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Greg Christensen was elected to the Scenic Rim Regional Council as Mayor in 2016 and successfully re-contested the 2020 election for a second term. With a professional background in human resources and business improvement, along with a varied career with companies like CSR, Holden, and OneSteel, Cr Christensen is presently the executive officer of Step+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The City of Busselton’s airport upgrade supporting a growing tourism and freight industry has been recognised with a National Award for Local Government. The awards celebrating “the best of Australian local government achievements” were announced by Federal Local Government Minister Mark Coulton last week. Busselton won the Boosting Productivity through Infrastructure Award for engineering the+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
Local, state and territory governments are being encouraged to apply for funding under the Commonwealth’s $53 million Regional Connectivity Program. Examples of projects that could be funded under the Program include upgrades to mobile infrastructure to improve community access to telehealth, remote education and retail internet and phone services, or the development of enterprise-grade broadband+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan has been updated to align more closely with national strategies and frameworks, including the National Water Initiative. Encompassing new technical knowledge, improved sustainable water resource management practices, and changing social and political contexts, the new Basin plan is described as building “on the success of the first Strategic+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The Federal Government is stepping up its campaign to counter misinformation about the safety of Fifth Generation (5G) mobile phone technology. According to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, there is no evidence that 5G causes adverse health impacts. “This position is supported by decades of studies, as well as scientists and+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
Queensland’s container refund scheme, Containers for Change, is under-performing and needs a design overhaul, says a national environmental group. The Total Environment Centre (TEC) published a review of the scheme last month which claims the current rate of container return is about 40 percent (plus 14 percent from kerbside), well below the 85 percent target+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
Former fire and emergency service leaders have called for a national climate disaster fund to help protect Australians from an “unprecedented era of climate-related disaster”. Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ECLA) are also calling for better-resourced fire and land management agencies, and the acquisition of a medium and large aerial firefighting capability for state and+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The NSW shires of Bogan, Central Darling, Cobar, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Lachlan, Parkes, and Warrumbungle are to get disaster assistance to repair flood-damaged infrastructure. The widespread flooding in February originated in Queensland, and was exacerbated by heavy rainfall in Western NSW catchments. The assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
Building projects demonstrating a “flow-on economic benefits to local communities” will be eligible for co-funding under a new Queensland Government initiative. The $200 million Building Acceleration Fund, announced this week, will see funding provided as an interest-free loan where a proponent also co-invests 10 to 50 percent of the total infrastructure project cost. Fund administrators+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
South Australia Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Vickie Chapman is the state’s new Planning and Local Government minister. She replaces Stephan Knoll, who resigned last Sunday along with two other Marshall Government ministers. In one of his final ministerial tasks, Mr Knoll approved the constitution of five new Regional Assessment Panels for SA. They are: Eyre+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The Australian Human Rights Commission has published new guidelines to facilitate compliance with disability standards for accessible public transport. Developed with the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Australia and Communications, the guidelines provide information on the operation of the equivalent access provisions of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Cth), and their+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
Local councillors, along with state and federal MPs, are being encouraged to take part in Early Learning Matters Week starting on 3 August. The event aims to give policymakers a first-hand glimpse of the important work of early childhood education and care providers, a sector in which local government is involved in every state. In+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
The Federal Government has given the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements two more months to complete its work. Royal Commission chairman Mark Binskin sought to extend the reporting date from 31 August to 28 October to enable the inquiry to complete a more comprehensive report. The Royal Commission was established on 20 February+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
It is a rare privilege to have signed such an important agreement on your behalf. The new Closing the Gap partnership, signed by the Commonwealth, the states and territories, and the Australian Local Government Association on Monday, has been hailed as a new chapter in the national effort to reduce Indigenous disadvantage. It sets new+
Posted 31 July, 2020 -
A new online resource to help local governments prevent violence against women in their workplaces and communities has been published. It includes information setting out the role council can play in prevention, actions they can take, how to engage communities, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures. The Prevention Toolkit for local government+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The ACT Government will establish a team of public sector certifiers as part of a new developer licensing scheme announced this week. Minister for Building Quality Improvement Gordon Ramsay said: “We have seen too many cases where property developers have forced other parts of the industry to cut on costs and influence process”. He said+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
Tasmanian local governments delivering natural disaster risk reduction initiatives are eligible for a share of $5.22 million in new Commonwealth grants funding. The National Partnership funding will be distributed by the Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Grants Program (NDRRGP) under a five-year agreement to support the implementation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework. Disaster risk+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
