DEVISING A COUNCIL PLAN
BEYOND THE COUNCIL MANAGER AUTUMN 2014
CRAYFISH King Island CEO Mark Goode assists his community to achieve economic growth through non-traditional industries
BENCHMARKING COUNCIL PERFORMANCE
lor nt l i c e un lem o C pp Su
THE MAGAZINE FOR SENIOR MANAGERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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CONTENTS
NEWS
46
TOP 10 NEWS STORIES....................... 2
CEO PROFILE CEO OF KING ISLAND COUNCIL, MARK GOODE..................................... 14
ALGA REPORT COUNCIL FUNDING ISSUES REMAIN TOP PRIORITY FOR ALGA By Felicity-ann Lewis.................................. 16
FEATURES BENCHMARKING PROJECT GENERATES VALUABLE DATA ON COUNCIL PERFORMANCE By Annette Waters...................................... 18
AUTUMN 2014
14 RISK IDENTIFICATION MADE SIMPLE By Tony Harb............................................. 30
DISPELLING THE RISK TRANSFER MYTH By Rod Farrar............................................ 32
LEGAL BRIEFING KNOWLEDGE IS POWER - HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY ADOPT IT SYSTEMS By Andrew Whiteside.................................. 34
Monitoring the comings and goings
By Darebin City Council.................................20
of council CEOs........................................ 36
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: PROMOTING SAFETY THROUGH A CONNECTED COMMUNITY By Ingrid Stonhill.................................... 24
COUNCILLOR SUPPLEMENT NEWS..................................................... 40
COUNCILS COLLABORATE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY................. 26
The Mayor of Lane Cove and
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP? By Sophi Bruce............................................ 28
18
TO KEEP AHEAD OF THE PACK
COUNCIL PLAN FEATURES INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM............................................... 27
45
SENIOR POSITIONS
COUNCIL LEADERS The Mayor of Logan................................... 44
Publisher: CommStrat Editor: Ben Hutchison Graphic Designer: Nicholas Thorne Contributors: Rex Pannell, Ben Hutchison, Felicity-ann Lewis, Annette Waters, Ingrid Stonhill, Sophi Bruce, Rod Farrar, Tony Harb, Andrew Whiteside Sales and Marketing: Yuri Mamistvalov Tel: +61 3 8534 5008 Email: yuri@commstrat.com.au Subscriptions: Ruth Spiegel
COUNCIL PROFILE CITY OF MONASH By Rex Pannell.......................................... 46
Tel: +61 3 8534 5009 Email: ruth.spiegel@commstrat.com.au Head office: Lvl 8 574 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 Post: PO Box 6137 St Kilda Road Central, VIC 8008
PRODUCTS & SERVICES TRAINING FOR COUNCILS............... 48
Tel: +61 3 8534 5000, Fax: +61 3 9530 8911 WEB: www.commstrat.com.au
Autumn 2014 Council Manager | 1
TOP 10 NEWS
10
TOP NEWS STORIES
1 Five year
extension for R2R
Councils a valuable contributor to crime prevention Assisting with crime prevention in the local community is one of the growing range of services that local governments are delivering - and yet it is perhaps one of the most important activities a council can undertake. Many councils are taking a more active role in preventing crime and enhancing public safety in their communities. This is through means such as employing dedicated Community Safety Managers, working in a sophisticated and coordinated way with police and other authorities, investing in public CCTV networks, etc. This edition of Council Manager Magazine includes a profile of the Local Government Community Safety and Crime Prevention Network, and details how it is evolving to become a highly valuable source of assistance for council professionals seeking to prevent crime and implement public safety strategies. Additionally, a column by the CEO of Neighbourhood Watch Australasia highlights the work of the organisation and why it is so necessary to focus on communities in a very granular way to develop safer neighbourhoods. Other articles in this edition include an examination of a benchmarking project led by Bass Coast Shire that is generating data of value to many councils. I hope you enjoy this edition of Council Manager. Sincerely, Ben Hutchison, EDITOR, Council Manager ben.hutchison@commstrat.com.au 2 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
Legislation has been tabled in Federal Parliament that would extend the Roads to Recovery Program for an additional five years. Provision to extend the program was contained in the Land Transport Infrastructure Amendment Bill, which was introduced to Parliament by Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss. The legislation would lock in the government’s commitment to the Roads to Recovery Program beyond the current end date of June 30, 2014 until June 30, 2019, with $1.75 billion of funding allocated over the five years. “Roads to Recovery provides vital funding to local governments for the maintenance of the nation’s local road infrastructure,” Mr Truss said. “Further, the Government has committed $300 million to the Black Spot Program addressing road sites that are high risk areas for serious crashes, in addition to our new $300 million Bridges Renewal programme to restore dilapidated local bridges.” Mr Truss said the Bill mapped out the government’s infrastructure priorities under its Infrastructure Investment Program and replaced what he described as the previous Labor Government’s “disjointed and shambolic” Nation Building Program. The Abbott Government has also committed $300 million to finalise plans, engineering design and environmental assessments for the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project.
