The Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme is designed to address capacity constraints and promote good governance at a Local Government level.
The scheme has operated for a number of years between UK partners and countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia and more recently Australia and New Zealand have joined to partner with local councils in the Pacific.
It has been in existence since 1998 and is designed to support the implementation of specific technical projects based on exchange of good practice and skills between practitioners working in the field of Local Government. Its aim is to help local authorities improve the efficiency of service delivery and promote local democracy.
In February 2011 a delegation comprising Peter Gesling, General Manager of Port Stephens Council; Brian Bell, General Manager of Lake Macquarie City Council; Tony Farrell, Director City Strategy at Lake Macquarie City Council; and Roger Stephan, CEO Hunter Councils, paid a short visit to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea to explore opportunities that might exist to form partnerships between Goroka Urban Level Local Government and the Councils of the Hunter Region.
The delegation’s visit was funded by the Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme.
Goroka is the Provincial Capital of the Easter Highland Province and is a one hour flight from Port Moresby. Established in 1939, it was used as a rest centre during World War II.
The original patrol post in Bena was moved to Goroka, because the land formation lacks a suitable site for an airstrip. Nestled among the mountains, the township is built around the airstrip.
Actual development of Goroka Town did not occur until the 1950s. From then it rapidly grew from a small administrative outpost into a major Regional Centre for the Highlands Region.
Goroka is now the commercial centre for four other highland provinces of Simbu, Western Highlands, Enga and Southern Highlands. Its major industry is coffee bean production.
The delegation’s visit was highly successful with a number of opportunities emerging in relation to governance, financial management, asset management and internal audit.
