There was good news and mixed views at the Local Government Association South Australia (LGASA)’s bi-annual conference and AGM in Adelaide.
The good news came from Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, who promised that the Federal Government would not leave local government out of pocket for the combined $3.5 million it spent to prepare for the now deferred referendum on having local government recognised in the Constitution.
The mixed views came when LGASA representatives voted on a motion for Adelaide City Council to introduce compulsory voting at elections.
This motion had been put forward as a way to address low voter turnout in metropolitan areas. Despite support from Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood it was defeated 52–50.
The conference theme was transitions, and speakers offered insight into how local government could evolve to embrace technology and public consultation more effectively.
Iain Walker and Dr Kath Fisher of the newDemocracy Foundation started the conference by presenting the concept of Citizen Juries and showing how they have been effective in other local government wards across the country.
Jurors are chosen at random and only non-aligned, unengaged citizens are selected. Experts on the issues are then invited to give their professional opinion and engage with the jurors. The consultation process takes five months, with the jurors ultimately voting on the issue – the idea being that this process leads to more trustworthy, balanced and considered outcomes.
In the online leadership presentation, Tracy Whitelaw, Senior Social Media Strategist with Brisbane Council, and Sarah Bishop, Manager of Communication and Public Affairs, Kingston City Council, provided examples of how social media and online engagement with the public have made a difference to the way local councils and authorities communicate during natural disasters.
The third speaker on this topic was Sonya Ryan, whose daughter Carly was killed by an online predator. Ms Ryan now runs the Carly Ryan Foundation, a non-profit organisation promoting internet safety. Her speech reminded councillors there was a community responsibility to provide protection for young people online.
Conference host Leigh Sales introduced a Q&A session with Liberal Senator Ann Ruston, Labor MP Mark Butler and Australian Local Government Association President Felicity-ann Lewis.
They discussed ways federal and local government could work together more efficiently. One solution was to look at the way federal funding gets to local government and the idea of direct payment rather than transferring via the state.
Olympian Anna Meares, Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement Khatija Thomas, and Australian Planner of the Year Nicole Halsey took part in a mock mayoral campaign. The positive reception suggested all three could have a future career in politics.
The International keynote speaker was Dominic Bourke, Group CEO of Jardin Lloyd Thomas, who talked about the global economy, technology, big data and climate change being key factors impacting on local insurance costs.
The conference also included the Local Government Finance Authority AGM and a traditional welcome featuring three generations of the Kaourna people whose land is now known as the Adelaide suburb of Hindmarsh.
