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Local Roads and Transport Congress

The ALGA Local Roads and Transport Congress in Newcastle on 8-10 July is now only three weeks away. There is still time to register to attend the most important local government transport event of the year.

The Australian Government announced major funding commitments to local roads in the May Budget and is being well represented at the Congress to explain its commitments.

Both the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Mark Vaile, and the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, will be attending to tell us about the Government's plans for the Roads to Recovery, the Blackspots and the Strategic Regional Programs.

There will be opportunities to question both Ministers on the Government's intentions, and perhaps influence the way these Programs will be administered in the future, with our questions.

With the federal election no more than six months away, this Congress is well placed to influence both the Government and the Opposition on issues of importance to local government. It is important that we in local government shows our support for the extension of the Roads to Recovery Program and place our ideas for funding of other transport needs such as urban transport onto the political agenda of both parties.

Local Government can not afford to sit back and assume that the job has been done with the Budget announcements on local road funding.

Delegates are able to register and pay for the Congress online at www.alga.asn.au/roadscongress. The same site can be used for booking accommodation, the partner program and pre and post Congress tours.

ALGA presents its case to Labor's Federal-State Advisory Group

The Shadow Minister for Federal-State Relations, Bob McMullan, addressed an Australian Institute of Management breakfast briefing last week.

Mr McMullan was a last minute stand-in for the Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Julia Gillard, and he took the opportunity to outline the priorities of an incoming Rudd Labor Government.

Mr McMullan said that the Howard Government while presiding over a strong economy was vulnerable for five major reasons - industrial relations, the war in Iraq (when one of its great strengths was how it handled national security), climate change, its longevity, and the perceptions of living standards.

He said that an incoming Rudd Labor Government would lift national productivity through an education revolution, a broadband initiative and transform road, rail and ports through setting up a national infrastructure body, Infrastructure Australia. He said a Rudd Government would conduct an audit, set national priorities and would fund projects through a combination of the Future Fund, state and private investment.

He said the next big micro-economic reform challenge was to reform federal-state relations, to end 'the blame game' and inefficiencies between levels of Government which have been estimated by Access Economics to cost the Australian economy $9b a year.

Mr McMullan has announced a Federal-State Advisory Group which will consider Specific Purpose Payments to the states. He said the current focus was on 'inputs rather than outcomes' and this needed to be changed to reflect 'a competitive and cooperative federalism.'

He nominated the following areas as needing attention: Indigenous health; government accountability; and Australia’s standing as a good international citizen.

ALGA has presented a submission to the Advisory Group chaired by former Secretary to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Michael Keating, which is examining Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs).

The submission outlines local government's case to be included in the inter-governmental transfer framework. ALGA President Cr Paul Bell said that local government would keep up the fight for a share of direct revenue, as the states have with the GST. "Local Government sees a clear need for reform of the SPPs in the areas of local government funding," Cr Bell said. "While some federal funding provided to local government for specific local projects might be appropriately dealt with under SPPs, Australian Government funding to local government should take the form of a dedicated share of federal taxation."

Cr Bell said he was encouraged by the setting up of the Advisory Group by Mr McMullan and looked forward to its report. "It is important that both major parties look at how the current federal system is working and, from a local government perspective, how local government can fully participate as an equal partner. We believe our case for a fair share of taxation is a strong one." Cr Bell welcomed recent comments by the Minister for Local Government Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, at the Local Government Roundtable that the Minister would raise the case with his colleagues of a direct proportion of at least 1% of federal taxation revenue.

Honours for local government

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ALGA President Cr Paul Bell AM congratulated the Chief Executive Officer of the WA Local Government Association, Ricky Burges, who received the Public Service Medal (PSM) in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours lists.

Cr Bell said that he would also like to acknowledge former ALGA Board Member and Former Member of the NSW Shires Association Phyllis Miller who received a Medal (OAM) in the General Division.

