Dear LG Focus
Liberal councillor Alan Haselden, by repeating some of the economic myths being propagated by the federal government in his letter printed in the November edition of LG Focus, does a disservice to councils nationwide which are dealing with cuts in federal funding.
Most economists agree that we don’t have a public deficit crisis.
Our net debt to GDP is 13 percent, compared to the US’s 89 percent, UK’s 86 percent and Japan’s 143 percent.
In 1950 Australia’s gross public debt to GDP was 125 percent.
Mr. Haselden also incorrectly accused the previous government of profligacy.
The conservative International Monetary Fund, in a 2013 report, found that the only two periods of profligate Australian government spending since 1960 both occurred during the Howard and Costello era, in 2003 and 2005–2007.
Under their watch 80 percent of unsustainable tax cuts went to the top
20 percent of income earners.
The IMF criticised them for these cuts and the most reckless spending ever by an Australian government.
Furthermore, under Howard taxation on superannuation was slashed and Australia developed the western world’s most generous property investment taxation regime, to the detriment of first homebuyers.
Declining mining revenue? The coalition’s alliance with the large miners to defeat an effective mining tax encouraged overinvestment by our miners, weakening prices and revenue today, as well as driving the high Australian dollar and relatively high interest rates and skilled labor shortages to the detriment of our manufacturing, tourism and education industries.
If Mr. Haselden wants more funds for infrastructure investment without debt increases, he should support addressing some of the issues outlined above and Australia strongly supporting international reforms to reign in exploitation of foreign tax havens.
Regards,
Ian Grosser
Central Ward Councillor
Mount Barker, South Australia
Dear LG Focus,
A nervous laugh rippled across the floor at the recent NSW Local Government Conference.
A leading demographer was outlining in colourful anecdotes, the attitudes and expectations of generation X, Y, Z and the burgeoning gen Alpha contrasting them with those resting comfortably in their seats.
Currently representing some 33 percent of the workforce, these generations thrive on job mobility, reflect the growing cultural diversity of our nation and live by a language filled with adjectives and acronyms.
Baby boomers with even some proud members of the silent generation dominated the near eight hundred Council delegates from cities and towns
across NSW.
Yet there was more than one sleeper in the room.
A far bigger yet unspoken demographic contrast between our local government representatives and population representation – is that of gender.
While data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency reveals that females make up 38 percent of the workforce in ASX 100 companies and on average fill just 23 percent of the senior executive ranks the picture in local government is far greyer.
In NSW women represent just 11.2 per cent of Council senior staff and 19 percent of Mayors; figures that fall short of the struggling national average of 13.4 percent and 23.7 percent respectively.
The publication of statistics such as these by government and companies undoubtedly help to direct resources and stimulate programs to bring about the much-needed change in the landscape.
However, what continues to be a hurdle in delivering on the change is the willingness of women to say ‘yes’ – that is yes to taking on senior leadership roles.
Flexibility in work hours, availability of childcare, and systemic cultural issues all remain valid contributing factors for women hesitating to take the step up.
Yet there is no better time than right now for women to say ‘yes’.
In the decades ahead, Generations Y to A will dominate workplaces.
It is this demographic change with all the accompanying generational attitudes, aspirations and acronyms that make now the ideal time for women to succeed as leaders.
The Generations X, Y and Z have a strong preference towards consultative and bottom up decision making and the environment demands constant innovation based on stimulating and capturing ideas from a range of sources.
In essence these drivers of change call for a leadership style that is collaborative and empowering – a leadership style that women not only prefer but also excel at.
Local government leadership plays a significant role in the future of the cities and towns in our State and across the country.
We have long recognized that there are leaders for corporate turnarounds, leaders to tighten the fiscal belt and leaders for growth.
Right now our cities and towns desperately need the attributes and capabilities of women to lead us into the future.
Leadership for our time right now needs more women to say yes.
Kind Regards,
Councillor Katherine O’Regan
Woollahra Municipal Council
