ALGA News

From the President

As the ALGA President, I am privileged to have had the opportunity to gain an appreciation of the diversity of local government involvement in the provision of community and social services across Australia.

Given our wide ranging community demographics and individual community needs and resources, local government involvement in both the planning for, and delivery of community facilities and services, has emerged as another significant role or responsibility for local councils.

In many cases, local government has responded to community calls to "fill the gap in service delivery" not being met by other spheres of government or the private sector. In other cases it has been required to be an advocate on behalf of its community.

The bottom line however, has been the growing need for local government to be involved in the community services sector. This involvement should not however, come at the cost of financial sustainability for local government, or through the shifting of responsibilities or costs from other spheres of government. Nor should local government continually have to step in where market failure is jeopardising the community well-being of our communities, without recognition of the role that we play or the need to be more appropriately funded through state and federal channels.

The experience of many councils in the delivery of childcare services is testimony to this. Many councils were keen to become involved in the childcare sector in order to meet community needs and expectations, and to fill a gap in services in many communities. However the reality over time has seen changing funding structures for the childcare sector and increasing involvement of the private sector in the provision of some childcare services.

This has often left councils with hard decision on how and when they become involved in childcare services. Often it has been local government filling the breach where private sector provision is not attractive due to relative costs, geographical location and available subsidies.

The lesson for local government is to plan carefully and assess the impacts of delivering new services or programs. This may even mean looking at implications of having to take on the resourcing of programs locally where other initial funding may be withdrawn over time.

Local government must plan carefully and recognise both its strengths and limitations when becoming in community service provision.

We must also become stronger advocates for our communities and use our knowledge of our communities to inform the planning for community services as well as the service and program delivery of other spheres of government and the private sector.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Roadworks uncover tram tracks

A 100-metre long stretch of Melbourne's 19th century cable tram tracks have been unearthed during roadworks in North Melbourne.

The stretch of the original cable tramway dating back to 1890 was uncovered recently during median strip works on Abbotsford Street by Melbourne City Council (MCC).

Heritage Victoria archaeologists are assessing the exposed tramway for possible inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Heritage Victoria executive director Ray Tonkin said the site was likely to be of high archaeological and historical significance.

"This is possibly Melbourne's only surviving cable tram track that is both intact and in its original location," Mr Tonkin said.

"The cable tram system serviced Melbourne for 35 years and was regarded as the most advanced system of its kind in the world."

The tram tracks will be covered over with asphalt as an interim measure to secure the relics from souvenir hunters and collectors, and to ensure traffic safety.

"The relics are a wonderful reminder of Melbourne's original tram system and we want to preserve them for the appreciation of all Victorians," Mr Tonkin said.

He said it was likely more intact relics, including a tram turntable, lay underneath the road surface.

National Sorry Day

Red, black and yellow dominated Sydney's Circular Quay as several hundred people gathered last weekend to mark National Sorry Day and the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal referendum. 90.77 per cent of Australians voted in the 1967 referendum that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be counted in the national census of the national population. It also gave the federal government power to make laws for indigenous people.

Do Not Call Register website

Telemarketers and businesses that make telemarketing calls can now access the national Do Not Call Register with the launch of the telemarketer access portal—the industry website.

The telemarketer access portal, which is housed on the Do Not Call Register site at www.donotcall.gov.au, allows businesses to check or 'wash' their calling lists against numbers on the register. By washing their lists, telemarketers may avoid penalties for calling numbers listed on the register.

'With consumer telephone registrations already over 870,000, businesses wishing to make telemarketing calls are encouraged to set up an account with the Do Not Call Register and begin submitting their calling lists for washing,' said Grant Symons, Executive Manager, Converging Services Branch at ACMA.

From 31 May it will be illegal, in the absence of consent, to call numbers listed on the Do Not Call Register. Exemptions apply for certain public interest organisations including charities, educational institutions, religious organisations, government bodies and political candidates.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is responsible for establishing and overseeing the Do Not Call Register, determining the fees for access to the register and for investigating breaches of the legislation. ACMA is also responsible for developing a national industry standard that establishes minimum levels of conduct for those making telemarketing and research calls.

For further information on the Do Not Call Register, including full details of the washing process, please visit www.donotcall.gov.au

A 6,000km odyssey to make a difference

In a never before attempted odyssey, 54-year-old water and civil engineer Steve Posselt will paddle and walk his kayak down the shrinking river systems between Brisbane and Adelaide. His motivation - "global warming, water and the Murray Darling Basin are very clear indications of our inability to live sustainably and the purpose of this trip is to draw attention to what we must do."

