Speeches: 2005
Building partnerships for a safer Australia
The role of local government in consequence management and infrastructure protection: A risk management approach
Address to the Security in government conference
Councillor Geoff Lake
Vice-President, Australian Local Government Association
12 May 2005, Canberra
Thank you, Chair.
The theme of this year's conference is - very appropriately - working together for Australia's security. Because, until recently, we weren't all working together.
Following the attacks on the New York and Washington - almost four years ago now - local government was all but forgotten in the rush to make Australia in general - and Australians in particular - more secure. Attention was firmly focused on the international war on terror, deployment of our armed forces, border protection and maritime and aviation security. And around $4 billion has been spent supporting these activities, not counting the $20 billion committed to 125 individual defence projects to enhance our defence capabilities. But, over the past two years, there has been a growing recognition that local government does indeed have something to offer. And here I will pay tribute to the Prime Minister and the Attorney General for recognising the local dimension to the national security challenge.
Today, I'd like to do two things. I will outline the growing role local government is playing in issues of national security. And I will argue that we need to take a more holistic approach to the search for security than perhaps is currently the case.
First, to the role of local government and its relevance to the national security agenda. Local government today is doing much more than simply rates, roads and rubbish. It is emerging as an increasingly significant player within the Australian federation. Local government invests $17 billion a year in local communities, employs more than 150,000 people across more than 670 individual councils. We own and maintain infrastructure worth more than $140 billion, including 680,000 kilometres of road - around 85 per cent of all roads - and more than 30,000 bridges. We own or run around 240 airports and airstrips, ranging from large regional airports that take regular jet services to remote bush strips. We also operate around 49 ports and marinas.
In addition, local government owns or manages thousands of buildings and facilities used across the nation for public gatherings including performing arts theatres, galleries, museums, sports stadiums, swimming pools and conference centres. We run water supply and sewerage services in several states. And we're planners. We zone land, regulate building and development and set and police town and environmental planning policies.
We also play a major role in environmental protection and natural resource management. And local government has a long standing and increasingly sophisticated role to play in community safety and emergency management. But, above all, we provide leadership at the community level. Nowhere is this more evident than during a crisis. It's the mayor or shire president that rallies communities and defends them, that helps them through a crisis and gets them back on the road to recovery.
The Newcastle Earthquake, the Port Arthur shootings, the Katherine floods, the Chiltern backpacker hostel fire, the Ash Wednesday bushfires. All examples where local government played a prominent leadership role in times of significant adversity. The specific role of local government in emergency management has - for some time - been well recognised by Emergency Management Australia. Emergency management in Australia involves prevention, preparedness, response and recovery carried out through an active partnership involving all three spheres of government, the private sector, non-government organisations and trained volunteers.
A whole-of-government approach is now considered the only effective way to manage disasters - regardless of whether they are caused by terrorism, an industrial accident or a cyclone. Whole-of-government means not only functions of government, but also spheres of government. When it comes to emergency management, councils play different roles in different states, but as a general rule, pursue an all hazards approach which is well integrated with state emergency services. They also plan for disasters and develop disaster mitigation plans which anticipate future threats, whether natural or man made.
In my state of Victoria, councils undertake a range of emergency management activities with respect to prevention of, response to and recovery from both natural disasters such as fire and flood, and major incidents such as large accidents and interruption to supply of essential services.
Councils work in cooperation with key state government emergency management agencies such as the police, fire authorities, ambulance services and SES to ensure a coordinated approach and a safer outcome for the community. In 2001, for example, the Municipal Association of Victoria worked with state agencies and others to develop guidelines for the organizers of mass gatherings. This brought together the Department of Human Services, emergency services, fire, police, ambulance, the Building Control Commission and the MAV.
The result is a set of comprehensive guidelines and checklists to assist event organisers to better plan and manage their public events. It covers matters such as:
- development of emergency management plans
- emergency medical and communication plans
- identification of emergency vehicle access and egress routes and casualty loading areas
- emergency power and lighting
- and even the identification of a facility that can act as a temporary mortuary.
In Queensland, the Local Government Association has worked with their state government to develop a risk management toolkit to help councils protect their communities. The kit comprises an outline of the nation's security situation, a workbook explaining the counter-terrorism context for local areas, how to undertake a security risk review and how to develop an action plan, worksheets to implement the kit and supplementary training material. It takes users through developing a community, disaster and risk context for local government, the identification of potential targets and an assessment of a council's preparedness to manage a terrorist attack against those targets. Users then go through a comparison of the community's security requirements with existing disaster management arrangements, identification of any gaps and the development of action plans for integration. The kit is designed for local councils and disaster management groups as well as district disaster coordinators, Department of Emergency Services area managers, Queensland Police Service, major event organisers, major industries, peak bodies and owners of critical infrastructure.