"Around 30 outstanding women and men who have given their hearts and souls to their local communities through local government service were honoured in the list," Cr Bell said. "I congratulate them on their achievements and the well-deserved recognition they have received."

Information for nominations for the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours is available at www.itsanhonour.gov.au
From the President

Tourism is big business for local communities. There are some shining examples of local councils seizing opportunities to rejuvenate local economies through putting themselves 'on the map.'

The North Queensland town of Bowen has a museum and an award-winning pie shop. It also is the main location for Baz Luhrmann's latest epic movie, 'Australia.' For those who have been out of the media loop over the last few weeks, this movie stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman and has been a big boon for the town and its businesses. The Shire Council has taken advantage of all this attention and their website now invites people to: "Bowen Shire Council: Hollywood style."

In another part of Australia, the western NSW town of Morundah with a population of 15, local hotelier and Urana Shire Councillor Dave Fahey took a leap of faith late last year and staged an opera. Over 1000 patrons came as far afield as Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for the two performances of 'Carmen' by OzOpera. On the land next to his pub, Fahey purpose-built a new shed as a stage and created a tarpaulined shelter for the audience.

And innovation knows know bounds. The Mt Isa Bob-Cat Magic ballet for heavy machinery is held up as an example of how community, art and entertainment are not on mutually exclusive terms. Manly has its jazz festival, the Elvis Festival in Parkes has a cult following and the Pt Fairy Folk Festival is a magnet for music-lovers around the country.

Public art is transforming rural landscapes. Walcha, a small town on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, with a history rich in pioneers, explorers and bushrangers discovered big art when it became an open-air gallery. The collection of 40 outdoor sculptures, paintings and street furniture is attracting a steady flow of visitors to the town and the community has now established its own arts council.

This is what happens. It begins with an idea for a community event or a tourist attraction. It might be a local mayor or a councillor, or a business or community leader, who has the vision and drive and then inspires others to work together to make it a reality. And there are many more examples from all over Australia.

It could be as simple as doing up a toilet block or as visionary as the Morundah arts venue. But it becomes a reason for people to turn off the highway and stop at a local town. The impacts are enormous.

There are grants available for seed funding and they are worth applying for. A couple of examples are the Festivals Australia Program at www.dcita.gov.au/festivals or there is funding for tourism projects in drought affected Australia with grant applications available on www.ausindustry.gov.au.

The Local Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund which ALGA is pushing the major parties to fund in their election platforms, will also help rejuvate local communities through improving community facilities.

As the great Melbourne-based song-writer Paul Kelly says: "Out of little things, big things grow!"

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Development of the Child Care Accreditation System

Following the 2006-07 May Budget, the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Mal Brough MP, announced several important changes to the Child Care Quality Assurance (QA) system that may be of interest to local government.

These changes included the integration of the existing three service types (Long Day Care, Family Day Care and Outside School Hours Care) into one streamlined system, and the introduction of unannounced validation visits and on-the-spot checks.

The changes will strengthen and improve the QA system, reduce the burden on individual services and enable other child care service types to participate in the QA process.

FaCSIA and the National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) are currently in the process of developing new Standards and these along with other related information will be released for public review and comment via the department's website

Comments from interested stakeholders on the system are still welcome and feedback should be directed to CCQA.Feedback@facsia.gov.au.

Applications open for Extended Bushfire Mitigation Program

Applications are now open for funding in 2007-08 under the Bushfire Mitigation Program, which was extended for a further four years until 2010/11 in the May Federal Budget. The Program, which will continue to be funded at $5m per annum, provides grants for the construction, maintenance and signage of bushfire trails.

Applications for funding close on 31 July 2007 and the BMP's guidelines remain unchanged. Information about the program and the lead agency in each State and Territory responsible for the program can be accessed through the DOTARS website.

RTA to fund all emergency road repairs in disaster zones

The NSW government will fund emergency repairs for all roads damaged during the long weekend's savage storms, which claimed nine lives.

