In each edition we feature the views of a Local Government Association President. The following is from Fran Kilgariff, Mayor of Alice Springs Town Council and now President of the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory.
Having taken over Alderman Cecil Black’s Presidency position with the Association from 31 May 2004, I am keen to carry on his good work until the next general election in October 2004. His leadership assisted greatly in putting the Association on a sound footing and I know all of us in Local Government in the Northern Territory wish him well for future.
Obviously in the short time that I will be in the position of President until the next election I will be a participant in, rather than a interpreter of, Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) Executive meetings.
I am very much looking forward to this challenge and responsibility because I, like most people in Local Government, value the work of ALGA. I am particularly interested in the work that is being done with the outcomes of the Cost Shifting Inquiry as I consider they have the potential to bring fundamental and much needed change for Local Government in the areas of intergovernmental relations, Local Government finance and roles and responsibilities.
In the Northern Territory, Local Government is undergoing change as the Territory Government forges ahead with its Stronger Regions/Stronger Futures strategy. It is mostly about amalgamations, Councils having a regional focus and that all important area of partnership agreements; issues that are well advanced in some other States.
In contrast to some other States, the Northern Territory has a young population (average age 28 years), most of the land mass is unincorporated for Local Government purposes, local governing bodies are widely dispersed and many remote towns are growing in population (in contrast to elsewhere) with some well above national average percentages.
On top of this, much of the land on which Councils operate is Aboriginal land over which few councils have leases. This is expected to change over the next few years and thereby provide greater certainty for Traditional Owners and councils.
Local Government has a bright and challenging future in the Northern Territory. It is likely to get bigger and better over the next decade and Indigenous issues will continue to be prominent. I am looking forward to playing a larger part to help strengthen Local Government both in the Territory and Australia wide with the help of staff and my elected colleagues.
