President’s column

It’s been reported that the current drought being experienced in parts of eastern Australia is the worst in decades with scientists and industry experts predicting the conditions will only get worse.

Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that he will be hosting a National Drought Summit on 26 October, 2018. The summit will bring together the nation’s leaders and key stakeholders to look at actions to deliver assistance, cut red tape and tackle gaps that need addressing.

In particular, rather than just looking at an immediate response to the drought challenges, the summit will also address long-term resilience.

As ALGA President, I will represent the sector at the summit and I’m keen to report on the things that councils are already doing to assist their communities, as well as where we all can chip in to ease the drought burden. ALGA will soon be seeking input from your state/territory local government association about your council’s experiences and priorities on this issue, so if you have any information to share, please send it through to your LGA for a collated response.

ALGA has also sought a seat on the inter-jurisdictional committee that will be coordinating the national drought response to ensure that our sector can play its part to support our farmers and drought-stricken communities.

While not all states are currently in drought, this is a persisting national problem that we are told is likely to get worse with climate change, and all levels of government are working together to face this national challenge.

Your information, your reports and stories about what is happening on the ground will greatly help us understand the issues in more depth in order for us to, collectively, arrive at the best solutions.

 

Mayor David O’Loughlin

 ALGA President