The High Court’s landmark decision on public liability cases – which ruled out ‘highway immunity’ as a legitimate defence – forced Councils to improve their asset management systems. The Court’s principles of discovery and repair of foreseeable risks have placed the onus on Councils to reduce the risk of public liability.
In Victoria, further pressure came from the Auditor General’s report on Council managed roads, which identified the need for better asset management systems.
The City of Whittlesea was developing an Integrated Asset Management Plan before the High Court ruling but has since applied it to pavements, pathways and roads in response to the Auditor General’s report. The integrated system establishes a management chain and identifies risks on Council roads, bridges, furniture, buildings, equipment, parks and gardens using GPS technology.
Director Organisation Development, Neill Hocking, said Whittlesea was proactive in implementing a range of innovative processes, such as mobile computing systems, to deliver the plan.
For further information contact Neill Hocking, email nfh@whittlesea.vic.gov.au or telephone (03) 9217 2335.
