Local Government’s peak body, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), has elected the youngest President in its 50 year history as it moves to fill a much larger role, as Paul Lewer* reports.
Councillor Geoff Lake, 28, litigation lawyer and longtime AFL Essendon Bombers supporter, reflects the new recognition being given to Local Government at the State and Federal levels.
Councils are no longer merely ‘roads, rates and rubbish’.
“We’re no longer seen as the ‘poor relation’ in the three tiers of government,” says Councillor Lake of the City of Monash Council in southeast Melbourne.
It is 14 years since a Victorian has held the top ALGA job.
“The Rudd Government has made clear the role we will play,” he says.
Politicians from across the spectrum supported the new pivotal role of Local Government at the Local Government Constitutional Summit held in Melbourne last December. Labor, Liberals and the Nationals all spoke positively about Local Government being a serious player in the lives of Australians.
Tandem with the summit was the Rudd Government’s announcement of $300 million for Local Government infrastructure projects across the nation.
“This is an unprecedented time for Australia’s Local Government,” observes Councillor Lake. “The Prime Minister is putting an emphasis on Local Government that has never been seen before. There’s growing support for constitutional change to reflect the modern role played by councils in the Australian Federal system of government. Such a move would truly cement our role in place.
“Equally, the $300 million infrastructure funding reflects our support at the Federal level. This funding reflects the Government’s confidence in Local Government being able to use this money in a most positive and constructive way at short notice.
“The Rudd Government’s actions shows the key role being played by Local Government in cooperative federalism.”
The Prime Minister and his advisers recognised that Local Government was the closest level of administration to Australia’s communities. It could readily observe changes in people’s lives and circumstances and react accordingly.
“It’s increasingly being seen that we in Local Government can act quickly to influence decisions at the local levels, cutting through State bureaucratic structures,” Councillor Lake points out.
However, he says that despite Local Government’s move to a bigger ‘place in the sun’ under the Rudd regime, much still needs to be done.
“The latest Australia wide State of the Regions report, prepared for the ALGA by top forecasting group National Economics, says that ‘whirlwinds’ of the current international financial crisis and the economic implications of climate change are mere ‘dust devils compared with what is to come’,” Councillor Lake emphasises.
“I urge all levels of government to heed the warnings contained in this extremely well researched report. Government at all three levels faces huge challenges.”
The new ALGA President sees two major challenges for Local Government: one is the challenge of finding a more sustainable form of funding for councils other than rates.
“We need a fairer share of the Commonwealth tax take; a greater proportion of the money raised through income tax should be shared at the local level” he says. “Secondly, I’ve already touched on infrastructure, but there is the challenge still of renewing and servicing infrastructure.
“Many such council assets were built after the Second World War with government grants. Even with the $300 million we won’t be able to keep up with the ‘spend’ that is needed. It’s incumbent on the Commonwealth Government to help us maintain and replace community assets.
“Local Government must be able to unshackle its revenue base to increase revenue.”
On the issue of climate change and global warming, Councillor Lake points out that Local Government has been leading in this area for a decade.
“State and Federal Governments are following us in adopting a greener agenda,” he says. “Local planners will continue to respond to climate change for the next decade and beyond.
“Our land use planning measures are on the ground and finetuned to minimise greenhouse gas emmisions. Councils are enthusiastic about their role in being at the forefront of building a more sustainable and cleaner Australia.”
*Paul Lewer is a Walkley Award–winning commentator based in rural New South Wales.
