ALGA News

The Western Australian Government has deferred the launch of its container deposit scheme due to Covid-19 concerns. The “Containers for Change” scheme was to have begun on June 2. Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the postponement – in accordance with advice from the scheme’s coordinator, WA Return Recycle Renew – reflected the unprecedented impact of+

A review of developer contributions in NSW, headed by Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat, has been announced by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes. The performance of existing arrangements will be examined and recommendations made for reform based around transparency, efficiency, certainty, and fairness. Infrastructure contributions are made by developers to help deliver+

South Australia’s rural communities are ageing significantly faster than metropolitan Adelaide, with the Goolwa-Port Elliiot region having the oldest regional population profile in the state. Sixty-one per cent of its population is over the age of 50. COTA (Council on the Ageing) SA said while people living in rural communities feel a deep connection with+

Disaster assistance has been extended to a further 12 Local Government Areas in NSW affected by storms and flooding in February – including Blayney, Cabonne, Coonamble, Glen Innes Severn, Gilgandra, Mid-Western, Narromine, Oberon, Tenterfield, Upper Hunter, Walgett and Warrumbungle. Eighty-three LGAs in NSW, as well as Lord Howe Island, experienced significant losses and disruption due+

A Curtin University research project examining how Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be better integrated into Local Government Facility Management (FM) is looking for facilities managers to complete a short survey. Council buildings are the second-largest asset class managed by Local Governments nationally, and the survey is designed to explore and identify factors which can+

Scholarships worth between $1000 and $5000 are currently available to women working for local government to help support their participation in a range of online career building leadership development programs. The initiative is providing junior managers through to senior executive women with scholarships to support their growth and development via participation in one of three+

The first hearing of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was held this week. Commission chairman Mark Binskin told the online hearing “we do seek to point fingers or apportion blame to any jurisdiction, government or individual. Rather, we are focused on national coordination and on looking for lessons for the future”. The+

NSW Rural Fire Service (FRS) commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons is quitting the role to lead a newly created state disaster agency. Announcing the creation of Resilience NSW this week, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it would oversee the government’s disaster preparedness and recovery efforts – “be it Covid, be it cybersecurity, be it a whole range of+

Disaster assistance is now available to help Gascoyne and Pilbara communities recover from extensive flooding along the Western Australian coastline last month. Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). Natural Disaster and Emergency Management minister David Littleproud said said repairing key local roads would help communities recover quickly+

A new Department of Regional NSW has been established to coordinate support for communities, businesses and farmers affected by bushfires, floods and Covid-19. The department will bring together the divisions of Primary Industries, Local Land Services, Resources and Geoscience to form a central agency dedicated to regional issues. It will be headed by the Department+

The Sydney and Darwin city councils have announced packages to support local households, businesses and community groups during the Covid-19 epidemic. The $55 million City of Darwin response includes providing casual employment opportunities, waiving of permit charges, fees and levies to 30 June, deferral of business and household rates to 30 June, and rent relief+

The Tasmanian State Government will work with councils and the Tasmanian Planning Commission to ensure assessment and approvals processes are kept open and applications can continue to be processed during coronavirus restrictions. Planning Minister Roger Jaensch said modifying processes to allow planning, development and consultation to continue in the health emergency would mean the economy+

The first tranche of Covid-19 fact sheets translated for people from a non-English speaking background have been published by the Department of Home Affairs. Available in 28 key languages spoken by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and settlement clients, the fact sheets contain consistent, up-to-date information relating to the novel coronavirus. The Commonwealth’s response+

The Federal Health Department is now accepting applications for grants from its business improvement fund for residential aged care. Small to medium-sized providers with limited access to other financial support (or facing significant financial pressures which may impact on care to residents or risk service closure) can apply for grant assistance to improve business operations,+

A federal parliamentary inquiry into homelessness in Australia has been suspended because of the present Covid-19 situation. Inquiry chairman Andrew Wallace MP said: “The committee does not wish to add to the stress on community groups, or divert their efforts from responding to Covid-19, by asking for submissions to the inquiry now”. Submissions already provided+

The first GP-led rural respiratory clinics to assess patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19-like symptoms opened in Emerald, Queensland on 1 April. The federal government has committed to establishing up to 100 GP-led respiratory clinics around the country as part of it $2.4 billion COVID-19 health package. Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government Minister Mark Coulton+

The WA state government has allocated $100 million to waive a wide range of licence fees – including statutory planning fees – for small and medium‑sized businesses in COVID-19 impacted industries for the next 12 months. The measure is one of a number contained in a$1 billion COVID-19 economic and health relief package unveiled on+

