President's column
The 2021-22 high-risk weather season has arrived – along with renewed concerns about disaster preparedness and capability. Our commitment to working with our communities to help them prepare for whatever this cyclone and bushfire season might throw up remains rock solid. However, we need greater support and stronger partnerships across all tiers of Government, and+
ALGA appointed to task force looking at bank branch closures
The Australia Local Government Association (ALGA) will work with a federal task force to mitigate the impacts of bank branch closures on rural communities. The Regional Banking Task Force will “bring together banks and other key stakeholders to assess how bank branch closures have impacted local businesses, industries, and communities, and work collaboratively to identify+
Call for greater Cwth investment in regional connectivity
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is urging the Commonwealth to invest more to improve telco services in regional and rural areas. In a submission to the Regional Telecommunications Review 2021, the agency said the government should: provide grants and other investment incentives to promote a wider range of services; standardise mobile coverage information that is+
Natural disaster costs to hit $73b by 2060: best-case scenario
Natural disasters will cost Australia $73 billion by 2060, even under a low emissions scenario, a new business roundtable report suggests. The Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience and Safer Communities says the $79 billion forecast is “significantly higher” than the $39 billion by 2050 cost it estimated in 2017. The Roundtable’s latest report on+