ALGA News

Western Australian local governments raised more than $2.4 billion in rates during the 2018-19 financial year while managing assets worth more than $45 billion. These and other key facts from the 2018-19 financial year were published by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries this week – along with a financial health indicator+

The SA Government’s Statutes Amendment (Local Government) Review Bill 2020 was introduced into state parliament on 17 June. Key proposed reforms in the Bill include a new conduct management framework for council members; an expansion of expert, independent advice to councils on a range of critical financial and governance matters; modern approach to public consultation;+

Oil recycling facilities are to be provided with $7.8 million in temporary Commonwealth funding to enable them to keep operating during the Covid-19 crisis. The Federal Government has also said it will bring forward a scheduled review of the Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme to ensure it remains viable and sustainable into the future. About+

An information systems audit of 10 local governments in Western Australia has found all had “significant shortcomings” in their information security practices. The inaugural review conducted by Office of the Auditor-General found only four entities demonstrated that they were effective or partially effective in at least half of the 14 areas of the security standard.+

Australia’s new National Wild Dog Action Plan, which emphasises humane, evidence-based, and best-practice control measures, was implemented on 1 July. Wild dogs are estimated to cost farmers and graziers upwards of $89 million a year in lost production and control costs – with significant flow-on effects for rural and regional economies. The new plan was+

The next phase of the Heavy Vehicle National Law review has begun with publication of a consultation regulation impact statement by the National Transport Commission. The NTC is reviewing the HVNL and its supporting regulations at the behest of Transport Ministers after a meeting in November 2018. To date, the review has found that the+

Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand is seeking expressions of interest from local governments to become full or associate members. CWANZ is the Australasian peak group for walking and bike riding for transport, working collaboratively with state, territory and NZ transport agencies, local councils, and other organisations to make walking and cycling an easy+

A draft design framework for planning, designing, and implementing urban green infrastructure has been published by the Government Architect New South Wales. Green infrastructure is the network of green spaces, natural systems and semi-natural systems that supports sustainable communities and a good quality of life. It includes waterways, bushland, tree canopy and green ground cover,+

The NSW Government is adding $10.77 million to its showground stimulus funding program, with the new money slated to fund 129 projects at 71 showgrounds. In May, the Government said it was committing $12.5 million to support 393 shovel-ready projects at 137 showgrounds across the state as part of its Covid-19 stimulus package. It has+

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation is commemorating the 10th anniversary of Plastic Free July with a new resource toolkit. The toolkit contains the latest plastic packaging statistics and 15 case studies showcasing organisations that are championing issues like single-use plastic avoidance and phase out, reusable packaging, community education, and recycled content. APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly+

Local councils employing eligible out-of-trade apprentices and trainees may be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy under a new Commonwealth employment initiative. At the Federal Government’s request, the National Apprentice Employment Network began operating the Apprentice and Trainee Re-engagement Register in April to enable recently laid-off apprentices and trainees to link up with+

A draft national registration framework for private building surveyors and other building industry practitioners has gone on public exhibition. The draft was developed in response to the recommendations of the Building Confidence report of February 2018 which addressed a succession of building failures and apartment tower fires exacerbated by flammable cladding. The report advised that,+

Former Australian Rail Track Corporation managing director John Fullerton has been appointed chairman of the new Freight Industry Reference Panel. The panel will provide industry with “a clear line of sight” on implementing the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, and it will report to Transport and Infrastructure Ministers annually. It will also elicit more+

Feedback to inform a review of local government vocational and education training qualifications will be open for public validation from Friday, 19 June to Friday, 10 July 2020. Local government employs around 200,000 people nationally, and VET qualifications (Certificate III to Diploma) provide this group with many of their training and skills. Current qualifications have+

The problem of feral and domestic cats in Australia will be examined in a new federal parliamentary inquiry that got underway this week. Feral cats have caused the extinction of some ground-dwelling birds and small to medium-sized mammals and they are a major cause of decline for animals such as the bilby, bandicoot, bettong, and+

Disaster recovery expert Anne Leadbeater will offer her insights on local government and community-led recovery in a Red Cross-hosted webinar on 9 July. Ms Leadbeater worked on behalf of the Murrindindi Shire Council to coordinate the initial recovery effort for communities in the Kinglake Ranges after the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 when 173 people+

A major rezoning to create new housing in the Hills Shire Council area of Greater Western Sydney is among the latest tranche of projects to undergo fast-tracked assessment in NSW. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) announced the third tranche of fast-tracked assessments on 21 June, with all 19 projects to be determined+

A Federal Parliamentary inquiry looking at how migrants might be encouraged to settle in regional Australia has been suspended because of immigration restrictions. The Joint Standing Committee on Migration had cancelled public hearing in March due to the Covid-19 epidemic, but with no prospect of borders re-opening soon decided last week to wind up proceedings.+

Local Government, along with the states and Commonwealth, can enable more waste to energy projects by helping the sector develop a social license to operate. This means openly engaging with communities – not only on the benefits of advanced forms of waste processing but also addressing any environmental or health concerns. In a new report+

Feedback on Phase Three (urban areas) of South Australia’s Planning and Design Codes has been published by the State Planning Commission. The commission received 1790 submissions from councils, state agencies, industry practitioners and members of the community during a five-month consultation period. The What We Have Heard Report summarises these responses, including   a range+

Regional Australia attracted more people than it lost in the five years to 2016, contrary to popular perceptions that rural populations are declining, a new Regional Australia Institute report says. The report, The Big Movers: Understanding Population Mobility in Regional Australia said 65,200 people moved to the country based on 2011 and 2016 Census data.+

