12 April 2005
Background
Older people are a significant and growing part of local communities. This trend presents both daunting challenges and real opportunities for local government.
To help build the capacity of local government to meet the specific opportunities and challenges of an ageing population, ALGA entered into a partnership with the Australian Government in November 2003. The first step of the partnership was the development of an action plan to help local government plan for an ageing population.
Australian Local Government Population Ageing Action Plan
On 27 July 2004, Federal Minister for Ageing, Julie Bishop, joined ALGA President Mike Montgomery to launch the Australian Local Government Population Ageing Action Plan 2004-2008.
The plan provides a flexible and dynamic framework that builds awareness, encourages action, fosters partnerships and improves access to information. This four-year action plan complements other related national ageing strategies, such as the National Strategy for an Ageing Australia and intersects with the considerable work already undertaken in individual jurisdictions.
Detailed project timelines and responsibilities for implementation are set out in an annual work program.
ALGA’s Ageing Awareness and Action Survey
An initiative of the Australian Local Government Population Ageing Plan is to undertake a baseline survey to gauge awareness of population ageing within local government and to determine the level of local government action on population ageing issues.
On 16 December 2004, ALGA launched its first Ageing Awareness and Action Survey. The survey was conducted online, via ALGA’s Planning for an Ageing Community website. To promote the survey, a letter was sent to all 673 Australian local government authorities. In addition, details about the survey were included in ALGA News and other state association newsletters. The survey is divided into three sections. Section A has 6 questions which related to demographic information. Section B has 12 questions which focus on the awareness of the respondent to population ageing. Section C has 12 questions which focused on the action of council to population ageing issues.
Download the survey questions (RTF 1 mB)
Download the survey questions (PDF 41 kB)