UPCOMING EVENTS 2014 National Community Safety & Security Conference Sydney – April 28 & 29, 2014 Visit www.communitysafetyconference.com.au
Social Media for the Public Sector Melbourne – May 21 & 22, 2014 Visit www.govtechreview.com.au/publicsectorsocialmedia
Government Mobility and App Solutions Conference Melbourne – May 21 & 22, 2014 Visit www.govtechreview.com.au/mobilityapps
2014 Best Practice in Local Government Conference Sydney – May 21 & 22, 2014 Visit www.lgnews.com.au/lgbestpractice
6th Australian Small Bridges Conference Sydney – May 27 & 28, 2014 Visit www.smallbridgesconference.com
Earth Structures & Retention Conference Sydney – May 27 & 28, 2014 Visit www.earthstructuresconference.com
National Smart Communities Conference Melbourne – June 4 & 5, 2014 Visit www.govtechreview.com.au/smartcom
Customer Service Solutions for Government & Public Sector Conference 2014 Parramatta – June 11 & 12, 2014 Visit www.governmentcustomerservice.com.au
2014 Government Sustainability Conference
2014
GOVERNMENT SUSTAINABILITY Conference
Sydney – August 12 & 13, 2014
Embedding sustainability in government organisations Sydney | August 12 & 13 | 2014
4th
Local Government & Public Sector
Building Maintenance & Management Conference www.buildingmaintenanceconference.com.au
11-12 November 2014 Rydges World Square Sydney
Visit www.enviroinfo.com.au/govsus
4th Local Government & Public Sector Building Maintenance & Management Conference Sydney – November 11 & 12 , 2014 Visit www.buildingmaintenanceconference.com.au
For further details regarding these conferences please visit:
www.commstrat.com.au/events
TOP 10 NEWS
2
Local government’s use of debt analysed Closely managed use of debt by councils would address infrastructure backlogs and positively support sustainable local communities and organisation performance, according to research from the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG). The key finding and other contentions can be found in the new research report ‘Debt is Not a Dirty Word: The Role and Use of Debt in Local Government’. The research was prepared by John Comrie for ACELG at the University of Technology Sydney, and supported by consortium partner, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA). ACELG said the aim of the project was to support the local government sector to contend with the increasingly complex financial arrangements and considerations required to viably operate a contemporary council now and into the future. It builds upon the landmark ACELG paper, ‘In Our Hands, Strengthening Local Government Revenue for the 21st Century’. ACELG Director, Roberta Ryan, said John Comrie was a recognised thought leader on local government finance and other sector themes, and his research has brought the issue into sharp focus. “Something has to shift – it’s simply not possible for many councils to make significant improvements in their financial, asset management and service delivery performance without a change in approach,” Associate Professor Ryan said. “This paper suggests a way forward, and ACELG and its consortium partners will be engaging with the sector about its findings and seeking a view from all on this crucial topic.”
