As the level of government closest to the people, Local Government leaders face the greatest level of performance expectation by individual and collective communities than any other sphere of government.
There is a greater expectation on Local Government to deliver vital human services and infrastructure and safe guard the wellbeing of communities against increasing global forces.
As the Australian Government works to bring the budget into surplus, Local Government leaders will be called upon to be more innovative and creative in the way they conduct business and service operations. To this end, Best Practice to Next Practice: Navigating a decade of restraint with our communities is the theme for the 2011 Local Government Managers Australia congress in Cairns. This theme will explore how a shift in attitude among Local Governments is needed to ensure the sector has the capacity to meet community demands.
The challenges and opportunities presented under this theme will be met within three key congress platforms – attraction and retention, financial sustainability and infrastructure, and population growth and community.
Attraction and retention
This aims to position Australian councils as employers of choice for existing and prospective employees to ensure Local Government has the capacity to thrive. Presenters will share their experiences and success stories around women in Local Government, mature aged work force, Indigenous employment, skills shortages, succession planning, and attracting and retaining the next generation of Local Government professionals.
Financial planning and infrastructure
Explores the expectations on Local Government to self fund existing and future infrastructure projects.
This session will include case studies from councils that have successfully generated revenue streams through non traditional means, including commercial and non government partnerships, examples of social enterprise and inter council collaboration.
Population growth and community
Explores the challenges and opportunities of councils in the delivery and maintenance of vital human services that reach well beyond roads, rates and rubbish. Presenters will navigate the issues of significant population growth and increased demands from communities.
Keynote presenters
The 2011 Congress in Cairns has attracted an impressive lineup of keynote presenters, including Director of the Local Government Centre at the University of Technology Sydney, Graham Sansom; former Federal Minister of Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner; Chairman of Skills Australia Philip Bullock; Infrastructure Coordinator at Infrastructure Australia Michael Deegan; Director of the Local Government Centre at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand Peter McKinlay; and author James Woodford from the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
The congress will be wrapped up with a keynote presentation on good governance by Stephen Mayne, founder of Crikey.com.au
Combined with associated social and networking opportunities and workshops, this is one event on the calendar that you, your officers and elected officials cannot afford to miss.
Register before 9 April to receive the early bird discount.
Download a full program and registration brochure, or register online at the LGMA website, visit www.lgma.org.au/nationalcongress