With many communities and businesses having been heavily impacted by drought, bushfires and now the Covid-19 pandemic, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is highlighting the importance and value of local councils using Australian Business Register (ABR) data in their responses. ABR data can help in: identifying restricted and/or essential businesses that require support in your+

National COVID-19 hygiene practices for supermarkets have been published by the Federal Government’s Supermarket Taskforce. The practices cover social distancing measures, personal hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in stores and cleaning practices, and devised by representatives from the retail sector and the Commonwealth Department of Health. The taskforce says it appreciates the important+

Roads Australia is calling on governments to recommit to long-term infrastructure provision amid concerns about the ability of its member organisations to deliver current workloads during the Covid-19 crisis. A survey of 166 RA member organisations delivering, operating and maintaining major transport infrastructure across the country found 35 per cent were experiencing staff availability issues.+

The deadline for council responses to requests by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack for help in fast-tracking land transport infrastructure projects on local roads has been extended to Wednesday 8 April. Mr McCormack’s original request – designed to support local economies recover from the impact of Covid-19 – was sent to mayors and councilors on+

The first tranche of Best Practice Local Government Guides (Commonwealth Grant Agreement PT51916) have been made available to councils around Australia. The four guides comprise: Best Practice for Road Making Materials Best Practice for Unsealed Roads Best Practice for Sealed Roads; and Best Practice for Bridge Maintenance Australian Road Research Board chief executive officer Michael+

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration has decided to suspend its inquiry into migration in regional Australia, in light of the economic effects of the public health situation changing the nature of the needs of communities in regional Australia. “Given the fast evolving situation in Australia and around the world, and the challenges posed by+

The second stage of consultations with people with disability on a new National Disability Strategy for beyond 2020 were due to take place in the coming weeks. However, following the escalation of events surrounding the Australian response to COVID-19, the decision has been taken to defer the consultations. This decision reflects the advice of the+

It has been an extremely tough time for many Australians. Between the bushfires and floods, and now COVID-19, now is the most important time for us to look after those who are taking the hit the hardest. There were already 3.2 million Australians living in poverty before these crises and that number is sure to+

Farmers’ markets have been declared an essential service by the Federal Government as they are an integral link in the nation’s food chain.  All market managers are doing everything possible to maximise public health safety at food markets on market morning. Shopping in the fresh air, at a safe distance, with your own basket or+

On Thursday 26 March the Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the creation of a new National Covid-19 Coordination Commission. The Commission has been established to coordinate advice to the Australian Government on actions to anticipate and mitigate the economic and social effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. Designed to “better coordinate work between the private+

ALGA President David O’Loughlin participated in Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) meeting. Council comprises of Transport, Infrastructure and Planning Ministers from the Commonwealth, States and Territories, and the Australian Local Government Association. At the TIC meeting recent border control arrangements and the critical role the freight sector plays in providing essential food supplies of food+

Due to Covid-19 virus, the organisers of the 2020 National Road Safety Week have decided that it is in the best interests of the Australian community to postpone. As such, the Week is now scheduled for 9th – 15th November, with the national launch in Sydney proposed for Sunday 8th November 2020. Postponing the Week+

ALGA, the state and territory local governments and a large number of councils were involved in a consultation process earlier this year on the proposed ban on the export of waste paper, plastic, glass and tyres. Last week the Council of Australian Governments agreed to the phased introduction of the export ban. The ban on+

In a Federal Court ruling issued last week, Telstra has won a case which will allow it to continue rolling out its New Payphone Cabinets with 75 inch (190cm) digital advertising screens as “low impact facilities” which do not require council planning approval. Schedule 3 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 provides that if a structure+

The Coronavirus pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges for all councils when considering issues around the continued operation of council facilities and services. This can include libraries, pools, leisure centres, service centres, halls and caravan parks Each council will need to make its own decisions in light of its unique circumstances, the community’s needs and the+

The ALGA Board expressed its support for councils doing everything they can to ensure supermarkets are restocked and rejected recent criticism of local governments as a key cause in problems restocking supermarket shelves. When approached by Coles and Woolworths for temporary exemptions to curfews most Councils have readily agreed. Some like the Knox City Council+

Animals perceive light differently from humans and artificial light can disrupt critical behaviour and cause physiological changes in wildlife. Artificial light can stall the recovery of threatened species and interfere with a migratory species’ ability to undertake long distance migrations integral to its life cycle. To address this conservation challenge, the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture,+

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. What started out as a local government initiative in WA, the award-winning Plastic Free July behaviour change campaign is now one of the world’s+

The Commonwealth Department of Finance is reviewing the Lands Acquisition Act 1989 (LAA), which is the key legislation used by the Commonwealth to acquire and dispose of interests in land for public purposes. The LAA also regulates the disposal of Commonwealth land to local government and the acquisition of local government land by the Commonwealth.+