Bushfire recovery and resilience-building projects in 23 Queensland local government areas will receive $1.8 million in state and federal grant funding. The projects receiving a grant under this round of the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) include: $68,848 to Baffle Creek Community Inc to undertake improvements to the Baffle Creek Community Centre; $35,000 to+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The final webinar in a three-part series looking at plastic use and disposal – hosted by Plastic Oceans Australia and Griffith University – will be held on 29 July. The panelists include ALGA President David O’Loughlin, Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch, and the director-general of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program, Kosi Latu.+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre will evolve to become a “world-class” disaster study centre utilising $88.1 million in federal funding. Federal Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud announced the new funding on Thursday. It includes an additional $2 million to allow the BNHCRC to continue its Black Summer Bushfires research begun in the+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The National Health and Medical Research Council is getting $2.5 million in federal money to review the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. This is to ensure that government dietary advice is based on the best and most recent scientific evidence about the types and amount of food needed for good health. The Federal Minister with portfolio+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
Technology giant Google is setting up a $4 million fund to support technology-driven projects building long-term resilience to bushfires and other crises. Google Australia managing director Mel Silva said in a blog post that the new Crisis Response and Recovery fund will finance projects creating innovative technology focusing on artificial intelligence. Google Australia interim head+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The popularity of app-based food delivery services has reinforced the need for local and state governments to invest more in active transport, a university researcher claims. Professor Christopher Petti, from the University of NSW City Futures Centre, says governments seem “way behind” in responding to rising numbers of bikes on footpaths, many of them delivering+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
A new agency will work with Sydney local councils to revitalise and expand the city’s open spaces and parklands, the NSW State Government revealed last week. NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the Greater Sydney Parklands (GSP) agency will bring together the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Parramatta Park Trust,+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
A new campaign urging local governments to improve cycling infrastructure so more people can walk and ride during and after Covid-19 began this week. Launched by cycling advocacy group We Ride Australia, the Let’s Keep Moving campaign calls on all Australians to ask their local council what their plans are for better footpaths and bikeways.+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The WA State Government is releasing over 1000 “development-ready” lots at discounted prices to boost construction activity in rural and remote areas. Residential lots at Madigan Estate in Karratha will be made available from $95,000, a saving of $24,000. State Lands Minister Ben Wyatt said lots zoned for residential, industrial and commercial purposes will be+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
An Urban Forest Strategy designed to achieve a 30 percent canopy cover in Canberra by 2045 has gone on public exhibition. Modelling undertaken by the CSIRO in 2019 indicates that 450,000 trees will have to be planted over the next 25 years to achieve this target. The ACT Government is funding the planting of 25,000+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The NSW Productivity Commission has published an issues paper as part of its review of infrastructure contributions initiated in April. The review’s terms of reference (set by the State Government) are that the Commission should: review the infrastructure contributions system to determine whether it meets the objectives of certainty and efficiency while delivering public infrastructure+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
An expert panel has backed Senate calls for a White Paper supporting a strategic approach to development in regional Australia. It has also recommended the Commonwealth reform its approach to regional development funding and “substantially increase” funding to Regional Development Australia (RDA) Committees. The panel was convened by the Federal Government after it agreed to+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
Robert Mustow was born in Casino in northern NSW, and has lived in the Richmond Valley his entire life. After finishing high school, he became a qualified panel beater and successfully operated his own smash repair business for 15 years. With a long-running passion for local sport, especially basketball, he was then employed by Basketball+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
A federal environmental protection law review has suggested a greater assessment and approvals role for the states and territories. In an interim report into the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act published this week, Professor Graeme Samuel says delays caused by the complexity of current processes could be reduced if the Commonwealth devolved more decision-making powers+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
Coastal councils are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place when it comes to rising sea levels and storm-related coastal erosion. We saw it demonstrated again this week when the Central Coast Council – under fire from residents whose beachfront properties had been destroyed or damaged by a severe storm the previous week+
Posted 24 July, 2020 -
The Federal Government has said it supports all 26 recommendations of a review into the Product stewardship Act 2011 – including encouraging new schemes. The review was conducted by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to ascertain if the Act “is enabling and can enable the benefits that product stewardship can deliver”. Although+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The Commonwealth will invest $233 million on tourism and infrastructure projects to help the struggling tourism sector recover from Covid-19. The money will go towards new infrastructure and facility upgrades at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Parks in the Northern Territory, the Booderee National Park on the NSW South Coast, the Australian National Botanic+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The Albury and Wodonga city councils have signed a statement of intent to develop a Regional Deal with the NSW, Victorian and Federal governments. The five parties agreed on arrangements for negotiations last week, 16 months after a pilot Regional Deal was announced. Federal Assistant Minister for Territories and Regional Development Nola Marino said a+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
