1 of the construction and sealing of five kilometres of Polltalloch Road in the Coorong District Council.

Australian bureau of statistics - proposed new standard geographical classification

The Australian Bureau of Statistics is currently undertaking a review of its classification structure - the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC).

The ASGC has been in wide use since 1984. It was last reviewed in 1997. Since then, two developments (the Geocoded National Address File and Mesh Blocks), have revolutionised the ABS' ability to create, present and analyse geographic data.

The review will address the general question of what is the best way for the ABS to present its data spatially. It needs to address two specific issues: the position of Local Government Areas (LGAs) in any new classification and a replacement for the current Census Collection District (CD).

LGAs are changed by state governments without reference to ABS geography. Consequently, the ASGC must be maintained and published annually to reflect these changes.

The current review will identify the conceptual basis of the new classification and broadly outline the structures. The new classification must be ready for 2010 to become effective in 2011 for the next Census.

The current proposal involves collecting data at the level of mesh blocks, which could then be aggregated up to provide meaningful data based on geographical area (eg Local Government Area, electorate, region).

Timing of the Review Process
In late 2006 the ABS convened the ASGC Review Committee, a panel of internal and external experts, who were instrumental in developing the current proposal. In February and early March 2007 there was a round of consultation with key internal stakeholders.

April 2007:
ABS will take a road show to every state capital, explaining the proposal to Regional Offices, State Governments and other stakeholders.

May and June 2007:
interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the proposal. The proposal will also be presented at the Spatial Sciences Institute Conference in Hobart. The Review Committee will be reconvened to consider the feedback received.

July 2007:
the ABS will release an information paper outlining the revised proposal.

July early/August 2007:
will be a further period of consultation based on the information paper. Interested parties will have a second opportunity to comment. The Review Committee will again meet to consider a final proposal.

September 2007:
a set of recommendations will be created for ABS Senior Management consideration.

Late 2007:
an implementation team will be set up in the ABS.

2008:
further stakeholder consultation on the details of each structure.

Mid 2009:
boundaries, codes and labels completed.

Late 2009:
the new Standard Geographical Classification published with supporting material such as concordances.

Mid 2011:
the new Standard will become effective.

More information on the review and the timing of visits to state capital cities can be obtained from: Alec Bamber, Geography Section, Australian Bureau of Statistics Telephone: (02) 6252 6365 Email: geography@abs.gov.au

AusLink Brisbane Urban Corridor Strategy

The Department of Transport and Regional Services has released the AusLink Brisbane Urban Corridor Strategy for comment.

The strategy is available on the Department of Transport and Regional Service's website

It is among 24 corridor strategies being developed for the AusLink National Land Transport Network to be released for public comment.

The AusLink Network has replaced the National Highway as the principal road and rail system linking capital cities and major population centres. All the strategies will be ready by mid-2007.

The Brisbane Urban Corridor Strategy is a cooperative long-term plan that identifies future transport needs on the corridor and the priorities for meeting those needs. The draft strategy provides a detailed snapshot of the corridors, transport function, deficiencies and future needs and provides a blueprint for devising practical solutions to emerging transport problems.

The purpose of the corridor strategies is to guide investment for future development of the national land transport system over the next 20 - 25 years.

Comments on the draft Brisbane Urban Corridor Strategy can be made via e-mail at corridorstrategies@dotars.gov.au by 4 May 2007.

Changes to skilled migration program

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, the Hon Kevin Andrews MP and Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP have announced details of reforms to Australia's General Skilled Migration (GSM) program.

'These important reforms, which take effect from 1 September 2007, will ensure higher standards of English are attained by students coming to Australia to study,' Ms Bishop said.

'Students wishing to apply for a GSM visa will now be required to have a stronger understanding of the English language and undertake relevant work experience,' Mr Andrews said.

The English language threshold requirement for all GSM visas will increase.

The points test will be adjusted to benefit applicants with advanced Australian tertiary qualifications, Australian skilled work experience and strong English language skills.

The changes also include major structural reforms, in which the 11 skilled migration visa categories will be collapsed into just four, the 15 skilled migration visa subclasses will be collapsed into nine, creating a more efficient visa system and all GSM visas will be able to be lodged through the internet.

A temporary visa will be created to enable overseas students already studying in Australia to remain in Australia while they gain skilled work experience, improve their English language or undertake a professional year. A new temporary visa will also be created for recent graduates from recognised overseas institutions with key skills in demand in Australia.