At the national level, we're pleased that the Australian Government increasingly recognises the need for all spheres of government to work together. In February, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Andrew Metcalfe, told the National Security Australia conference that - and I quote - "National security is an issue which is multi-dimensional. It necessarily involves significant international engagement as well as all levels of government." So, how has local government been engaged?
Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council
The changing international environment after September 11 has seen a greater focus on counter terrorism and critical infrastructure protection. Local government has become increasingly aware of its role, not just in responding and planning for natural disasters, but in an all hazards approach to emergency management. This approach incorporates the capacity to respond appropriately to terrorism and identify and mitigate risk associated with critical infrastructure. In this context, ALGA now represents local government on the Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council and through the Trusted Information Sharing Network maintains an awareness of current developments in critical infrastructure protection relevant to local government.
There are, of course, a number of sub-groups working on critical infrastructure, many of relevance to local government. The Icons and Public Gatherings Group, for example, is developing a toolkit to allow members to take a nationally consistent approach to security planning. And the Built Environment Expert Advisory Group is looking at how building codes and standards can help make critical infrastructure safer.
While local government has some, though not a large number of iconic buildings, we certainly have many places where the public gathers in large numbers, from sporting and cultural centres and stadiums to large events, such as festivals and the management of New Years' Eve celebrations and Australia Day ceremonies. As the owner of a large number of airports, marinas and bridges, not to mention dams and water supply infrastructure, we are vitally interested in security issues.
We were particularly pleased that the Australian Government last year made funding available to cover the capital costs of new requirements for regional airport security measures. It's important to remember that - unlike the GST-rich state - local government does not have access to growth taxes. We are at the bottom end of the food chain when it comes to the distribution of Australia's taxation revenue. The nation's vertical fiscal imbalance means that the Commonwealth and state governments collect the bulk of the revenue and the distribution of funds to cover functions leaves local government drastically short changed.
Until local government has access to a fair and secure share of national taxation revenue, we will need the strong support of the Australian Government to enhance our capacity across a wide range of core services. Emergency management is just one of these. Fortunately, the Australian Government has shown an increasing willingness to help.
Working together to manage emergencies
Two years ago, ALGA advanced the case that enhancing the emergency management response capacity of councils should be part of a comprehensive approach to improving national security. In response, the Attorney General, during the course of the last election campaign, announced policy which would pave a way forward. So was born the $33m local government security partnership program. It's goal - to enhance the capacity of communities to prepare for, react to and recover from disasters.
The program has a number of components. At the top, there's the development of a national strategic plan for local consequence management. This will be developed by EMA with advice from stakeholders, including ALGA and state and territory local government associations. There will also be a grants program, with $30m to be distributed over four years to councils to help develop and implement community risk management strategies. EMA is currently working up an administrative framework to support the grant scheme.
Priority will be given to projects that:
- develop and promote effective community preparedness, response and recovery initiatives
- undertake appropriate protection measures for critical infrastructure
- provide emergency management and security awareness training.
EMA has established a dedicated unit - the Community Development Branch - to run these programs. It will also improve dialogue and increase coordination of the government's training and liaison activities on emergency response issues. The policy also allocates funding to establish a National Emergency Volunteer Support Fund - $16 million over four years - to boost the recruitment, skills and training base of volunteer organisations in the first responder role. The funding will be administered through grants to fund capital equipment and formal emergency skills training, a move welcomed by local government.
ALGA looks forward to a close partnership with EMA in the delivery of the Working Together to Manage Emergencies program and the development of a National Strategic Plan for local government in emergency management. ALGA will help promote the local grants scheme and we're keen to see councils take advantage of the opportunities the program will create. I might say that $30m over four years is not a massive injection of funds by any means. But it is a very welcome contribution from the Commonwealth. I hope that - as the value of the program is revealed - we might persuade the Australian Government to build on this good start and expand the program to reach and help more councils. ALGA has also been working with other spheres of government on emergency management and mitigation issues through the Council of Australian Governments.
COAG natural disaster review
The COAG Review of Natural Disasters in Australia - Reforming mitigation, relief and recovery arrangements was adopted by all jurisdictions in December 2003. One outcome has been the establishment of the Australian Emergency Management Committee (AEMC) and the Augmented Australasian Police Ministers' Council. ALGA represents local government on both groups.
