Senator Ian Macdonald, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government announced $100,000 in Federal funding to boost the activities of Local Agenda 21, a programme for sustainable development established by and for Local Government.
The Minister said that Local Government had a major involvement in local environmental management. “This is true particularly in such areas such as urban planning, environmental health, water supply, pollution control, sewerage treatment, waste management and disposal, and natural resource management,” Senator Macdonald said.
“Local Government spends over $3 billion each year on environmental protection and resource management. This places Local Government at the forefront of implementation of environmental initiatives like Local Agenda 21. “To date, 75 councils in Australia have implemented or are developing Local Agenda 21 plans. Many of these are urban councils like the City of Manningham and the Gold Coast.”
Local Agenda 21 had become the focus for translating Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) into action at the local level. Senator Hill, the Minister for Environment and Heritage has recently launched Our Community, Our Future: A Guide to Local Agenda 21.
“The new manual will assist Local Government and local communities to forge and build local partnerships for sustainability,” Senator Macdonald said. “It will draw on and incorporate the wealth of experience in developing and implementing Local Agenda 21 which has taken place around Australia and throughout the world since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.”
The manual will provide a series of practical steps for those Councils who do wish to implement and become involved in and undertake a Local Agenda 21.
The funds, provided from the Local Government Incentive Programme, will be used for promotion, education and training for Local Government, to support and encourage the adoption of Local Agenda 21 plans in the achievement of long-term sustainability.
Discussions are under way between Environment Australia and National Office of Local Government about joint projects and about ways to encourage and assist Councils in being involved in Local Agenda 21.
Further information about funding will be included in the next National Perspective. Councils can also contact the National Office of Local Government on 1800 065 113