The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) says it will directly fund emergency repairs for all roads in the declared disaster zones on the Central Coast and in the Hunter Valley.

The funding is for RTA-controlled state roads and council-controlled regional and local roads.

The RTA is in contact with all local government agencies in the affected areas to reimburse them for any costs incurred for these emergency repair works.

In the long term, the state government will help restore roads to their original condition, the RTA said.

It would provide 100 per cent of the funding for RTA roads and council-controlled regional roads and 75 per cent of the cost of fixing councils' local roads.

Waste levies at local tips in the flood affected areas of NSW would be waived to aid the clean-up process, NSW Premier Morris Iemma said. The premier met with local mayors to discuss priorities as massive clean-up efforts continue.

The assistance to areas declared a "natural disaster" include:

  • personal hardship and distress assistance - through the Department of Community Services - to people in distressed financial circumstances due to damage to houses and property
  • low interest loans to primary producers and small businesses
  • subsidies of up to 50 per cent for primary producers for the cost of road transport of livestock and emergency fodder
  • grants to local councils to meet the additional costs of emergency work to restore essential services
  • assistance to sporting clubs to restore facilities damaged or destroyed
  • loan assistance to churches and other voluntary non-profit organisations to restore facilities damaged or destroyed.

The Prime Minister, John Howard also visited the region to support the victims. "Given the devastation, I have authorised Commonwealth support in the form of cash payments to people who have suffered serious injury, or lost their principal place of residence or had that residence rendered uninhabitable for a period of 48 hours as a direct result of this disaster," he said.

"This will be over and above the support being provided by the Australian Government under the long standing Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. Through the NDRRA, the Commonwealth assists the states with the costs and resourcing of response and recovery operations in large scale disasters."

The additional relief will amount to $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. People who are entitled to this additional assistance will now be able to apply to Centrelink on 180 2211.

Announcement on broadband expected

The Government hoped to announce the details of its broadband package shortly, the Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has said.

Mr Vaile said the Government hoped to make an announcement on a process for determining whether Telstra or its rival, the Optus-led G9 group, get the go-ahead to build a fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network.

It also hoped to make an announcement on its program to expand the availability of broadband across regional Australia.

"We're certainly hopeful that we will have a full package to announce during the course of this week," Mr Vaile said on Channel 10.

Mr Vaile said the Government was taking a holistic approach to broadband in Australia.

"We know we need to provide assistance and subsidy and support to get the sort of coverage we need in regional Australia," he said.

The FTTN involves connecting fast fibre optic cable to Telstra's existing copper wire network, which is linked to homes and businesses.

Meanwhile Telstra chief executive Sol Trufillo has upped the ante, saying he needed a decision by July in order to commit the funds to the FTTN project, otherwise he will invest the funds elsewhere. The Australian Government has indicated it will not be rushed into a decision by corporate pressure.

Protest action on Red Friday

The Nationals' Leader in the Senate, Senator Ron Boswell, has predicted that groundswell pressure by rural Queenslanders could forge a late Labor backdown on council amalgamations.

Senator Boswell asked a question in the Senate yesterday relating to a Labor Party advertisement that was placed in last Friday's Central Queensland News newspaper, where the federal Opposition Leader states that he has asked Premier Beattie to review his council amalgamation proposal, asserting that 'Local councils are the lifeblood of rural and regional towns.'

Meanwhile, the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Teresa Gambaro, in a recent speech in the House of Representatives, described the amalgamation push as "another example of the sheer arrogance of the Beattie government in Queensland." "Make no mistake: these changes will lead to significant job losses for the people in local government throughout the state and will rip the heart and soul from local communities," she said. "This is another example of the state government cutting funding to essential local communities. In place will be a system to wind things down and replace these councils with centralized, faceless, faraway organizations with no connection to their communities."

