Canberra 7–10 November 2004
Seize the moment – making the most of our opportunities
The theme for the 2004 National General Assembly – Seize the Moment – reflects the emerging opportunities for Australian Local Government to drive and achieve its vision for sustainable and successful communities, from our city centres to our central deserts.
To create sustainable communities, Local Government needs to be treated as an equal partner within the Australian federation, be constitutionally recognised as such, and have access to a fair share of the nation’s financial resources. Sustainability relies on the so called triple bottom line – economic, social and environmental. For Local Government, political, or constitutional sustainability, is also critically important.
Each of these key drivers of Local Government sustainability will be explored in depth. In particular, delegates will examine important political developments that have occurred since the 2003 General Assembly – including responses to the Fair Share report on cost shifting and Local Government financing – and the impact these may have on the development of a secure economic base to sustain Local Government into the future.
One of Australia’s leading political analysts, Professor Dean Jaensch, will provide a fresh assessment of the opportunities that exist for constitutional recognition.
Future directions for Local Government will be explored, with three perspectives given by, Dr Rosemary Kiss from the Centre for Public Policy at Melbourne University, author Matthew Reilly and Mayor Joy Leishman, Caboolture Shire Council, Queensland.
Political opportunities in the months and years ahead will be examined by two of Australia’s most senior political insiders, Grahame Morris and Bob Hogg, when they look at the post election landscape.
Social sustainability will feature in the keynote address of Dr Hugh Mackay, the nation’s best known social researcher, writer and psychologist.
Concurrent symposiums will focus on:
- population and demographic issues, from youth to ageing strategies
- options for future transport sustainability
- environmental, planning and development issues.
In this, the Year of the Built Environment, the Regional Cooperation and Development Forum, held in conjunction with the General Assembly, has been themed Infrastructure: Foundations for our Future.
The 2004 State of the Regions Report, to be released at the forum by ALGA and National Economics, will focus on infrastructure resourcing and the impact of infrastructure on regional development patterns and prospects.
The core work of the General Assembly – debate and determination of council motions – will again focus on four key themes – Local Government financing, ageing and population, environment, and infrastructure.
2004 is a year of opportunity for Local Government. So, seize the moment and help define our collective future through your participation at the 2004 National General Assembly of Local Government.
Local Government’s ‘parliament’
National General Assembly of Local Government is the largest and most important event on the Local Government calendar. It is convened by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) for local councils across Australia to develop and express a united voice on the core issues affecting Local Government and their communities.
The National General Assembly provides an important platform to showcase Local Government to influential decision makers of the Federal Government, at both the political and departmental levels. The first National General Assembly was held in Canberra in 1994, replacing the ALGA annual conference. In a bold and popular move, the expanded format turned the conference into a true gathering, or parliament of Local Government.
The National General Assembly now brings together hundreds of delegates from councils across Australia to debate issues of national significance to Local Government. Guest speakers include prominent Local Government leaders, national political leaders and leading Australian experts and academics from fields of interest and relevance to Local Government.
Councils urged to send motions for debate
The Assembly is convened by ALGA as a service to the national Local Government community. It is your Assembly. It provides you and your council with the opportunity to engage in a collective process to develop an authoritative position on the major national issues affecting local government and their communities.
This year, Councils and Regional Organisations of Councils are encouraged to submit motions on issues of national importance for debate at the 2004 National General Assembly. In particular, notices of motions are sought on issues relating to four key themes:
- population and ageing
- Local Government financing
- environment
- infrastructure.
In response to delegate requests, the amount of time dedicated to debate has been greatly increased this year.
Two concurrent debating sessions will be run on Monday 8 November. The first session will consider motions on population and ageing as well as Local Government financing, while the second will cover environment and infrastructure. There will also be plenary debating sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Motions can be lodged online via the National General Assembly web site at nga.alga.asn.au/
Message from the ALGA President
2004 is shaping up as a year of opportunity for Local Government in Australia. The year has already seen the commitment of a further $1.2 billion to Local Government through the renewal of the Roads to Recovery program.
Local Government elections in New South Wales and Queensland have stirred strong interest in the critical role councils play in the Australian federation.
There has been growing focus on the need to progress the Fair Share report on cost shifting and Local Government financing. And with a Federal election underway, the major parties – at the national level – have demonstrated enthusiasm to explore ways in which they can embrace Local Government and work in partnership with us to address issues of mutual concern.
At the time of writing, there is mounting evidence to support the view that we have a once in a generation opportunity to shape and drive long term change for Local Government. We have a genuine opportunity to secure a stronger constitutional base for our activities, to achieve true recognition and engagement as an equal partner in the Federal system and to put councils across the country on a more sustainable and solid financial footing. These objectives will not be easy to achieve and may take time to accomplish. But it is surely time to seize the moment and drive the push for real and meaningful change.
At last year’s National General Assembly, we witnessed the release of the Fair Share report. This year, we need to review progress, to take stock and assess where we are heading and what courses of action will best achieve the changes that will deliver the outcomes our communities want and need.
So, make a difference. Join us for the 2004 National General Assembly of Local Government. Help seize the moment and shape our future.
Councillor Mike Montgomery
ALGA President
Infrastructure focus for Regional Forum
The state of Local Government infrastructure will be a major focus of the 2004 Regional Cooperation and Development Forum to be held in Canberra on Sunday 7 November. The Forum is the one day ‘curtain-raiser’ for the National General Assembly of Local Government, which commences on Sunday evening 7 November and runs to Wednesday 10 November.
Now in its eight year, the Forum brings together Local Government representatives and economic development practitioners to examine the performance, prospects and policies for Australia’s regions.
The theme for this year’s forum is Infrastructure: Foundations for the Future. It will feature keynote speaker Professor Brendon Gleeson, Professor of Urban Policy and Management at Griffith University.
Professor Gleeson has written extensively on the issues of urban planning and sustainable transport and co-authored Australian Urban Planning: New Challenges, New Agendas.
The forum will also be the venue for the launch of the influential State of the Regions report. The 2004–05 report will focus on infrastructure resourcing and analyse the importance of infrastructure to regional development patterns and prospects. The report is produced for the Australian Local Government Association by National Economics and is sponsored by Jardine Lloyd Thompson.
