Speeches: 2004
Population Ageing Action Plan
Councils are faced with sharply increasing demand for human services, growing pressure to provide more suitable age-related infrastructure, such as aged care facilities and community amenities, but have a restricted ability to raise revenue through rates and user-charges. The fiscal implications of ageing are well recognized and acknowledge the landmark work done by the Treasurer, Mr Costello, and his department on the Intergenerational Report.
Address to local government population and ageing project
Councillor Mike Montgomery
President, Australian Local Government Association
27 July 2004: Ballina, New South Wales
- Minister Bishop
- Member for Page, Ian Causley
- Mayor Phillip Silver, Ballina Shire Council
- Mayor Charlie Cox, Richmond Valley Council
- Mayor Jan Barham, Byron Shire Council
- Mayor Ernie Bennett, Kyogle Council
- Members and staff of Ballina Shire Council
- Ladies and gentlemen
Last year, Julie Bishop attended the National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra our annual gathering of the local government clans.
Although the Minister had been in the job for just a few weeks, she drove home a critically important message and that's this local government and the Australian Government must work together as partners if we are to successfully meet the challenges of demographic change.
We now have an embryonic partnership on ageing that will I'm sure grow over the coming years to enhance the capacity of local government to respond to change.
The challenges for Australia's 675 councils will be profound almost everywhere.
But they will be particularly profound in Australia's coastal areas and lifestyle regions.
It is expected that - by 2019 one-in-eight local government areas will have at least 25% of their population aged 65 years and over.
ALGA's current State of the Regions report tells us that North Coast of New South Wales will continue to experience significant change.
In the Richmond-Tweed region today, 27% of residents are aged 55 and over.
By 2011, that will grow to 34%.
And by 2021, it will be 42%.
The region will rank number four of Australia's 64 regions just behind the NSW Mid-north coast - 47% - the Wide Bay-Burnett region in Queensland - 46% - and Victoria's Gippsland on 44%.
The State of the Regions report prepared for ALGA by National Economics - makes some key observations about how local government and local communities will be affected by change over the coming decades.
Local government it said - will struggle under current funding arrangements to keep pace with the demands made by an ageing population.
It found that much of local government could face serious budgetary pressure as it struggles to keep pace with increasing demand for human services while attempting to maintain and develop traditional services, such as road and infrastructure maintenance.
Over the past few years, local government expenditures have increased significantly in the areas such as health, welfare, public safety, recreation, culture, housing and community amenities with decreases in expenditure - as a proportion of government outlays - in transport and general public services.
Councils are faced with sharply increasing demand for human services, growing pressure to provide more suitable age-related infrastructure, such as aged care facilities and community amenities, but have a restricted ability to raise revenue through rates and user-charges.
The fiscal implications of ageing are well recognized and acknowledge the landmark work done by the Treasurer, Mr Costello, and his department on the Intergenerational Report.
Only last week, ALGA met with the Productivity Commission, which has is embarking on a study of the fiscal implications of ageing on federal, state and local government.
Last week, I had a very cordial meeting with the new Minister for Local Government, Jim Lloyd.
Mr Lloyd, of course, comes from another New South Wales coastal electorate and is well aware of impact demographic change is having on local communities.
He now picks up the task of completing the Australian Government's formal response to the Fair Share report on cost shifting and local government finances.
The response is of critical importance to local government.
We are optimistic that it will when released - form another important step on the road to securing a more secure financial base for local government in the years ahead.
We know that our older residents offer rich life experience, well-honed skills, knowledge and wisdom, qualities that make a major contribution to the social fabric of our communities.
But our ageing population will also have a substantial impact on planning and service delivery. These impacts spell real and growing challenges for Australia's 675 councils.
This change in demographics requires proactive and innovative, but also compassionate, sensitive and inclusive, policy responses from local government.
All this is within our grasp.
Local government has a strong commitment to community strengthening, and the ongoing needs of older Australians fall squarely within this agenda.
The next step for local government is ours to chart. We need to plan and prepare for demographic change now, through careful and determined policy.
To help build the capacity of local government to meet the specific opportunities and challenges of an ageing population, ALGA has developed the Australian Local Government Population Ageing Action Plan to cover a five year period between now and 2008.
This plan is the result of the partnership between ALGA and the Australian Department of Health and Ageing to engage local government in a planned and coordinated national approach to population ageing issues.
The plan provides a framework in which local government can address the ageing issues that affect local communities.
It is designed to provide a flexible and dynamic framework that:
- builds awareness of population ageing within local government
- encourages local government action to plan for an ageing population
- fosters partnerships to support a more collaborative approach to population ageing
- improves access to regional information on population ageing and future demographic shifts
Within each of these priority areas, a number of practical actions have been identified.
Some of the highlights include:
- A website that promotes the Local Government Ageing Project and provides relevant information for local government.
- A toolbox that provides local government with the tools, resources and contacts to integrate ageing issues into all aspects of local government operations.
- A local government ageing network that allows subscribers to share experiences, questions and comments about ageing issues.
The plan complements other national ageing strategies, such as the National Strategy for an Ageing Australia.
It also builds on the considerable work already undertaken in the states and territories.
Many councils are already well engaged in the ageing agenda. And I congratulate Ballina and neighbouring councils for the work they have done.
Ballina, for example, is in the process of developing a HACC community centre that will provide a range of services such as meals on wheels and day care. They are also developing a social plan that will help their response to demographic change.
There is much work to be done. But local government is already off to a solid start.
We look forward to growing our partnership with the Australian Government so that together, we can meet the challenges and capitalise on the opportunities that an ageing population presents.
Minister, I warmly welcome our emerging partnership and look forward to future discussions on how we can further work together to deliver better outcomes for the communities we serve.
Thank you also to Ballina for hosting our launch here today.
27 July 2004
Cr Mike Montgomery
Thank you.
See also: Australian Local Government Population Ageing Action Plan
