With the theme of its conference being Brace for Change, President of the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT), Alderman Kerry Moir, said that in light of recent announcement by both the Territory and Australian Governments this was very appropriate.
“Large numbers of people coming from remote areas into our major towns with nowhere to stay is placing pressure on family and friends in Aboriginal living areas and local Councils,” she said. “The recent announcement by Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Mal Brough, on proposals for Aboriginal living areas in Alice Springs could involve all Municipal Councils having a much greater part to play in the delivery of services in urban Aboriginal living areas.”
She said Local Government in the Territory must brace for change, and as such, she was expecting the Minister for Local Government to make some major announcements. He didn’t disappoint.
Northern Territory’s Minister for Local Government, Elliot McAdam, said that strong governance is the key for social and economic development at both the local and regional level.
“While our Municipal Councils, are robust and stable, some of the Community Government Councils are not doing so well,” the Minister said.
He added that many of these smaller Councils face a daunting task with very limited resources. “With many smaller Councils barely sustainable, the Territory needs a more effective Local Government system,” he said.
The Government is pushing ahead with the incorporation of the whole of the Northern Territory into Local Government areas.
“Currently 90 per cent of land is unincorporated,” he said. “This is a disadvantage, where the Federal Grants Commission is allocating its grants. In addition, many land owners and mining companies in these unincorporated areas do not pay rates. This is unfair to those who do. With 30 Community Government Councils currently under the Local Government Act, the Government intends to bring all Local Government bodies, including the Association Councils, under the Act.”
He announced a full review of the Act which is long overdue.
“We need a system of Local Government that is working affectively and delivering for every resident in the Northern Territory,” the Minster said.
National President of the Australian Labour Party, Warren Mundine, also spoke at the LGANT conference. He noted how far Indigenous people have progressed in mainstream politics since Neville Bonner was first elected to the Senate in 1972.
“Today you have had two Indigenous speakers, the Minister of Local Government followed by the ALP President,” Warren Mundine said.
A former Deputy Mayor of Dubbo City Council, Warren Mundine said that Local Government is a great area to work.
“You are the people working with your community and living in that community,” he said. “It is very much an in your face type of politics which soon gets lost at Federal and State level. You work hard for often very little reward or recognition but when you see your community growing it puts a smile on your face.”
Warren Mundine pointed to the vital role of Local Government in social and economic development initiatives.
On the issue of school retention rates for Indigenous youth, he said that young people will not stay on at school if they believe there will be no jobs for them in the future.
“This is a major battle,” Warren Mundine said. “We need real economic development creating full time jobs. Young people need skills that can take them anywhere in the world, they must be mobile as they can’t all get work all in the same town.”
