Given the place-based and multi-functional strengths of local government, how can the sector better present our position and contribute at the local, state and national levels? A crucial component to developing and delivering on the promise of local government is by gathering, analysing and sharing important relevant data that can be leveraged to enhance understanding, set priorities and improve and enable communities.
This year, in partnership with .id the population and economic analysts, LG Professionals Australia has released the inaugural State of the Sector Report. This offers a single source of data, analysis and commentary on local government areas from the national perspective.
The report considers wider trends in population, economic activity, housing and cultural diversity. It also offers grounded indicators, solid analysis and forecasting to assist councils’ forward planning; highlighting what councils may need to do to ameliorate the impacts or take advantage of the opportunities. For the next report, we’ll be canvasing even more of our sector’s leaders to discover what else is needed to provide the best tool to support the sector.
As well as supporting the local government sector in Australia, our organisation has been steadily increasing our involvement in the region to support decentralisation efforts in developing countries such as Nepal, Timor-Leste and Myanmar and to strengthen their emerging local government sectors. The LG Professionals Australia’s conference on local governance in the developing world is being held on September 15, ‘Local Governance in the 21st Century: Structures and Efficiency’. This conference will bring together experts from academia, the NGO sector and local government experts to define and tackle the challenges of building good governance principles, systems, and processes into local government organisations.
Both initiatives – although one is for our Australian base and the other is internationally focused – are based on sharing best practice and practical knowledge and expertise. Better local government leads to better communities, wherever they are.
Download the inaugural State of the Sector Report at our website: lgprofessionalsaustralia.org.au/reports
