I am pleased to be invited to introduce this edition of the National Perspective and to take the opportunity to share with you the various initiatives undertaken since February.
Last year I asked to convene the first Australian Local Government Associations’ Roundtable which allowed me to listen to key issues and to develop strong links with these Associations. Issues raised were included, reviewing cost-shifting, road and transport challenges, need for greater support between Local Governments, and the need for greater cooperation between the three spheres of Government, for example through the Local Government and Planning Minister’s Council. The second meeting was held in late April in Melbourne. I am looking forward to building further our relationship and discussing current issues and developments from the first meeting.
Recently I was invited to speak at the Asia Pacific Local Government Conference in Sydney about the importance for Local Government to build its capacity to deliver services its communities can rely on. I strongly agree that the key to ‘capacity’ in Local Government is its capability for problem solving either at an individual or collective level. The Commonwealth Government has implemented and maintained a number of major capacity building initiatives over the past year. These include the Parliamentary Inquiry into Cost Shifting, Home Based Work Project, Financial Assistance Grants, and the National Awards for Local Government and Leading Practice Seminars.
Parliamentary Inquiry into Cost Shifting
If you have not yet had the chance to obtain a copy of the discussion paper At the Crossroads released by the Parliamentary Inquiry into Cost Shifting I urge you to do so. The paper sets out a number of options to address the issues created by Cost Shifting and I encourage good and robust discussions of these options. I am looking forward to the final report of the Inquiry due later this year.
Home Based Work Project
The Home Based Work Project is now well advanced. The report is due in late May, and will provide models of flexible working arrangements for councils to consider. These models are designed to help Councils attract and retain skilled staff by providing a working environment that helps employees balance work and family life.
Financial Assistance Grants
On 23 March, I tabled in Parliament a report on the distribution of more than $1.4 billion in Commonwealth Government grants to Local Government. The Financial Assistance Grants are untied grants which were introduced to improve the financial capacity and effectiveness of Local Government. The Local Government National Report has been distributed to all Councils and Local Government bodies. Additional copies can be obtained from the National Office of Local Government on Freecall 1800 065 113 or accessed at www.nolg.gov.au.
National Awards for Local Government
I will be launching this year’s National Awards for Local Government at the Local Government Managers Australia Conference in Adelaide on 26 May. These Awards recognise and promote the creative responses Councils develop to meet the challenges they face.
The Awards are supported by five Commonwealth Government agencies: Department of Transport and Regional Services, Environment Australia, Department of Health and Ageing, Family and Community Services and Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources. One of the Award categories is Youth Services. Since it has just been the National Youth Week (5-13 April 2003) it is timely to highlight in this supplement the types and range of services the Commonwealth Government offers to help young people access services, have a ‘voice’ within their communities or just find networks to reduce the effects of isolation.
I realise the challenges faced by our young people is a concern to all Councils and communities. The Government through my Department is a long term major supporter of ABC Heywire – Giving Regional Youth a Voice. I had the pleasure of meeting a number of the Heywire winners when they visited Canberra in February. I was impressed by their drive to overcome these challenges and make a difference to all aspects of their lives, including being active in their community.
Leading Practice Seminars
The Leading Practice Seminars allow Awards’ entrants to share their experiences with other Councils. I can strongly recommend the whole Awards experience as a valuable capacity building opportunity for Local Governments. Keep an eye out for a seminar in your local region.
There are a number of events coming up that I would like to bring to your attention:
- The Hydrogen Economy Challenges and Strategies for Australia Conference, (including the tidal energy link) from 18-21 May 2003 in Broome.
- Also the National Local Roads Congress to be held in Kalgoorlie from 29 June to 1 July 2003. Further information on both these conferences has been included in this supplement.
As a result of the horrendous bushfire season experienced last summer, I have established a Parliamentary Inquiry into Bushfire. It will be a valuable exercise to independently examine bushfire and land management practices. The terms of reference of the Inquiry can be accessed at www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/bushfires/index. I urge all interested parties, when appropriate, to make submissions into this Inquiry.
Lastly, I wish to congratulate the Development Assessment Forum for winning a certificate of merit in the category of Planning Scholarship, Research and Technology for its Good Strategic Planning Guide at the recent Planning Institute of Australia awards for planning excellence. A copy of this guide can be accessed on the website www.daf.gov.au. In my position as Minister for Local Government I am proud to work alongside Local Government to develop programmes and initiatives that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Local Government for the benefit of its communities. It is proving to be a strong and valuable partnership.
