ALGA News

Grant funding of $500,000 is now available to support local communities in regional Queensland and NSW hit by this year’s floods. The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), through the Rebuilding Futures program, is offering grants of up to $25,000 to help not-for-profit groups and local community organisations in recovery and rebuilding. The Rebuilding+

A new national silage plastic collection and recycling scheme is being developed by Dairy Australia with Commonwealth financial assistance. Work on the scheme began in April when Dairy Australia launched a pilot silage plastic recycling trial in Western Victoria with strong backing from local dairy farmers. The 80 farms involved in the trial have been+

Infrastructure and Local Government Minister Catherine King has met with local government leaders ahead of next week’s Jobs and Skills Summit. Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President Linda Scott, who will be among those attending the summit at Parliament House on 1-2 September, was also at the roundtables representing councils. Ms King said the events+

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet confirmed last week his government will set up a reconstruction body able to compulsorily acquire land in high disaster-prone areas. Responding to the NSW Floods Inquiry report prepared by former police commissioner Mick Fuller and Independent Planning Commission chair Mary O’Kane, Mr Perrottet said flood-affected communities in the state’s Northern River+

Agriculture ministers have signed off on a new 10-year national strategy to collectively manage emerging animal and plant disease threats. The National Biosecurity Strategy builds on the National Biosecurity Statement published in 2018 and outlines six priority areas, including: Promoting biosecurity as a shared responsibility; Strengthening partnerships and networks between stakeholders; Building workforce capability and+

An independent research institute is surveying councils about news coverage of their activities to ensure public interest journalism continues to thrive. Since 2020, the Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) has been gathering information on the impact of COVID-19 on local news and the impact of government interventions to support the sector. PIJI now wants to+

The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is conducting a national online survey investigating the scenario planning capability of Australian organisations. Researchers at UTAS’s School of Social Sciences want to hear from people in local government who understand their council’s scenario planning capability, and some knowledge of their crisis management arrangements. This will help efforts to map+

Legacy Australia is encouraging local governments to get their communities involved in next year’s Legacy Centenary Torch Relay. The torch relay helps raise funds for the families of veterans killed or injured on active service and was first held in 1923, five years after World War I ended. The 2023 centenary relay will begin in+

The NSW, Northern Territory, and Victorian governments are getting $50.3 million to fix 149 accident black spots in partnership with councils. NSW will receive $29.5 million under the Commonwealth’s Black Spot Program to remediate 93 sites across the state, while the Northern Territory will get $2.4 million to fix nine dangerous crash sites. Victoria is+

Infrastructure’s role in driving a circular economy – with recycled and reused materials at the forefront – will be explored at a Melbourne conference in September. The Greener Infrastructure Conference, convened by ecologiQ, will also examine how governments at all levels can use procurement and policy to change how waste is used. Keynote speakers will+

Twenty councillors from across Australia are being sought to take part in a pilot program to create practical tools for leading communities through urban change. The six-week program, run by Studio THI (formerly the Hornery Institute) will involve two-hour online workshops from 4-6 pm every Monday, starting 1 August 2022. Studio THI says the program+

Over 4200 people have registered with the Queensland government for funding to repair and retrofit their houses to better cope with future floods. The $741 million Resilient Homes Fund also allows for properties to be bought under a voluntary buy-back program. State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Minister Steven Miles said this week that+

Disaster assistance has been made available in five additional local government areas (LGAs) in NSW after damaging rains and flooding. Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to the Kempsey, Port Macquarie Hastings, Narromine, Oberon, and Strathfield LGAs. It takes the number of LGAs in NSW that have+

Biosecurity and surveillance measure have been stepped up at Australian airports following outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) across Indonesia. The measures include giving airport biosecurity officers extra powers to direct travellers from Bali and other Indonesian ports to use sanitising foot baths or clean their shoes. Testing and surveillance of meat products has+

Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) has engaged SGS Economics and Planning to explore specific funding challenges facing its member councils. The research also aims to identify potential alternative income sources for rural councils struggling financially to meet the needs of their communities. Such challenges can stem from smaller dispersed populations, lower rates base, and large geographic+

