From 15-21 May, Queensland Councils and their local communities will celebrate Local Government Week – Safeguarding our Communities’ Water. The week provides an opportunity for all Councils to promote a greater awareness and understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to the urban water issues, to the people who live and work within their region.
Association of Queensland (LGAQ) President, Councillor Paul Bell, said that the key consideration for Local Governments, urban water providers and communities is the sustainability of water supplies in the long term.
“Councils should take the opportunity to showcase what they are doing to manage water and express the importance of the community participation to the overall success of the community water sustainability,” Councillor Bell said.
Councils will coordinate many activities for the week including Council open days, Local Government careers expos, community festivals and youth council debates, website competitions, radio quizzes and mystery bus tours.
In conjunction with Councils, LGAQ will be running a number of statewide events this year to assist with the celebration of Local Government Week. Again, the very popular colouring competition is sponsored by the Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water. The competition is themed Safeguarding our Communities’ Water – Everyone can help…count your drops today and focuses on saving and conserving water in and around the home.
The educational resource kit has some great discussion topics and activity sheets on the Water Cycle, Water Saving Tips and Careers in Local Government, available for use by teachers and Councils conducting school visits.
A new competition for 2006 is the Express iT competition inviting high school students to creatively express their thoughts, feelings or concerns on the water topic.
The business breakfasts are a Local Government Week innovation. Aimed to provide an opportunity for Local Governments to meet with business professionals to celebrate joint achievements and to consider how we secure our water future. A breakfast will be held in Cairns on Wednesday 17 May and in Brisbane on Friday 19 May 2006. The breakfasts will have a forum format, with government and the business community represented, and with a prominent news media personality as moderator. The forum topic is When the River Runs Dry! – What we are doing about the water crisis?
And finally the regular launch will take place with Brisbane City Council on Tuesday 16 May 2006. Local Government Week is coordinated by the LGAQ and is sponsored by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, SunWater, the Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Australian Local Government Women’s Association, Dial Before You Dig, Wide Bay Water, HR Total Solutions, QLD Water Directorate, Queensland Department of Public Works and Local Government Focus.