Communities from across Queensland rallied against Premier Peter Beattie's plan to force council mergers last Friday - dubbed "Red Friday" by protest organisers.

Communities from 67 council areas met in centres across the state to voice their concerns over the proposed amalgamations, with the biggest gathering at Gayndah, approximately 200km north-west of Brisbane.

Local Government Association of Queensland President Paul Bell said the protest was a huge success with residents from the neighbouring shires of Eidsvold, Kolan, Monto, Isis and Perry converging on the town.

A protest song entitled 'We Don't Need No Amalgamations,' sung to the tune of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall, was launched at Stanthorpe, in the state's south-east.

A government commission set up to review council boundaries is currently working its way through more than 30,000 submissions before reporting back to government on August 1.

SA welcomes Burmese refugees

The Limestone Coast was congratulated by Assistant Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Teresa Gambaro today on its commitment to refugees as the communities of Mt Gambier and Grant prepare to welcome two families from Burma.

The Burmese families are the first refugees to be settled in the region directly from overseas under the Australian Government's regional humanitarian settlement initiative.

'Regional towns can offer very positive settlement outcomes for many refugees,' Ms Gambaro said.

'Country communities can provide a warm welcome, friendship and support for these families, many of whom have experienced great hardship and trauma.'

'Some refugees also find it easier to secure employment in regional towns, helping provide security for their families and allowing them to participate in Australian society.'

Planning for refugee settlement has been underway for some time and has been strongly supported by the Mount Gambier City Council and District Council of Grant, the Limestone Coast Area Consultative Committee and Regional Development Board, local service providers and community groups.

The first families are scheduled to arrive in June. Settlement of further families is planned.

An evaluation will follow to examine how well settlement is progressing, identify areas for improvement, and consider the town's capacity for ongoing refugee settlement.

Ms Gambaro said the settlement initiative in Mt Gambier followed a successful settlement program in Shepparton, where a small community of Congolese families were settled in the town from November 2005.

'The Limestone Coast's commitment to assisting these families demonstrates both compassion and a commitment to a fair go for all,' Ms Gambaro added.
COAG Reform Council

Prime Minister John Howard has appointed Paul McClintock, a former cabinet secretary and head of the cabinet policy unit in Canberra, chairman of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council.

Commonwealth, state, local government and territory leaders last year agreed to the establishment of the council, aimed at improving productivity and efficiency and ending duplication.

ALGA President Cr Paul Bell said that the Reform Council was an important initiative supported by local government to drive the national reform agenda.

The Prime Minister said a permanent secretariat was being established for the CRC.

Medical services and infrastructure in rural and regional Australia

The actions of one New South Wales Council highlight the ongoing and critical need to address shortages in medical practitioners and suitable medical infrastructure that face many rural, regional and remote areas across Australia.

Temora Council in western NSW has gone to the unusual lengths of offering up to $500,000 to secure the services of appropriately skilled General Practitioners for the town of Temora and the surrounding area. The council in this instance has utilised a specific trust available to them, however it is not a possibility that is available to many other local communities.

Many other local governments may find themselves in the same position and creative solutions may be called for that include local government leadership or involvement.

To this end, local councils may wish to explore options for funding or support that may be available under either the Regional Partnerships Program or the Rural Medical Infrastructure Fund. Both of these programs are auspiced by the Department of Transport and Regional Services. For further information Councils should visit www.regionalpartnerships.gov.au/index.aspx

Aged housing and fire safety compliance

Local councils that are involved in the provision of or assessment of aged care housing may be interested in recent comments made by officials from the Department of Health and Ageing in relation to compliance with federal fire safety regulations.

Despite the government spending more than $500 million to give aged care operators $3,500 a resident in June 2004 to pay for building works, Department of Health and Ageing officials said 131 facilities had gone almost 18 months past the December 2005 deadline to upgrade their fire safety standards.

The new regulations require such matters to be addressed as the installation of fire doors, alarms and sprinklers.