'The changes would lead to better labour market outcomes for all General Skilled Migration applicants and help deliver the skills Australian employers need,' said Mr Andrews.

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Launching of 2008 Australian Govlnk Publication

Australian Publishing Resource Service (APRS P/L - www.aprs.com.au ) is announcing that the 2008 Australian Govlink publication will be launched at the National General Assembly of Local Government, 26-29 November 2007, in Darwin, Northern Territory.

Editorial submissions are welcome from Australian local Councils who may wish to participate in this publication.

Articles can include Council success stories, new initiatives, innovative projects, award-winning stories, etc. Stories can be up to 4 A4 pages and high resolution images are welcome within this context.

For a disc or current hard copy of the current edition of Australian Govlink, and to make a submission for the 2008 edition, please email: richard@aprs.com.au

NB. There is no cost to Council for submissions and published editorials/articles will be at the Editor's discretion.

HIA report on housing affordability

The March 2007 quarter HIA National Outlook publication was released yesterday, showing that housing affordability is stuck at record lows.

HIA Executive Director of Housing and Economics, Simon Tennent, said record low housing affordability presented a massive constraint to a housing recovery and confirms the urgent need for a collaborative effort at all levels of government.

"We have retained our forecast for a 1 per cent decline in housing starts over the current financial year followed by growth of 2 per cent in 2007/08," he said. "Starts are forecast to increase by a further 8 per cent over 2008/09 – 2009/10 to a level of 166,870. On the renovations front, total spending is forecast to exceed the $30 billion mark for the first time in 2009/10."

Mr Tennant said that steady rates, together with a concerted effort on the part of all levels of government to address the crisis in affordability, would allow for a slow return to growth for new housing that should pick up momentum over 2008/09. For a copy of the full 80 page HIA Outlook reports (media only) please contact Kirsten Lewis on (02) 6245 1393 or k.lewis@hia.com.au Copies of HIA State and National Outlook can be ordered from http://economics.hia.asn.au

Enrolling to vote requires proof of identity

Australian citizens will need to prove their identity when enrolling to vote or updating their enrolment from Monday, following the introduction of a new federal enrolment procedure on 16 April 2007.

On Monday a new purple enrolment form will be available in all Australia Post outlets and Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) offices and a new online form on the AEC website www.aec.gov.au Green enrolment forms and forms downloaded from the website before 16 April are no longer accepted by the AEC. More information on the identity requirements is available from the AEC's website or by calling the AEC on 13 23 26.

Lobbyists register

The Western Australian State Government has established the Contact with Lobbyists Code to ensure that contact between Lobbyists and Government Representatives is conducted in accordance with public expectations of transparency, integrity and honesty.

For the purposes of the Register of Lobbyists, a lobbyist is a person or organisation who represents the interests of a third party to the Government.

There are a number of exclusions from this definition:

• People who work to promote the interests of their own employer to government, such as government affairs and external relations employees of companies;
• Peak industry bodies and professional organisations who represent the interests of their members;
• Trade Unions;
• Charitable and religious organisations; and
• Professionals, such as lawyers, accountants and town planners, where contact with government on behalf of a client may be an incidental but necessary part of their day to day work.

The Contact with Lobbyists Code relates to contact between a lobbyist and a Government Representative. Advice from the Department of Premier and Cabinet is that Local Governments are not considered a Government Agency for the purposes of the Lobbyists Code.

Information on the Lobbyist Register can be found on the Department of the Premier and Cabinet website https://secure.dpc.wa.gov.au/lobbyistsregister/ or for further queries please contact the Office of the Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet on 9222 9415.

For further information please contact Policy Manager Governance, Tony Brown on 9213 2051 or email tbrown@walga.asn.au

The 2007 FECCA Congress

Registrations and the call for papers are now open for the 2007 Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia Congress to be held in Hobart on July 30&31. This year's congress will be exploring a number of issues relating to the concepts of empowerment and inclusion with regard to Australia's cultural and social diversity.

The deadline for proposals for papers is April 27, 2007. Further details about the Congress and other related information may be found at www.fecca.org.au

Scams target you: protect your identity

The Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator David Johnston, have warned Australians to be alert to scams that involve attempts to steal their identity.

"Scams are not limited to stealing money," Mr Ruddock said.

