Hybrid technology able to transform sewage treatment plants into low-emissions operations capable of generating energy has earned its developer a Eureka Prize. University of Technology Sydney researcher Dr Qilin Wang received the 2020 Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher for his work in creating a closed-loop system for hydrogen production from waste-activated sludge (WAS). His+
A council that was recently vying for the 2020 National Award for Local Government has been named as one NSW’s most progressive and innovative councils. Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council was awarded the 2020 A.R. Bluett Memorial Award (metropolitan/regional) at the annual conference of Local Government NSW (LGNSW) held this week. Bellingen Shire Council took out the+
Several councils in NSW and WA have cancelled their Australia Day events, blaming Covid-19 restrictions and ongoing health concerns. Canterbury Bankstown, Liverpool, North Sydney, Inner West, and the Hills Councils in NSW have all cancelled events – as have the Perth metropolitan councils of Armadale and Bassendean. It is believed other councils are reconsidering Australia+
The Greater Dandenong local government area has the highest rate of family-related violence offences in metropolitan Melbourne. So, to change attitudes and behaviours, the City turned to its youth and the power and immediacy of video in an innovative project that won it a 2020 National Award for Local Government in the category of “Addressing+
There are few more effective ways for councils to enhance the liveability and economic sustainability of local communities than through the arts. However, reaching young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds presents challenges – one the City of Wanneroo council solved in a novel way. It used DJing to appeal to youths from a suburb with high+
An interconnected trail network across seven Melbourne local government areas has been recognised with an Australian Urban Design Award (AUDA). The Eastern Regional Trails Strategy was developed by Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture and the cities of Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse, and Yarra Ranges. Judges said the strategy addressed significant impediments to achieving high+
When Busselton Shire Council decided to build a regional aerodrome in the early 1990s (replacing a small and unsuitable 1940s-era airstrip), the primary users were envisaged to be general aviation operators. However, the shire (now the City of Busselton Council) had another, longer-term vision – creating an asset capable of boosting regular public transport (RPT)+
Local government’s small-business support role has never mattered more than it does now, and the City of Mandurah is an exemplar of what councils can achieve in this space. To help it to identify and encourage locals who were willing to start a business but who lacked the expertise needed to make it pay, the+
An innovative local roads safety program has put the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) in contention for the 2020 National Award for Local Government. QPRC, in NSW’s Southern Tablelands, won the 2020 Excellence in Road Safety Award for its embrace of a data-led approach to improving driver behaviour. With speed involved in almost 31 percent of+
Cobar Shire Council Mayor Lilliane Brady OAM was named the inaugural winner of the NSW Minister for Local Government Award for Women this week. The award – which is part of the annual Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government – recognises a female councillor or staff member who has delivered quality outcomes in helping+
The City of Busselton’s airport upgrade supporting a growing tourism and freight industry has been recognised with a National Award for Local Government. The awards celebrating “the best of Australian local government achievements” were announced by Federal Local Government Minister Mark Coulton last week. Busselton won the Boosting Productivity through Infrastructure Award for engineering the+
A new agency will work with Sydney local councils to revitalise and expand the city’s open spaces and parklands, the NSW State Government revealed last week. NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the Greater Sydney Parklands (GSP) agency will bring together the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Parramatta Park Trust,+
International Women’s Day (IWD) this Sunday is a chance to celebrate women and recognise their achievements. Under the theme Each For Equal, celebrations this year aim to highlight that, individually, we can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions and celebrate women’s achievements. While collectively, each one of us can help create a+
Now in its 27th year, the Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program provides grants of up to $15,000 to community groups to help preserve and manage locally held but nationally-significant cultural heritage collections. Since the program began in 1994, more than $7.26 million has been allocated to 1,445 collection preservation and management projects around the country,+
Shellharbour City Library has won the prestigious Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Public Library Design Awards 2019. Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, presented the award at 2019 Library Design Awards Conference at the State Library of Queensland last night (Thursday 14 March). The prestigious awards recognised some of+