A further recommendation - recommendation 45 to be exact - called for an amendment to National Disaster Relief Arrangements to provide a more - and I quote - "effective incentive" for councils to undertake disaster mitigation. In fact, the recommendation requires councils to implement disaster mitigation plans by December 2006 or face a 10% deduction in funding for disaster relief assistance. It seems to us to be more of a stick than an incentive. Nonetheless, ALGA was able to secure agreement to extend the original deadline, which - unrealistically - fell in December this year.
ALGA/EMA Toolkit
As part of our growing emergency management partnership with Australian Government, ALGA has begun work with Emergency Management Australia on a disaster mitigation strategy toolkit. This will help councils access information and case studies for the development of disaster mitigation strategies. This project is funded under the national component of the ALGA-EMA Local Government Emergency Management Capability Development Project. The toolkit will be developed in close consultation with state and territory local government associations and relevant emergency management agencies. It will - we hope - ensure all councils meet the deadline for the development of disaster mitigation strategies without any need for the big stick.
COAG National Bushfire Inquiry
A further COAG inquiry of significant importance to local government was the Ellis inquiry into bushfire mitigation and management. The recommendations cover a number of themes including:
- the need for better understanding of risk
- an ordered approach to research and data collection
- a focus on mitigation as well as response and recovery
- continued efforts to enhance cooperation across jurisdictions.
COAG decided that the Augmented Australasian Police Ministers' Council will have a lead role in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the report's recommendations. ALGA particularly welcomed the finding that:
Adequate resourcing of local government is essential for robust and competent bushfire planning and decision making and for ensuring continuing maintenance of protection zones and adherence to development controls.
This finding further underlines our case for additional resources to assist local government to better manage emergencies. The Inquiry endorses the recommendations in the Natural Disasters in Australia report relating to disaster mitigation through land use planning and development controls. The COAG response to the bushfire inquiry notes that work is already underway in the Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council to address this issue. ALGA represents local government on the LGPMC and as such, is actively working to progress this matter.
Community cohesion
There's another role that local government plays in matters of concern to national security and that concerns community harmony. As the world becomes more and more divided in an 'us and them' war on terror, it's important that all Australians feel they are part of an inclusive, caring and open society. Local government plays a critical role in pulling communities together and countering the sense of isolation and alienation that, in some places, gives rise to destructive behaviour.
There are many thousands of activities that are taking place at the local level. I'll mention just one. The Darebin City Council in Melbourne conducted the Cramer Street Project, a partnership between the council and the Cramer Street community in Preston. The aim was to tackle racial tension among people from diverse backgrounds. They arose partly in wake of the September 11 attacks and partly because of parking problems associated with use of a mosque that is the main place of worship for more than 10,000 Muslims in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
The council worked on parking solutions, but also on building understanding of diverse cultures through dialogue. They brought together local people in social settings and seminars to reduce the previously held prejudices and misconceptions. Activities like this are being coordinated by councils across Australia and should be considered a critical part of building a safer, more secure country.
The importance of working together was - perhaps - brought into sharp focus last month when a counter-terrorism exercise was conducted in a disused college in Melbourne. Efforts to inform residents were - in the event - woefully inadequate. A large number of nearby residents were woken in the middle of the night by gunfire, a series of loud explosions and low-flying helicopters. Needless to say, they were not impressed. Nor was the Yarra City Council. As a result, the Australian Government has given an undertaking to ALGA that relevant councils will be consulted prior to all future counter terror exercises. The relevant authorities will work with councils to ensure residents are fully informed. ALGA acknowledges the need for realistic training to be completed by security forces. But I don't think it too much to ask that the right of residents to the quiet enjoyment of their neighbourhood be respected as far as possible. Especially at 3 o'clock in the morning.
Conclusion
In summary, local government is pleased that we are increasingly being involved in issues of national security. We're pleased for a couple of reasons. First, by enhancing the local government capacity in areas such as emergency management and disaster mitigation, we will be building more resilient communities. These will be better prepared and better able to handle emergencies in whatever form they may take. And second, local government brings with it a community perspective that can only come from the sphere of government that is closest to the people. That perspective is an invaluable ingredient that must not be discounted as we plan for a safer Australia. ALGA looks forward to growing our partnership with the Australian Government on security issues to the benefit of the people we collectively serve, the Australian people.
Thank you.
Councillor Geoff Lake
Vice-President, Australian Local Government Association
12 May 2005
Canberra