A nationwide project to reduce single-use plastics from entering landfills and the ocean has been widened to include support for councils. Plastic Oceans Australasia’s (POA) EPIC Business (community initiative) program will provide support and guidance for councils, community groups and schools. POA will work with councils to make strategic investments in pre-paying waste avoidance programs (to+

Entries for the 11 categories of the 2022 National Awards for Local Government, including entry-level employment initiatives, waste management and disaster preparedness, close next month. Submissions of no more than 350 words can be entered via the online platform. Following the entry period, councils and communities will have the opportunity to recognise the work and+

NSW Labor Senator Tony Sheldon has been appointed to the new role of Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Senator Sheldon, a former national secretary of the Transport Workers Union, will work with Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt to “ensure much-needed support is delivered to communities when natural disasters hit”. Mr+

The sustainability, resilience, productivity, and safety of roads and transport infrastructure will be a major focus of ALGA’s 2022 National Local Roads Congress. The growing incidence of extreme weather events in Australia has significant implications for the sustainability of council road and other infrastructure assets, which the 2021 State of the Assets Report valued at+

Disaster assistance has been made available in 37 local government areas (LGAs) in NSW impacted by severe storms and flooding earlier this month. Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and will include $80 million to help with the clean-up and removal of flood and storm-related damage, debris,+

Plastic microbeads will be banned in Queensland from 1 September 2023 under a five-year roadmap to phase out harmful, single-use plastics. Mass releases of lighter-than-air balloons will also be banned next year, along with polystyrene packing peanuts and plastic-stemmed cotton buds. As well, new minimum standards will be introduced for heavy plastic bags requiring them+

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) is convening a new series of free climate change webinars in partnership with the NSW government. This series will comprise four 90-minute webinars showcasing how many councils displayed adaptation in action via the Increasing Resilience to Climate Change grant projects, as well as how councils can fund net zero emissions actions.+

Last month marked NATSPEC’s 15th year as the key organisation that develops, updates, and distributes AUS-SPEC specifications and information. AUS-SPEC facilitates local governments to design, construct and maintain their infrastructure assets and is a joint venture between NATSPEC and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA). CEO of IPWEA David Jenkins said: “This set+

Councillors guilty of serious breaches of WA’s Local Government Act 1995 could be suspended for three months under new reforms unveiled last week. Those councillors suspended three times could face 10-year bans from elected office. Other changes in the proposed reform package presented by Local Government Minister John Carey include: a new Inspectorate of Local+

A federal/state funding package announced last week will see disaster-damaged essential public infrastructure in Queensland rebuilt to a better standard. It is the largest ever amount made available in a single disaster season in Queensland, with $150 million directly targeting local government areas seeking to build back better following the extraordinary flooding events of 2021-22.+

A research project to minimise flood risks in Northern NSW has been approved by Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt. The study was first announced by the then Coalition government in March after catastrophic flooding in the NSW Northern Rivers region. Although supported by the then Labor Opposition, the initiative was paused during the election.+

Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand (CWANZ) wants more councils to join its efforts to increase all aspects of active transport. The organisation’s vision is safe and connected walking and cycling networks and neighbourhoods for all, through working collaboratively to recommend strategies and actions that make walking and cycling an easy choice and a+

Senior Australian of the Year Val Dempsey is calling on all governments to make first aid training a part of gaining a driver’s licence. Ms Dempsey, a long-time St John Ambulance ACT volunteer, also wants to see bystander first aid included in the National Road Safety Strategy. Delivering a keynote address at last month’s National+

The Institute for Sensible Transport is running a group master class on transport and accessibility for local government elected officials and staff. To be held at Potts Point in Sydney on 15 September, the master class will cover parking, congestion, and safety – issues commonly voiced to local government from the community. With council decisions+

A federal parliamentary committee inquiring into GP and health services in outer metro and regional areas will not be providing a final report “at this time”. The Senate Community Affairs References Committee said last month that considering its substantive interim report tabled on 1 April and the subsequent proroguing of Parliament by the Governor-General “it+

A new interactive guide to managing workplace and food safety in restaurants and cafes has been published. The AR Interactive Restaurant and Café Guide outlines health and safety management systems to help hospitality staff minimise risk, maintain and improve food management – and is endorsed by the NSCA Foundation. The foundation says hospitality staff respond+