Steve was farewelled by Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman last Sunday from the boat ramp at Riverside Drive West End with a flotilla of kayaks to see him off.

Along the way there will be forums, discussion groups and recorded interviews where Steve will converse with the local people. Steve hopes to finish before Christmas but as he says "It is a bloody long way!"

The trip is Steve's contribution to the water and sustainability debate and finding solutions. But he has put out a challenge to everyone. "What are you going to do? To do nothing is to go along with a system that is destroying the planet."

Steve invites anyone interested in being involved in the journey to watch his site or set up an action group for which Kayak 4 Earth starter kits are available. See: www.kayak4earth.com

Burden of disease report

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report, The Burden of Disease and Injury in Australia 2003, shows that an estimated 32 per cent of disease is due to poor lifestyle choices.

Cancer and cardiovascular disease were the leading causes of the burden of disease in 2003. Cancer has remained static at 19 per cent while cardiovascular disease has decreased from 22 per cent in 1993 to 18 per cent in 2003.

The report found that poor lifestyle choices accounted for 32 per cent of the total burden of disease and injury. This includes:

• Cardiovascular disease - 69.3 per cent of the burden of disease was contributed to factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and physical inactivity;
• Diabetes - 60.1 per cent of the burden was due to obesity and physical inactivity;
• Cancer - 32.9 per cent was due to 10 poor lifestyle factors, primarily smoking;
• Injury - 31.7 per cent was due to seven poor lifestyle factors, primarily alcohol consumption; and,
• Mental disorders - 26.9 per cent of the burden was due to four poor lifestyle factors, mainly alcohol consumption and illicit drug use.

Diabetes is now the fourth largest contributor to the disease burden in Australia at 5 per cent. Type 2 diabetes accounted for 92 per cent of diabetes cases. The report found that this is a direct consequence of increasing levels of obesity and physical inactivity. The report also says that if current trends continue, diabetes will account for 9 per cent of the total disease burden in 2023.

Climate change model for Qld's coastline

The Queensland government will help fund a research initiative to assess the impact of climate change on Queensland's coastline and develop a computer model to predict and track storms surges and coastal erosion. Griffith University partners on the project include the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water, Gold Coast City Council, the Danish Hydraulics Institute, the Bureau of Meteorology, and the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research centre. The Innovation Projects Fund is part of the Queensland Government's $200 million Smart State Innovation Funding Program.

People and bushfires

The Australian Institutute of Criminology (AIC) has published a Bushfire Arson Bulletin. Recently completed research looked at several environmental factors and their effect on unplanned fires in the Sydney basin. The factors considered in the research included vegetation structure, climactic factors such as temperature, solar radiation and rainfall, topographical factors such as elevation and slope, and distance from the urban interface (where the city meets the bush) and major roads.

The study found that proximity to urban interfaces, vegetation structure, solar radiation and elevation were all factors influencing unplanned fire frequency in the Sydney basin. The identification of such factors can be used to assist in the construction of hazard maps. These maps can highlight aspects of a landscape likely to be important in fire management, and can aid decisions in land management and resource allocation, such as hazard reduction burning and surveillance during the fire season. Information on the AIC website

New Telecommunications Ombudsman

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today welcomed the appointment of Ms Deirdre O’Donnell as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).

Ms O'Donnell has most recently served as the Western Australian Ombudsman, previously served as the Deputy Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and has also held senior roles in industry regulation and the telecommunications industry.

The TIO is a free and independent dispute resolution scheme for small business and residential consumers with unresolved complaints regarding their telephone or internet services. The TIO has the authority to make decisions that are legally binding upon telecommunications companies.

National Dementia Forum

A government funded collaboration between a number of Australia's Research Centres will be running the very first National Dementia Forum will be held in Sydney on 17 and 18 September this year.

The forum will look to provide updates on the latest research in prevention of dementia, diagnosis, treatment and management and maintaining quality of life with dementia. The theme of the Forum is Translating Research into Practice.

The forum will provide linkages between academic work and best practice on the ground, and will bring together researchers, clinicians, service providers and consumers in a series of plenaries, workshops, debates and more.

As an issue that all Australian communities face, Councils may be interested in finding more about the forum and the research being undertaken.