South Australia’s Disaster Risk Reduction Grants Program has received new Commonwealth and State Government funding totalling $16.7 million. The money is part of the Commonwealth and the SA Governments’ commitment under the National Partnership Agreement on Disaster Risk Reduction to reduce the risk and limit the impact of disasters on communities across the state. Each+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
Australia’s emerging City Deals model can leverage affordable rental housing choices near employment to enhance urban and regional productivity more widely. However, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) says specific strategies are needed to ensure that jobs are brought closer to existing and planned housing and that rental accommodation remains affordable and available+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
Renewing road networks will deliver quick benefits to communities affected by bushfires and the Covid-19 tourism downturn, according to WSP. Peter Todd, a strategic asset management advisor for the multinational engineering services firm said: “This critical period offers state and national leaders a great opportunity to invest in important road transport assets – for long-term+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
It will take many years to restore the economy and infrastructure of bushfire-impacted areas and for their animal and vegetation biodiversity to recover. The assessment by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre is contained in a preliminary analysis of the 2019-20 bushfire season in Australia. Using linear regression analysis, the CRC researchers analysed+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The first annual progress report on the Darwin City Deal has revealed rapid progress on plans to transform Darwin into a cooler and greener city. Cavenagh Street in the City’s CBD has been greened and shaded and energy-saving LED lighting has been installed across the city as part of the Switching On Darwin project. The+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The NSW Land and Environment Court has been given extra resources as part of the State Government’s ongoing Covid-19 planning reforms. As well as the appointment of two more commissioners to enable more cases to be heard, the court’s role has been broadened with the establishment of a new class of appeals “to help unblock+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The Marshall Government says it will limit SA councils to 12 councillors each as it continues efforts to pass its Local Government Review Bill 2020. The revised Bill also seeks to cap council CEO salaries and reduce “bad council behaviour” to minimise legal bills paid for by ratepayers. It will also introduce a mechanism to+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
Twenty road safety upgrades across regional Victoria have been announced under the state’s $20 million Safe Travel in Local Streets Program. The projects include new roundabouts, traffic islands, bicycle lanes, speed humps, raised intersections and pedestrian crossings in Geelong, Bendigo, Warrnambool, Portland, Port Fairy, Mildura, Shepparton, Mooroopna, Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Warragul, Drouin, and Sale. Regional+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
In the first of an occasional series on the elected leaders of Australia 537 councils, Kangaroo Island Council Mayor Micheal Pengilly answers questions about various aspects of his work and that of the council’s. Councillor Pengilly was born and raised on Kangaroo Island, and he continues to farm a property with his wife on the+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The newly established Freight Industry Reference Panel met for the first time this week to progress the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy. The panel is acting as a conduit for industry views while providing advice to the Transport and Infrastructure Ministers on how strategic goals can be implemented. Its work is complementary to existing+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
Place-based deals have been making headlines these past weeks, all of them positive, all of them reinforcing the key role Local Government plays in shaping our economy. The mayors of Albury and Wodonga have signed a statement of intent to develop a Regional Deal based around the two Murray River cities, and new annual reports+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
State and Territory governments say they oppose the Commonwealth being referred additional powers to deal with or respond to natural disasters. The near unanimous view emerged in submissions to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements made public last week. In its inquiry submission, the WA Government said: “The concept of a ‘national natural+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
An Australian Airports Association survey has revealed that 24 regional airports, most owned by councils, are owed $10 million in unpaid fees. The survey of 34 members of AAA also showed that 10 large and capital city airports were owed $7 million. AAA chief executive James Goodwin said that while airlines had received significant financial+
Posted 17 July, 2020 -
The war on waste is proving to be a protracted affair, like any war, but this week’s announcement of $190 million in Commonwealth funding to create a new Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) is significant in several ways. Besides tipping $190 million into the RMF, the Federal Government is providing $35 million to implement the National+
Posted 10 July, 2020 -
Grants of up to $1 million are being offered by the Commonwealth to support the establishment of new product stewardship schemes or to expand existing ones. $14 million has been made available for this National Product Stewardship Investment Fund grant opportunity. Product stewardship schemes help reduce waste and prevent harmful materials ending up in landfill+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
A project to duplicate the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale has received additional funding of $191 million from the Federal and Victorian governments. The duplication is one of 21 shovel-ready infrastructure projects and urgent road safety upgrades in Victoria that were announced this week. The Commonwealth is investing $320.3 million in the 21 projects,+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The National Transport Commission wants feedback on its review of automated vehicle trial guidelines and its “Government access to vehicle-generated data” discussion paper. Early trials of automated vehicles in states and territories relied on exemptions from state road rules and road safety Acts, without any uniform guidance for governments and trialling organisations. The guidelines lessen+
Posted 9 July, 2020