New remote-area recycling opportunities | Liveability in the time of Covid | Cwth commits to more Black Spot funding | ALGA News 17 September 2021

President's column

ALGA thanks Federal Assistant Minister for Local Government Kevin Hogan for taking the time to make an appearance at this month’s Board Meeting. His commitment to working with local government to get the best outcomes for Australian communities is welcome and we look forward to working closely with him and his department going forward. Last+

Cwth renews new push to boost remote-area recycling

Regional and remote areas of Australia will get new or expanded recycling facilities after $7 million in new federal funding was announced this week. The grant funding will be made available through the Recycling Modernisation Fund and will be additional to the 23 projects that have already been identified in regional and remote Australia through+

Cyber-attacks on local, state and Cwth governments ‘on the rise’

Cybercrime reports to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) in 2020-21 were up nearly 13 per cent on the previous financial year. Commonwealth, state, territory, and local governments accounted for 35 percent of these incidents, ACSC said in its annual Cyber Threat Report released this month. About one-quarter of reported cyber security incidents affected critical+

Work-from-home ‘likely to remain popular after Covid-19’

The rising work-from-home trend has benefitted workers and could potentially increase the nation’s productivity, a report published this week says. Up to 40 percent of employees have been forced to work from home during the Coronavirus pandemic, according to the Productivity Commission report – and that a result of not having to commute to work,+

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Cwth backs ALGA’s call for more Black Spot Program funding

The federal government says it is committed to greater Black Spot Program funding and to increased funding flows to regional and remote areas. Responding to a federal parliamentary report on road safety, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications said the Australian government’s total commitment for the Black Spot Program from 2013‑14 to+

Regional airport passenger numbers down 30pc in 2020-21

Passenger movements at Australia’s 50 busiest regional airports fell by an average of 30 percent in 2020-21 because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. Ayers Rock (Yulara) suffered the steepest decline in passenger movements – around 80 percent – according to new figures published this week. Passenger movements at Mildura airport (South Australia) and Hervey Bay airport+

Communities ‘drawn to the environment during Covid-19’

Australians’ appreciation of the environment and public realm has risen sharply because of Covid-19’s impacts, a new liveability survey shows. Attributes such as good, well-maintained public open space, walking/jogging/bike paths that connect housing to communal amenity, and easy access to neighbourhood amenities were all highly rated by respondents to the 2021 Australian Liveability Census. Conversely,+

NSW councils win HVSI funding for power-nap initiative

Two adjoining councils in the central west of NSW have successfully applied for federal funding for an innovative driver behaviour-change campaign. The Orange City Council and the Cabonne Shire have secured Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI) funding for their campaign pointing out the early warning signs of driver fatigue and encouraging power naps. The Flinders+

Local communities urged to ‘think twice about asbestos’

This year’s National Asbestos Awareness Week campaign is asking communities to avoid complacency and “Think Twice About Asbestos”. The campaign, running from 22-28 November, challenges complacency by reminding home renovators and tradespeople that the danger of asbestos is far from over. Asbestos is in one in three Australian homes. It is also still present in+

Webinar to drill down into climate costs and risks for LG

A new report covering climate change impacts, challenges and risks facing Australian councils will be unpacked in a webinar being held next week. The report, “Neighbourhood issue: climate costs and risks for councils”, was prepared by the Climate Council and Cities Power Partnership and will be released on 22 September. The virtual briefing will examine+

More driver reviver sites set for Cwth-funded upgrades

Round 2 grants under the Driver Reviver Site Upgrade Program have been announced, with 71 roadside rest areas in line for improvements. The grants, totalling $7.2 million, will go towards improving amenities and equipment such as shelters, picnic tables, power and water facilities, barbecues, parking, lighting, and kitchen facilities. Driver Reviver Australia national director Allan+

WA bushfire clean-up completed with $18m in joint funding

The last of 130 properties damaged by a devastating fire in outer metropolitan Perth in February has been cleared, paving the way for rebuilding. The Wooroloo Bushfire Residential Coordinated Clean-up comprised three separate programs funded with $18.1 million provided under joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Western Australian Minister for Emergency Services Reece Whitby said+

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