For further information please visit www.dementia.unsw.edu.au

Renters and families the losers from high stamp duty cost

A report by NERA Economic Consulting to be released today shows just how much state governments are cashing in on the great Australian dream of home ownership and how they are directly contributing to the current rental crisis facing most capital cities.

The NERA report finds that state governments have nearly tripled their stamp duty haul by not reducing rates as house prices across Australia rose.

In fact, the average amount levied by the states has more than doubled on median capital city houses over the last seven years.

"For owner occupiers, stamp duty is really a tax on moving house. When viewed in this way the rate of stamp duty is extremely high. In Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Canberra stamp duty on the median house is between $15,000 and $19,000,"said the report's author, Dr Hird. "We wouldn't dream of forcing renters to pay $19,000 every time they needed to move house for work or family reasons. Yet, the average Sydney home owner will pay exactly this, if they need to move house."

And according to the report, the hidden costs of residential stamp duty can also be linked to the rental crisis in major capital cities. The report also illustrates how rising stamp duty taxes cost more to society than the revenue it raises. It says that this tax prevents older Australian's downsizing from large properties and making these available for families with children. Stamp duty is a major obstacle to the efficient reallocation of the housing stock because it taxes the transactions needed to achieve such a reallocation. A reduction in stamp duty would significantly improve the allocation of available housing stock and working families would be the big winners. The Report was commissioned by the Menzies Research Centre. The Menzies Research Centre State Policy Conference will be held in Sydney today.

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The New Economic Order (Nearly)

The Secrets to Places that will thrive in the Future

"New consumers are shaping the Australian market place - people that value well designed places, authentic local products, and unique and meaningful experiences. Successful communities of the future will be those that embrace this new economy"

Are you prepared?

The Pumicestone Institute announces the first in a series of Radical Executive Reviews that are specially designed to increase your ability to meet and exceed the expectations of the new economic order (NEO) - the 24% of Australians who account for more than half of the discretionary spending in the country (Honeywill & Byth, "NEO Power", 2006).

This Executive Review will provide insights on:

• How to use a 'radical simplicity' that will improve your leadership decisions
• How to build in the 'agility' you need to succeed with Brownfield and Greenfield Developments
• How to harness the incredible power of 'cascading infrastructures' in facilitating local community enterprise.
• How to use 'place music' to provide you with a creative edge to hone and strengthen your brand.

Strictly limited one day event held in Brisbane on the 19th & 21st June 2007

Visit: http://www.pumicestoneinstitute.org for more information and to downl

AusLink Strategic Regional Funding

The Australian Government announced in the Budget that a further $250 million was being made available this financial year under the AusLink Strategic Regional Program and that offers would be made directly to councils. This program had previously been significantly over-subscribed.

The Budget announcement said that: "As a result of the extra funding in 2006-07, we will be able to make more funding offers in response to the applications we received from councils. The Government will announce these projects in the near future."

During the Senate Estimates hearings on 21 May Department of Transport and Regional Services officials revealed that not only projects submitted in the previous round would be funded but also other projects. During Senate Estimates Senator O'Brien from the Opposition read into Hansard a list of 89 projects which could be projects the Australian Government has offered to fund. Details of that list and questioning of Departmental officials can be found in the Hansard for 21 May here.

The office of the Minister for Transport and Regional Services has advised that the Government will not be revealing the full list of projects being funded until councils have accepted offers.

The Australian Local Government Association has welcomed the additional $250 million being made available to councils to assist with the backlog in strategic transport infrastructure. That it is possible to identify an additional $250 million of projects to be funded underlines the concerns of local government about the backlog of investment in infrastructure that provides access for communities, industry and small businesses especially in regional Australia. The closing date for the acceptance of Australian Government offers by councils is 15 June. Offers not accepted by that date will lapse.

Eligibility for R2R funding of depreciation of council-owned plant and equipment

At last Thursday's roundtable with the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, local government concerns with the ineligibility of depreciation of council owned plant and equipment used on R2R funded projects was raised with the Minister. The Minister agreed to examine the current administrative arrangements.

The issue arises because the Roads to Recovery Notes on Administration exclude from funding depreciation on plant and equipment. However depreciation of plant and equipment supplied by a contractor undertaking a Roads to Recovery Project is an allowable cost for funding as it is included in the overall contract price and not separately identified.

During a recent Commonwealth audit, a council in WA has been found to be in breach of this provision.