"In many cases the fraudster aims to collect enough information to steal your identity. This can be done through regular mail, email and telephone or email scams. It doesn't matter what method they use, the intention is the same."

Senator Johnston has launched a new information booklet on identity theft prevention, as part of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce's fraud awareness campaign.

"This booklet will help Australian consumers recognise scams that involve stealing personal information, and help them avoid becoming a victim of identity theft," Senator Johnston said.

He said that consumers could do a number of simple things to protect themselves from identity theft, including never giving out personal information to people you don’t know, destroying old bills, records and credit cards, and checking credit reports.

To obtain a copy of the Identity Theft Booklet contact your local Consumer Affairs or Fair Trading Office. You can also download the publication Booklet or the Australian Government's full ID Theft Kit at www.crimeprevention.gov.au.

Consumers who think they've spotted a scam can check the SCAMwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au which has detailed information about scams, or report a scam on 1300 795 995.

Senate inquiry into patient travel support

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) has strongly welcomed the establishment of a Senate inquiry into the operation and effectiveness of patient assisted travel schemes. The Association hopes the inquiry's findings will lead to a much fairer deal for rural Australians when they have to travel to larger centres for medical diagnosis and treatment, and even to give birth.

The inquiry will be undertaken by the Senate Community Affairs Committee, which will report on its findings by 20 September 2007.

"Patient assisted travel schemes are critical in supporting rural Australians when they need to access healthcare in larger centres" RDAA President, Dr Peter Rischbieth, said. "RDAA has called for dramatic improvements to these schemes for some time, and consequently this inquiry is a very welcome development."

"For many rural Australians, the high cost of travel and accommodation for them and their families when they need to access medical treatment away from home can be extremely prohibitive. Tragically, some of these patients make a decision not to access the treatment they so desperately need, simply because they cannot afford the costs involved, particularly on top of lost income."

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Community Safety & Security Conference

Sydney May 17 - 18 2007

Innovative strategies to improve safety and security within communities will be the focus of a national conference for local government safety and community managers to be held in Sydney on 17-18 May.

Local government managers and councillors, concerned about growing vandalism and aggression within communities, will have a unique opportunity to learn from the experiences and strategies being pursued by councils across Australia at the Community Safety and Security Conference being held in Sydney on 17-18 May. It will focus heavily on case studies to enable delegates to draw important lessons to enhance the welfare and safety of their own communities.

Award-winning initiatives will be presented at the conference including community safety & security services provided to residents by the Cities of Melville and Cockburn in WA, how graffiti and vandalism is being tackled in Queensland, and Sutherland Shire Council's response to the Cronulla riots. As well, there will be important presentations on the mobilisation against substance abuse and violence from Victoria.

Invited expert speakers include Tony Pearce, the Director General, Emergency Management Australia; Assistant Commissioner Frank Prendergast of the Australian Federal Police, and NSW Police Superintendent, Wayne Dedden, the winner of a Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award in 2006. Senior managers from the City of Monash, Sutherland Shire, Hervey Bay, City of Charles Sturt, City of Sydney, Logan City and the City of Melbourne will be amongst those addressing this important two-day event.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to hear about the success of community; business and local government partnerships with police; and the role of CCTV cameras in monitoring and deterring vandalism and violence. The conference will examine the mechanisms for local government to take on its growing security role and it will also provide an opportunity to network with community safety and development managers in local government from all parts of the country. More information about the conference is now available on www.halledit.com.au or telephone Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

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2007 National Awards for Local Government

entries now open…

The theme for the 2007 National Awards for Local Government is 'Local government - working hard for Australians'. The aim this year is to showcase and reward the unrecognised hard work that's going on in councils around Australia.

The 2007 National Awards for Local Government gives councils an exciting opportunity to reveal the projects they have been working on in response to the problems and challenges they face in their local area.

The 2007 Awards process opened for submissions on Monday 2 April - and will close on Friday 11 May.

A council can enter a completed or on-going project in any of 15 Award categories in four broad areas: Capacity Building, Community Services, Environment and Management Practices.

For more details of the categories, go to www.dotars.gov.au/local/awards - and click on '2007 Categories'. Entering a project is easy - go to the same website and click on the entry form.

Small councils (under 15 000 ratepayers) are only judged against other small councils not large councils.

If you have any questions or want more information either freecall 1 800 065 113 or email awards@dotars.gov.au.

Entries close on Friday 11 May 2007.