The 2019 Future of Local Government National Summit will be held 23-24 May in Melbourne.
The theme this year is: ‘Creating a movement on the road to localism: co-designing self-reliant, resilient communities and places in the global age of disruption’.
For possibly the first time in history we are seeing the simultaneous breakdown of trust in our key institutions: government, church and business.
People want to take back control.
This involves a transfer of power to the local level: putting control of government where it belongs, in the hands of the governed. A reset of democracy.
The true objective of local government is to enable communities to determine their own preferred futures.
More attention needs to be given to local government’s role in the context of local governance, with councillors as stewards of empowered communities.
A new Australian Localism is emerging, emphasising the fundamental importance of placed and place-based governance, and recognising that every issue demands a localist response.
Local government needs to demonstrate its relevance and forge partnerships at neighbourhood, regional and national scales.
The sector can capture the Australian political imagination by putting people and place first.
We recognise that councils are the elephant in the community, the ‘glue’ that supports community life on a daily basis, and makes the system work at the local level.
They manage the most complex service business on earth on a shoestring.
Councils do many amazing, innovative things!
Now we have a major opportunity to have a seat at the table of the future.
*Copy supplied by MAV
