On 9-10 August, the National Local Leaders in Sustainability Forum was held at Parliament House in Canberra. The proceedings were positive and dynamic with topics of discussion including a wide range of environmental, planning and natural resource management issues.
This was the second National Forum jointly hosted by Environment Australia, the Australian Greenhouse Office and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The Forum members mostly comprised Local Government elected members and senior staff but members currently include a State Local Agenda 21 coordinator, the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal and the Australian Local Government Association.
The Forum’s important task is to advocate leading practice in local sustainability to the Commonwealth and to all Local Governments. The Forum also has the opportunity to develop a set of national recommendations for how Federal, State and Local Governments can best progress local sustainability.
Recommendations were drafted at the meeting and the refining process is currently underway. This year’s recommendations built on the input from the State Local Leaders Forums held in WA, NSW and VIC. Other State forums are expected to be held in the coming months.
The Forum was chaired on the first day by Dr Sharman Stone, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Heritage.
The Forum also met with two Ministers. Senator Robert Hill, Minister for Environment and Heritage addressed the Forum and held an open discussion on ‘hot topics’. Senator Ian Macdonald, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government also attended and welcomed ideas for raising the profile of Local Government’s role in sustainability.
The National Forum was a great success with participants with diverse experiences coming together to pave the way for future local sustainability. For further information please contact Nena Hicks, Environment Australia (02) 6274 1902 or email Nena.Hicks@ea.gov.au
