I am delighted to introduce this edition of the National Perspective and to take this opportunity to bring you up to date with a number of initiatives undertaken since May.
Financial Assistance Grants
The Australian Government has allocated $1.508 billion as the estimated entitlement for financial assistance grants to be provided to Local Government throughout Australia in 2003-04. I am pleased to say this is an increase of $53.4 million or 3.67 per cent over the 2002-03 funding entitlement.
National Awards for Local Government
Judging for the National Awards has just been completed. Short lists for the various categories are now being considered and category winners from this round will be judged by the national panel. I believe Local Government is the big winner from these Awards, which showcase the marvellous work being undertaken at the local level.
Leading Practice Seminars
The latest leading practice seminar was held in Perth during August. Councils from the eastern metropolitan region attended a seminar on a range of topics relating to business and regional development. Leading practice seminars are an excellent way for Awards’ entrants to pass on their experiences to other Councils. Whenever I can, I take the opportunity to commend the National Awards and the Leading Practice Seminars as very worthwhile capacity building and networking experiences for Local Government.
The National Local Roads Congress
The National Local Roads Congress was held in Kalgoorlie from June 30 to July 1, 2003. In my address to the Congress, I outlined the new Commonwealth thinking underpinning the Regional Partnerships programme, which is designed to promote the prosperity and welfare of all Australians, irrespective of where they live. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, explained the rationale underpinning AusLink, which will marry the twin themes of transport and regional economic development in a way never attempted before. The bottom line is that we want to achieve efficiency, effectiveness, accessibility and mobility in an integrated transport system. So the message is that the new partnerships we are forging call for an intensity of commitment – are you up to the challenge?
The Hydrogen Economy and the Tidal Energy Link
In mid-May I was pleased to speak at the Hydrogen Conference in Broome. The Conference was well attended, particularly by the Australian scientific community, as well as overseas delegates. I am a strong advocate of tidal power and put the case at the Conference for tidal power within the hydrogen economy. I was pleased that a number of speakers corrected the myths of the dangers of hydrogen compared to conventional fuels – even the Prime Minister of Japan drives a car fuelled by hydrogen. There are many options for action in this field and many of them involve incremental growth. If we are going to demonstrate leadership we should be taking a quantum leap, by-passing all intermediate solutions and embracing hydrogen through using tidal energy.
Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council
The Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council met for the first time in Darwin on 15 July 2003. Local Government and Planning Ministers from across Australia and New Zealand, and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, convened in Darwin. The Council agreed to lead debate and decision making on key strategic policy matters at a national level for Local Government and planning in Australia and New Zealand.
The Council meeting provided an opportunity for Ministers to discuss issues that might be a barrier to effective and efficient Local Government. The Council agreed on a number of priorities, including management of natural resources, land use and transport planning, Local Government autonomy and funding, and Local Government services and Indigenous communities. The Council’s communique can be accessed at www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/wt/releases/2003/july/wt52_2003.htm
The next meeting of the Council is scheduled to be in Perth in early December.
Home Based Work Project
The Home Based Work Project has now been completed. I look forward to formally launching the project outcomes in the near future.
Working with Indigenous Communities
In April 2002, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to trial a whole-of-government approach in 10 Indigenous communities or regions. The aim of the trials is to improve the way governments interact with each other and communities, to deliver more effective responses to the needs of Indigenous Australians. Importantly, the lessons learnt from these cooperative approaches will be able to be applied more broadly.
This National Perspective will have a focus on the involvement of my Department in the Indigenous trials and in particular, its sponsoring of the south east Kimberley region project site in Western Australia. It also includes the outcomes from the recent Local Roads and Hydrogen Conferences, recent publications and more about the new Regional Partnerships Programme.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the National Perspective and I look forward to continuing to work with Local Government to deliver services to its communities.
Wilson Tuckey MP
Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government