The National Library of Australia is calling for applications to the 2019 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program. The program provides grants of up to $15,000 to community groups to help preserve and manage locally-held but nationally-significant cultural heritage collections. These collections include a range of materials from archival records, oral histories and textiles through to+
This year’s Australia Day Honours awards have once again recognised and highlighted the contributions and service by outstanding individuals from the local government sector. The Australia Day 2019 Honours List was the largest since the Order of Australia was established in 1975. “On behalf of all Australians I congratulate recipients of Australia Day Honours. These people+
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+
The PLA Awards of Excellence recognise the best of the best of the parks and leisure industry across 12 categories. Finalists proceed to the national round by winning their state award category and are now up against their peers from across the country. Congratulations to the Park of the Year finalists who were recently announced: NSW –+
Kondinin Group and ABC Rural are on their annual search for the Australian Farmer of the Year. For the 9th year running, farmers around the country are asked to nominate themselves, their mates, their community members and business associates for the prestigious awards. If you know someone who deserves recognition, nominate them at www.farmeroftheyear.com.au Nominations are open+
Although the weather in Canberra this week was typically crisp, the National General Assembly of Local Government and Sunday’s Regional Cooperation and Development Forum delivered hot topics, passionate politics, great networking and even a surprise choir, of sorts, for the nearly 1000 combined delegates. The new 2018-19 State of the Regions report forecast that innovation+
Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government John McVeigh has announced a new national award to encourage more women in local government. “The ‘Grace Benny Award’ will be added to the national local government awards from next year to coincide with the centenary of the first woman elected to any level of government in+
The Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council has taken out the 2018 National Award for Excellence in Local Government with their innovative approach to ensuring lifesaving communications remain accessible during natural disaster events. Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government John McVeigh made the announcement during the NGA dinner on Tuesday night commending the extremely+
Twenty three local government recipients have been announced in the Queen’s Birthday 2018 Honours List. The Queen’s Birthday 2018 Honours List recognises a diverse range of contributions and service across all fields, including professional endeavours, community work, Australia’s Defence Force and Emergency Services. The Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, His Excellency General+
Registrations are now open for the inaugural Cities Power Partnership summit for current and prospective members of the Climate Council’s free national program supporting local climate action, which is now the largest program in Australia with 85 members and growing. To be held in Kiama on the NSW South Coast, 2 hours south of Sydney,+
Councils across the country are invited to submit projects to the Resilient Australia Awards. There are five award categories in each state and territory: Schools, Community, Business, Government and Photography. Winners will then be considered for the three National Resilient Australia Award categories: National, National School and National Photography. The Resilient Australia Awards recognise individuals,+
InQuik BRIDGING SYSTEM The InQuik bridge system is an innovative Australian designed and manufactured product with huge benefits to key LGA projects, including Bridges Renewal, Flood Mitigation and Black Spot programmes for > 12m bridge spans. The InQuik solution reduces cost and complexity, and accelerates the bridge construction process. This enables Governments, Councils, disaster relief+
More than $27 million in funding is available for valuable community infrastructure projects across NSW. The Community Building Partnership program awards grants for community infrastructure projects that: deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes promote community participation, inclusion and cohesion. Local councils and incorporated not-for-profit organisations such as a charity, sporting, social or environmental groups+
Victoria’s Wyndham City Council was presented with the 2017 National Award for Excellence in Local Government, at the official NGA dinner at Parliament House on Tuesday this week. Minster for Local Government and Territories Fiona Nash said the National Awards for Local Government celebrate exceptional local government projects that are making a significant difference to the+
Happy New Year! 2017 is well underway and the year ahead looks to be filled with a range of opportunities for local government and Australia. This year the Government will reveal its refreshed regional policy, the outcomes of the Regional Development Australia (RDA) review will be known, new programs announced last year will be implemented+