Whilst many of the facilities are compliant with local government fire safety regulations, they may not be compliant with the federal regulations.

After March 2008, non-compliant facilities would not receive the increased accommodation subsidies and resident charges payable under the government's $1.6 billion aged care package that were covered in the recent federal budget.

Maryborough reclaims pub crawl title

The city of Maryborough has staked its claim to having hosted the world's biggest pub crawl after 2,800 drinkers sloshed and slurred their way through at least one drink in every one of 10 city pubs.

Organisers of the event proudly boasted after the Sunday night binge to have reclaimed the title cheekily won from them in a smash and grab by London in 2006.

The south-east Queensland city, which boasts a population of 26,000, first entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2005, with 1,198 drinkers participating in the inaugural crawl, then beat its own record a year later with 2,237 participants.

But the British capital (population: 7.5 million) narrowly pipped Maryborough's record last year to grab the title with 2,278 credentialled participants.

Organisers said a preliminary count indicated 2,861 drinkers had participated in Maryborough's night to remember, but which many drinkers probably couldn't.

Visitors came from as far away as Western Australia and the United States to take part in the event and organisers hope it will become an annual pilgrimage for the Fraser Coast town.

Toads get caned in Townsville

Townsville City Council produced several hundred beer stubby holders carrying slogans promoting local activities including "cane toad golf", as part of a recently launched advertising campaign.

Other slogans on the beer coolers include "cold beer on a hot summer's day" and "bagging a barra" (barramundi).

RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said the merchandise encourages animal cruelty.

"We just think it's sending the wrong message, particularly to young people," Mr Beatty told AAP.

"We just don't want to encourage anyone to go hitting any animal, even if it is a cane toad, with a golf club, a baseball bat, a cricket bat or any other form of blunt instrument."

ALGA talks tourism to Government

ALGA recently met with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources to discuss the importance of tourism for local government and local government's role in attracting tourism. ALGA also provided the Department with an understanding of how tourism developments were considered under planning processes and how local communities were engaged in such processes. The Department had sought the meeting to improve its understanding of the importance of tourism, its role in economic development and the issues faced by local government in considering tourism developments.

Volunteer Small Equipment Grants 2007 application round now open

In response to the immense contribution that volunteers make in our community, the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, has announced the 2007 round of Volunteer Small Equipment Grants. Not for profit community organisations are invited to apply for funding to support their volunteers.

VSEG provides funding of up to $3,000 (GST inclusive) to help not for profit community organisations buy small equipment items to support volunteers whose work contributes to developing stronger families and communities. VSEG funding is for portable, tangible small equipment items that will directly help organisations' volunteers by making their work safer, easier and/or more enjoyable. If you wish to apply for sporting items, you should apply for VSEG - Sport.

VSEG - Sport aims to assist volunteer organisations, particularly those that support the involvement of children, in community based physical activities that contribute to community sporting participation and health. VSEG - Sport provides funding of up to $3,000 (GST inclusive) to help not for profit, volunteer organisations to cover costs such as club sporting equipment and uniforms, training of volunteer coaches, and travel to participate in sport related occasions.

Organisations are advised that VSEG is a very competitive process and it is essential that all applicants read the Volunteer Small Equipment Grants (VSEG) 2007 Application Guidelines - PDF [177kb] carefully. We also suggest you read the How to Complete a Volunteer Small Equipment Grants (VSEG 2007) application form - PDF [125kb] | RTF [546] to assist you to complete the form.

For an alternative format of the Application Guidelines, please contact the VSEG hotline on 1800 183 374.

Organisations are encouraged to complete and submit their application on-line. Applications close at 5pm AEST on Friday 22 June 2007.

You may also wish to investigate the following Australian Government websites: www.grantslink.gov.au and www.community.gov.au for current and future grants programs that may be of assistance to your organisation, or visit www.ourcommunity.com.au for community-based information.

