The Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) expects to commence some activities almost immediately and be fully operational early in 2010.
Its various programs will enhance professionalism and skills, showcase innovation and best practice, and facilitate a better informed policy debate within the Local Government sector.
The new centre was announced last November by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at the inaugural Australian Council of Local Government meeting. The Australian Government has contributed $8 million towards its establishment.
In June following a competitive tender process a consortium led by the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) was selected to establish ACELG.
Consortium partners comprise the University of Canberra, Australia and New Zealand School of Government, Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA), and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA).
Other program partners will include the Australian National University, Charles Darwin University and Edith Cowan University.
ACELG will:
- build on existing Local Government
programs and networks - encourage innovation and best practice
across Local Government - foster good governance and strategic
leadership - support action to improve Local
Government workforce capability to address skill shortages and attract and retain skilled staff - promote new and improved training
and development programs - stimulate and inform debate on key
issues for Local Government in coming
decades.
Activities will be grouped into the following six program areas:
- research and policy foresight
- innovation and best practice
- governance and strategic leadership
- organisation capacity building
- rural, remote and Indigenous Australia
- workforce development.
For more information go to www.acelg.org.au