Major planning reforms brought forward to support the West Australian Government’s economic response to Covid-19 have passed through State Parliament. The reform centrepiece is a new development application process for significant projects that will be in operation for the next 18 months. Significant development will now be defined as:  development proposals with an estimated cost+

The Townsville City Council is to receive $145,00 in State and Commonwealth funding to buy five trailer-mounted generators to maintain services in areas susceptible to flooding, tidal inundation or sewer overflows. The Cairns Regional Council will receive $119,000 for a satellite trailer to supplement the communication networks and restore connectivity during network outages. These and+

The NSW Government will look at creating “greater flexibility” in the current rating system to allow councils to generate the income needed to support population growth. This would include creating additional rating categories and greater use of differential rating within urban residential rating systems. The proposal follows the Government’s decision to decline Independent Pricing Regulatory+

The Bureau of Statistics is soliciting local government involvement in consultations on the content proposed for collection in the 2020-21 Agricultural Census. The census is undertaken every five years to provide benchmark national, state, and sub-state data to inform Australian agriculture. The starting point for consultation is a proposed reduction in content (in comparison to+

Seventeen microgrid feasibility studies in West Australian and Northern Territory indigenous communities have received $19 million under the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund. The funding has been allocated under Round One of the $50 million initiative established last year to provide more reliable, secure, and cost-effective energy supply options for regional and remote communities.+

The Women’s Leadership and Development Program – which supports women working in local government, among other things – has received $1.8 million in new funding. Four successful grant recipients will receive a portion of the funding this financial year (2019-20) to deliver on projects targeted towards achieving women’s economic security, and supporting women during the+

The first meeting of the Smart Beaches Community of Practice (CoP) will be conducted by video-link on 23 June 2020 from 2-3pm. The Smart Beaches CoP has been established for local councils to share knowledge, establish best practice approaches and support collaboration of smart technology to improve beach safety. Lake Macquarie City Council is leading+

NSW council elections due later this year but postponed because of coronavirus health concerns have been rescheduled for 4 September 2021. Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock announced the new date this week, saying current councillors will continue to hold their civic offices until the rescheduled elections are held. An order has been published in the+

$15 million is being fast-tracked under South Australia’s Regional Growth Fund for projects to aid regional economies affected by Covid-19 restrictions. Grants from $50,000 on up to $2 million are available for projects which “provide enduring economic benefits and growth for regional South Australia”. Applications will be accepted from individual commercial enterprises, incorporated associations, and+

Eleven councils will develop a Council Accelerated Assessment Program as part of the NSW Government’s efforts to fast-track planning decisions during the Covid-19 crisis. Councils that agree to run their own programs will receive tools, guidance and support from Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE). They also get direction and support from the state+

ALGA has made preserving Financial Assistance Grants and restoring FAGs funding lost in the 2014-15 indexation freeze a key outcome in its Strategic Plan 2020-23. The new plan, which will replace the Strategic Plan 2017-20, also includes detailed initiatives to: Secure increased Roads to Recovery funding to $800 million annually; Advocate for additional stormwater, water+

ALGA has welcome proposals to direct Mobile Black Spot Program funding towards regional and remote areas hitherto considered commercially unviable by telco providers. In a submission to a discussion paper on the design of the next round of the Mobile Black Spots Program – Round 5A – ALGA repeated its long-standing position that people in+

Local Government NSW has asked the Berejiklian Government to clarify an election promise to take back 15,000km of regional roads from councils. The Government announced in February 2019 that up to 15,000km of regional roads would be transferred to the state as part of a broader support package enabling local councils to better manage and+

Sixty regional airports will receive a share of $41.2 million in federal funding to help the aviation industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack announced funding for the projects this week under round 1 of the Regional Airports Program. They include $4.5 million for a project+

National Bushfire Recovery Coordinator Andrew Colvin has applauded local councils’ quick and effective use of emergency funding to provide community support. In an update on recovery efforts, Mr Colvin said vital support was being provided by an array of council projects, and “as further councils report on their activity we will consolidate this information and+

More than $13 million is being made available through the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund to help local communities better prepare for future disasters. “I encourage Queensland councils, government departments and not-for-profits to think outside the box when it comes to disaster resilience and risk reduction and take advantage of this funding,” Queensland Treasurer+

Six peri-urban councils will be able to access Victoria’s Growing Suburbs fund for the first time after the State Government said it would top up the fund with an extra $25 million. The councils that will now have access to the fund are Baw Baw, Golden Plains, Macedon Ranges, Moorabool, Bass Coast and Surf Coast.+

Australia’s nascent hydrogen industry could be supported by co-locating hydrogen production at wastewater treatment plants, says Yarra Valley Water. A new paper co-produced by the corporation and Jacobs consulting engineers uses the Aurora wastewater treatment plant as a case study to explore the relationship between both outputs from electrolysis – hydrogen and pure oxygen. It+

The WA State Government has earmarked $319 million to build, buy, renovate, and maintain social housing as part of a new $444 million housing stimulus package. The social housing component of the package will see 1500 homes refurbished, around 250 dwellings built, and a regional maintenance program delivered for up to 3800 homes – including+

South Australia’s Planning and Design Code will begin in the state’s rural areas on 31 July, the SA Planning Commission confirmed this week. The code is already operating in outback areas (phase one of the reforms), and the commission says that when phase two begins, the code will be accessible via a modern ePlanning platform+