Men and their sheds!

The National Centre of Vocational Research and Education (NCVER) has recently released a report entitled 'Men's sheds in Australia: learning through community contexts'. It examines the educational role of men's sheds and the communities which develop around them. NCVER, 23 May 2007.

www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1780.html

Australian Urban Design Award 2007 call for nominations

Nominations are now open for the Australian Urban Design Award 2007. The award was established to both recognise recent urban design projects of high quality in Australia, and to further encourage quality in Australia's built environment.

The Award is jointly hosted by the Planning Institute of Australia, Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.

Nomination forms can be accessed from www.planning.org.au

Environment Day Awards

Local government has been recognised for its work to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the 2007 World Environment Day Awards in Melbourne.

The Awards are:

  • Excellence in Overall Environmental Management: Coffs Harbour City Council - "Coffs Harbour, 'The Healthy City'."
  • Best Specific Environmental Initiative: City of Darebin - "Going Places - Darebin's Travel Rewards Scheme".
  • Signode Education/School Award: Woodbridge School - "Helping Hands".
  • Community Award: Waterwatch Noormunga Corner Inlet Community Water Monitoring Project
A 'Report Card' for taxpayers

Taxpayers across Australia will be able to keep track of how State and Territory Governments are spending their tax dollars thanks to a new website launched in Sydney. The new Statewatch website details State and Territory Government revenue allocation and expenditure, and offers an assessment of their effectiveness in the delivery of essential services. The website can be viewed at www.statewatch.com.au.

"Terrible" figures in Aboriginal report

A new report on Aboriginal disadvantage in Australia shows some "terrible" statistics, says federal opposition indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jenny Macklin.

The Council of Australian Governments-commissioned report blamed poverty and unemployment for a dramatic rise in the number of indigenous people in Australian jails.

Between 2000 and 2006, there was a 32 per cent jump in the number of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders imprisoned, while the life expectancy gap between black and white Australians remained at 17 years, the report said.

The situation for indigenous people facing chronic illness was grim, with Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders twice as likely to report a profound disability.

"These figures are terrible and a 17 year life expectancy gap, I think, really encapsulates just how bad the level of disadvantage is," Ms Macklin told ABC Radio.

"If we are going to close the gap in life expectancy we will have to address the overcrowded housing and of course give young people the opportunity to get a job which is only going to come if their education is improved," Ms Macklin said.

Meanwhile, Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough says there were some encouraging signs from the report, particularly on indigenous unemployment which fell from 30 per cent in 1994 to 13 per cent in 2004-05. (AAP)

Quote of the week

"I had a bad accident and when I understood how close I had been to not making it, I decided 'Well, I better make the rest of my life count.'"
Steve Posselt, who will attempt to kayak and walk from Brisbane to Adelaide to promote sustainable living

International news  
UK: Translation service cuts

Immigrants are to have the "crutch" of translation taken away from them as part of a new Government drive to ensure they learn English.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly signalled that councils would in future be discouraged from issuing documents in foreign languages because it hinders integration.

Ahead of a report this week by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion, Ms Kelly said the ability to speak English was "absolutely key".

The report is also expected to call for bosses to pay for their immigrant employees to learn English.

Other ideas to be proposed by the commission include a national volunteering program, to which every youngster could be enrolled.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said the change in approach to translation would allow councils to improve the way they help people fulfil their potential.

Chairman of the LGA Lord Bruce-Lockhart said: "This is a needed and necessary U-turn by the government that promoted multiculturalism and encouraged councils to provide the very services they now believe to be detrimental to a more cohesive society.

"Local authorities are best placed to make decisions based on local circumstances and while translation has its place for the most vulnerable groups, English language training must have priority.

"Shared language should be at the heart of a common set of values for a community. It is imperative for the continued long term advancement of community cohesion and improving education that language does not act as a barrier to access to services."

State of the Regions report 2006-07