Accounting Standards require depreciation of plant and equipment to be identified as a cost component of projects and require that it be charged to the cost of the project on which the plant and equipment is being used.

The combined effect of the Roads to Recovery requirements and the accounting provisions means that councils have to keep two sets of books: One to satisfy accounting standards whereby cost are correctly allocated and matched to where they are incurred and the other to make sure Roads to Recovery funding and annual returns are completed in accordance with the guidelines. This is administratively cumbersome and adds to overhead cost of councils.

Local government is seeking a revision to the current administrative arrangements that add to the overall administrative costs of councils.

HACC Announcement

Many local councils will welcome the recently announced agreement between the Australian Government, and the state and territory governments, for the continued management of the Home and Community Care program.

The agreement was made with the intent of providing improved planning and coordination between the Australian, state and territory governments, and will also enable all parties to move to a 3 year planning cycle which will give other parties and clients of the program increased certainty.

The signing of the agreement follows the recent budget commitment of $1 billion for the HACC program in 2007-08, which will also be complimented by a one-off $30 million commitment to improve the access and information for HACC services.

Free breakfast on communications and IT

The Australian Telecommunications User Groups (ATUG) is holding the first in its Breakfast series for SMEs next month - Sydney on the 15 June and Melbourne 20 June.

The breakfasts aim to answer the questions: Am I paying too much for my comms? What is the fuss about Voice over IP? Have I got the right level of information security?

The dates and locations are:

Sydney: Friday 15 June 2007 - 7:30am for a 8am start till 9:30am
Western Sydney Trade and Investment Centre
Level 2, 470 Church Street, North Parramatta

Melbourne: Wednesday 20 June 2007 - 7:30am for an 8am start till 9:30am
VicUrban Board Room and Studio
Level 12, 700 Collins Street, Docklands

RSVP: To Elizabeth Lawler on 02 9495 8999 or elizabeth.lawler@atug.org.au
www.atug.com.au/SME/SMEflyer.pdf

Councillor expenses guidelines

Local councils will be required to consult with their communities when they develop councillor expenses policies.

The NSW Government has released updated guidelines for mayoral and councillor expenses.

Minister for Local Government Paul Lynch said councils were already required to report annually on the total cost of councillor expenses such as travel and conference attendance and facilities, such as laptop computers and telecommunications equipment.

Under the updated guidelines councils would have to report separately on the cost of councillor expenses and facilities including:

• mobile and land-line telephone calls
• travel costs
• conference attendance
• training
• carer and accompanying spouse expenses (where appropriate)
• telecommunications equipment

The guidelines – developed in consultation with the Local Government and Shires Association (LGSA) – are available at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.

The challenge of global warming

The Challenge of Global Warming and Peak Oil Conference will be held from June 26-28 at the Telstra Dome, Bourke Street, Melbourne. The program is specifically directed at the role of local government and will include: Keynote speakers from Australia and overseas; best practice case studies from local councils that are leading the way; the opportunity to have your say from the floor; the identification of national strategic directions for local government to address these challenges. The process will be inclusive in which you can help shape the outcomes.

Event program online: www.mav.asn.au/majorevents

Conference Contact: John Hennessy at the MAV by email at jhennessy@mav.asn.au or by phone 03 9667 5525 or fax 03 9667 5550

Anti-Poverty Week

This year, Anti-Poverty Week begins on Sunday 14 October and finishes on Saturday 20 October. The United Nations has designated Wednesday 17 October as International Anti-Poverty Day.

The Week is concerned with poverty around the world, especially in the poorest countries but also in wealthier countries such as Australia.

The main aims of Anti-Poverty Week are to:

• strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia;
• encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments.

Everyone who is interested in helping to reduce poverty and hardship here or overseas is encouraged to organise their own activities during the Week or join in some being organised by other people. The activities can be large or small, and events at the local level are especially welcome. Further information is available on the website

Availability of sporting infrastructure

Local councils will be contacted to provide updated figures on local government expenditure on sport and recreation. ALGA encourages councils to provide the information where possible.

The Australian Government is conducting a review of funding for sport in 2007. The review aims to address future Commonwealth funding directions, including the role of all spheres of government in providing support for sport and physical recreation.

The review will be conducted by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) in consultation with the Australian Sports Commission and the Departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, and Finance and Administration. The project is scheduled to be completed by October 2007.

