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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 -
Twelve projects in the Northern Territory will receive a share of Round 5 funding from the Commonwealth’s Safer Communities Fund (NT stream) announced this week. The NT stream is the result of a 2019 election commitment to deliver $4 million in security infrastructure specifically to community safety and security projects in the Top End. Under+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The NSW Productivity Commission has released an issues paper as part of its review into the state’s infrastructure contributions system. The paper examines how infrastructure is currently funded in NSW, focusing on the role of infrastructure contributions and the key issues and challenges encountered in their application. Stakeholders are encouraged to respond to the discussion+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
Proposals to include minimum accessibility standards for housing in the National Construction Code have been tabled for consultation. Developed by the Australian Building Codes Board, the consultation regulation impact statement assesses regulatory options for including accessibility requirements for housing (Class 1a buildings and Class 2 apartments) into the National Construction Code. In line with the+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
Public perceptions of local government’s leadership for the greater good have risen during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, peaking at +11 in a recent survey. The eight-week survey is the latest in a series conducted by Swinburne University of Technology researchers to gauge perceptions of the degree to which different institutions – including+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC is hosting a webinar on 14 July tailored to fire and land managers who manage prescribed burning. The webinar will also launch the Prescribed Burning Atlas, a new tool to inform prescribed burning strategies and tailor them to outcomes that will best reduce the risk in a target area+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The economic growth being achieved by regional cities like Ballarat is more broadly inclusive than that of the capitals, a new study suggests. Ballarat, Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong and smaller centres like Bacchus Marsh, Griffith, Warragul-Drouin, Ballina, and Griffith were among the top 10-performing locations in a study examining population and business growth, employment, welfare reliance,+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
A mapping tool designed to enable councils to identify sites at risk from natural disaster has been released by the Queensland Government. Developed by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, the Repeat Events and Dollars Index (REDI) is an interactive web-based mapping tool that identifies infrastructure which is particularly vulnerable to damage from natural disaster events. Incorporating+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
A City of Busselton project testing new technology to warn motorists of cyclists has won a share of $2 million in funding from the Commonwealth Road Safety Innovation Fund. It was one of 13 projects that will share in funding over the next four years through Round 1 of the Road Safety Innovation Fund, which+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
Nine NSW community organisations, including the Sapphire Community Pantry, have received Commonwealth Bank bushfire recovery grants worth $500,000 in all. The Bermagui and District Seniors’ Social Club has also been awarded a grant to support older people who have been experiencing isolation and stress following the fires and Covid-19. The bank says it expects to+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
SBS Broadcasting is advising local governments that it produces Covid-19 information and resources in 63 languages. It comes amid warnings of the importance of ensuring key Covid-19 messages are understood by people from non-English speaking backgrounds living in Melbourne local government areas which have become coronavirus hotspots. The SBS Multilingual Coronavirus Portal contains constantly updated+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The Australian Local Government Association’s annual National Local Roads and Transport Congress has been expanded in 2020 to encompass natural disaster impacts, recovery and resilience, and Covid-19. With few opportunities left in 2020 for the Local Government sector to connect on a national level, the Special Recovery Conference will focus on the issues that have+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
The Commonwealth is investing $190 million to ramp up Australia’s waste processing capacity ahead of bans on exports of unprocessed waste. The money will go to a newly established Recycling Modernisation Fund to finance new infrastructure spending in sorting, processing, and reusing plastic, paper, glass, and tyres. Funding from the RMF will be contingent on+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
A $1.4 million project to help five local councils across Greater Melbourne take their first steps to becoming “smart cities” was completed on 30 June. The Northern Melbourne Smart Cities Network project involved developing and implementing a LoRaWAN network to enable improved municipal service delivery and pave the way for new services in future. Five+
Posted 9 July, 2020 -
Are journalists about to return to country council chambers? The Federal Government has thrown the regional media a much needed lifeline – and there was more good news for the sector this week. Further details of the $50 million package to support public interest journalism were announced and the sale of Australian Associated Press (AAP)+
Posted 3 July, 2020 -
Councils are invited to join the Bureau of Meteorology’s next free webinar on Thursday 5 March which covers climate and water. Participants can ask climate experts questions about their outlook for Autumn to help their decision making for the months ahead. The webinar runs 12-1pm AEDT. Register now via http://ow.ly/2d4a50yr2CU
Posted 28 February, 2020 -
While Victoria’s recycling system is set to change following an announcement this week by the Andrews State Government, Local Government New South Wales has warned that Australia’s most populous state risks having more of its waste sent to landfill. Recycling Victoria is a $300m, 10-year plan to create a circular economy through measures including a+
Posted 28 February, 2020 -
Did you know more than 60 percent of councils spend around 100 hours on processing invoices every month? Or that more than half of councils spend over $10,000 each month on this task? E-invoicing is a smarter and cheaper way to do invoicing, and Local Government needs to get involved because the way those transactions+
Posted 21 February, 2020 -
Event registrations are open for councils, clubs, community groups, schools and businesses for events celebrating International Day of People with Disability on 3 December 2018. There are already more than 300 public events registered nationally taking place on or around International Day of People with Disability, with events listed by state or territory. Assistant Minister+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
The Federal Government has released its national response to the independent review of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB), accepting all 42 recommendations including recommendation 19 to include the ALGA CEO on the National Biosecurity Committee. The government agreed to the recommendation in principle stating that “Ministers recognise local governments play an important role in+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
The Hon Michael Keenan MP, Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation, has this week launched the Commonwealth’s digital transformation strategy during an address at the National Press Club in Canberra. The Strategy provides a direction for the Government’s work on data and digital transformation, with the aim to have all government services available digitally+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
The South Australian Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) will trial a Rural Junction Active Warning System (RJAWS), which aims to improve safety on the South Australian rural road network. The system involves installing variable speed-limit signs at junction approaches, including where there are blind bends, which are radar triggered by the presence of+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
Applications to join the Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) program close next Friday 7 December. The LDAT program supports organisations to build or extend partnerships in their community and develop activities to prevent and minimise the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs, at a grass roots level. There have been some great success stories+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
Without additional funding and a broadening of the Commonwealth’s Smart Cities and Suburbs initiative, there is a risk the benefit of investments in smart technologies will not be fully realised. Many communities will be left behind and the full benefits of the digital economy will not be realised across Australia. Linked-up, smart communities will foster+
Posted 21 December, 2018 -
Based on current trends, Australia's population is projected to reach 30 million people between 2029 and 2033, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Anthony Grubb, Director of Demography at the ABS, said: "The projected time for the nation to grow by 5 million people on current indications will+
Posted 21 December, 2018