2016 National Local Government Customer Service Conference and Awards Dinner Wollongong NSW: Wednesday 19 October – Friday 21 October The National Local Government Customer Service Network is the peak industry association for local government customer service professionals in Australia. This year's conference will be held at the Novotel North Beach, Wollongong from 19 October+
This week, we acknowledge and congratulate those who have been recognised with awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for a diverse range of contributions and service across various fields such as community work and professional endeavours. I was delighted to see local government award winners from around the nation receive accolades for their achievements+
The National Local Government Customer Service Awards are now open The National Local Government Customer Service Network understands the importance of recognising, rewarding and show casing the achievement of customer service professionals and Councils and therefore launched the prestigious National Local Government Customer Service Awards in 2015. The Awards Gala Dinner will be held+
Happy New Year and welcome to the first ALGA News edition for 2016! With a Federal election set to take place sometime this year, the coming months offer an opportunity to pursue Local Government's needs at the Federal level. The team at ALGA are determined to drive the advocacy for the Local Government sector, including+
2015 NSW Coastal Conference Great Expectations – pathways for learning and delivery Hosted by Great Lakes Council The 24th NSW Coastal Conference is less than 2 weeks away – Register Now www.coastalconference.com/registration.php The conference will consider the wide range of benefits our coast, estuaries, floodplains and catchments offer in underpinning social, economic, cultural and environmental+
The MAV has won a prestigious international award for its Prevention of Violence Against Women – Leading Change in the Victorian Local Government Sector booklet. The booklet was selected from nearly 400 submissions by 146 organisations in 42 countries in the Avon Global Communications Awards. The $5000 award grant will fund the creation of a prevention+
Welcome to the first President's Column for 2015, and I trust you all managed to enjoy some time away from your desks over the Christmas New Year period to spend with family and friends. This week, we celebrate the achievements of individuals from across the nation who were honoured in the Australia Day honours list. +
The Australian Government’s NAIDOC local grants round supports communities to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples during NAIDOC Week. This year the Australian Government has funded 528 organisations to deliver NAIDOC Week events in communities across the country. These included a NAIDOC Touch Football Cup, historical recordings, art+
Are you interested in setting the direction for national NAIDOC Week celebrations? Do you have the skills, passion and networks to help us drive and grow the celebrations? Applications are now open for membership of the National NAIDOC Committee. Three positions are available. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the evolution of+
The National Local Government Customer Service Network is the peak industry association for local government customer service professionals in Australia. This year's conference including awards dinner will be held at the Rydges South Bank, Brisbane from 17 to 19 October with the theme "Disconnect to Reconnect". About the Conference Key outcomes for members to take+
Australia’s Future: Make it Local Convened annually by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), the National General Assembly (NGA) of Local Government is the peak annual event for Local Government, attracting in excess of 800 Mayors and Councillors each year. This event provides a unique opportunity for Local Government to engage directly with the Federal+
Rural and remote communities across Australia are being urged to nominate an outstanding rural doctor for the prestigious RDAA Rural Doctor of the Year Award 2018. Entries for the annual award close on 16 July, with the recipient to be formally announced at the gala awards dinner of the Rural Medicine Australia 2018 conference in+
ALGA Vice-President and Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan has been announced as an expert advisor to Australia’s largest local government climate network. The newly-announced Cities Power Partnership expert advisory panel will provide specialist guidance to the climate network, which currently has 70 member councils who together represent more than 8 million Australians. The advisory panel+
The 2016 National Local Government Customer Service Awards were presented at a gala awards dinner on 20 October 2016 at The Lagoon Restaurant, Wollongong. NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD Winner: Western Downs Regional Council Highly Commended: Wollongong City Council CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD Winner: Northern Beaches Council – Central Highly Commended:+
The Central Desert Regional Council in the Northern Territory has demonstrated the on-the-ground benefits of local governments working together to make effective service delivery a priority through a recent project on upgrading participating waste disposal sites. Despite a limited budget and many practical obstacles, the project greatly improved waste management, resulting in direct and ongoing+