An Australian Bureau of Statistics snapshot of funding support in 2001 shows that, in total, local government areas contributed more than a billion dollars across Australia to sport and recreation, representing around half of the total spend of all spheres of government. Any inquiries in relation to the review, please contact Dr Matasha McConchie at DCITA - telephone 02 62711263 or email: matasha.mcconchie@dcita.gov.au

World Environment Day

On World Environment Day, Tuesday 5 June, 221 local councils across Australia can celebrate their part in reducing the impact of global warming.

World Environment Day is the annual United Nations event to promote worldwide awareness of environmental issues and encourage political action. This year's theme is Melting Ice - a Hot Topic ?, which will draw attention to the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities, and the ensuing consequences around the world.

World Environment Day 2007 also marks the tenth anniversary of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Australia Program, an international campaign that helps local governments and their communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment.

The polar ice caps are melting due to millions of small and large greenhouse gas producing activities, yet councils are demonstrating that local action can reduce our global impact. An extraordinary 8.8 million tonnes of CO2e have been abated since the start of the CCP Australia Program in 1997. There are currently 221 local governments participating in the CCP Program in Australia.

The CCP Australia Program is delivered through a partnership between ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability - Oceania (ICLEI Oceania) and the Australian Greenhouse Office, in the Department of the Environment and Water Resources.

For more information about ICLEI Oceania and the CCP Australia Program visit: www.iclei.org/oceania or contact Patti Wenn, Executive Manager, Cities for Climate Protection, on 03 9639 8688.

For more information on World Environment Day, see the United Nations Environment Programme World Environment Day website

NSW councils urged to ban smoking in outdoor areas

Smoking inside pubs and hotels will be banned in NSW from the beginning of July and now councils are being encouraged to adopt new guidelines that would outlaw smoking in many public places.

They include children's playgrounds, parks and beaches, sporting fields and facilities,council buildings and carparks and bus stops.

The New South Wales Cancer Council hopes the guidelines launched yesterday on World No Tobacco Day will lead more councils to make more outdoor areas smoke-free.

So far 30 local government areas have banned smoking in some areas, with Mosman Council becoming the first entirely smoke-free municipality earlier this year.

Shrinking cities - international research

Shrinking cities share a similar background of steady population loss for a significant period but often intertwined with periods of slow growth with migration of capital and of human resources, lack of growth and entrepreneurship, low levels of innovation and intellectual engagement. The result is a powerless position for urban managers to scrutinise and negotiate settlement conditions with new business willing to relocate to these cities. Thus, the CBD shrinks while the metro area grows e.g. St Louis, Cleveland and Detroit lost half of their population between 1950-1990 while their metro areas expanded.

In practice this means different strategies for different parts of the city-region, which implies different planning approaches to infrastructure, taxation, land use regulations, transport and access to education and cultural facilities.

Dr. Cristina Martinez-Fernandez, Urban Research Centre, University Western Sydney at c.martinez@uws.edu.au is investigating the issue in Australia as part of the Shrinking Cities International Research Network (SCiRN) at University California, Berkeley. Experts met in San Francisco in February. Smart City Radio hosted a radio show with examples from Germany, the UK, France & Australia. To listen to the show, click here. The results from this research are being presented in Beijing in June and in Berlin in August and in a cities conference in Australia later in 2007.

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Australian Small Bridges Conference 2007

A conference focused on Small, Medium and Local Bridges

18-19 July, Gold Coast, Queensland

Australia has over 30,000 small to medium-sized bridges on our road network and many are near the end of their structural life and need urgent attention.

These bridges are located not only within road reserves but also on train lines, parks & gardens, national parks, and elsewhere. Structures such as elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms also fall within the scope of this conference.

The conference program has been designed to provide council engineers and managers, and councillors, with the latest information and insights in grappling with asset management, legal and road safety issues. The speaking program is diverse with managing timber bridges and pedestrian bridges being particular features. Topics also include Asset Management, Condition Assessment, Bridge Management, Bridge Replacement & Repair and practical Case Studies.

Experienced bridge practitioners, including a number of council managers, will present including Phillipe Matiere from France who will give a keynote presentation on Small Bridges. Another highlight is the Condition Assessment and Asset Management Plan for Gold Coast City council portfolio of 140 foot-bridges and boardwalks in its parklands

For more information on this important conference, see www.halledit.com.au/conferences
/bridges/07
or contact Denise McQueen, 03 8534 5021
or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au