4 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
3 Performance reporting reforms proposed for Vic councils The Victorian Government has invited public comment on proposed reforms to local government performance reporting. The state’s Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell, said the proposed changes to local government regulations, which passed through Parliament, herald a “bold new approach” to local government performance reporting. “Residents and ratepayers will be able to see how their council is performing compared to other like councils. This will help drive improvements across the local government sector,” Mrs Powell said. Public comment was invited on the draft regulations and the expected impact they would have on each council as well as the benefits to each municipality. “The proposed reporting framework will show councils and ratepayers where they are performing well, where they need to improve and whether the community is getting value for money,” Mrs Powell said. The proposed regulations support the new Local Government Performance Reporting Framework, which comes into effect from July 2014. Copies of the proposed Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2014 and the accompanying Regulatory Impact Statement are available at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment
4
NSW local government formulates response to reform proposals Local Government NSW was to embark on a consultation roadshow to canvass the views of councils on the recommendations in the Independent Local Government Review Panel’s final report, ‘Revitalising Local Government’. President of LGNSW, Keith Rhoades, said sensible local government reform was imperative if NSW councils were to meet the future needs of their communities and ensure they were financially sustainable. Cr Rhoades said local government’s main concern was council amalgamations. “While the report does not support forcibly amalgamating councils, it does provide a very detailed ‘merger’ blueprint for a future state government, without the current ‘no forced amalgamations’ policy. “The other key issue we believe our member councils will want to discuss are the new structures proposed for local government, particularly in rural and regional areas. These include what the Review Panel refers to as Joint Organisations, Rural Councils and Community Boards.” Cr Rhoades said the Revitalising Local Government report had far-reaching implications for the future of local government in NSW and it was critical that councils helped steer the impending change to the sector. Local Government NSW will be holding at least 11 Leaders Forums in metropolitan, regional and rural locations across the state. It was anticipated that a further three forums would be added to the consultation roadshow in March and April.
5
Community
6
Report calls for national urban transport strategy
satisfaction with Qld
Councils respond to inquiry into private financing of public infrastructure
councils improving The latest comprehensive survey of attitudes towards local government in Queensland showed council performance was the best in six years. The survey, commissioned by the Local Government Association of Queensland, found people were generally more satisfied with their council’s performance in delivering services they rated as very important, such as roads, garbage collection and water and sewerage services. LGAQ President, Margaret de Wit, said the results showed the performance of councils demonstrated they had a closer understanding of what their community expected from local service delivery. “This is one of the best results for councils since the LGAQ began this survey 17 years ago. It shows community satisfaction ratings for some councils are at their highest since 2003,’’ Cr de Wit said. Conducted by research company, Market Facts, the survey is the ninth in a series establishing community satisfaction benchmarking of council performance. The first survey was conducted in 1997. The survey results suggested councils whose performance was most improved in the eyes of their community were those based in regional coastal centres and on the fringes of Queensland’s metropolitan south-east. Brisbane recorded a slight overall decline in community satisfaction from a very high base, according to the survey, but ranked highest in the state when it came to handling disaster events and recovery.
7
A report released by Infrastructure Australia looks at the need for a national Urban Transport Strategy and says such a strategy would target improved city planning, better use of transport services, and better investment in road and rail infrastructure. National Infrastructure Co-ordinator, Michael Deegan, said the report heralded urbanisation as “the engine for Australia’s economic growth” and considered the development of an Urban Transport Strategy to be of paramount importance. In announcing the report, Mr Deegan said the lack of a widely accepted, national strategy for managing, planning and financing urban transport was an impediment to effective transport and productivity in Australia. He acknowledged the challenges in developing and implementing such a strategy, but said Australia needed such a blueprint to ensure the community received the best value for money in terms of infrastructure spending. Most importantly, Mr Deegan said, the strategy would focus on seeking the right balance between different modes of urban transport. It would deliver an urban transport system that was not only efficient and equitable, but resilient and robust. The report is available at www. infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/
The local government sector has lodged a number of submissions with the Productivity Commission in relation to its public inquiry into ways to encourage private financing of infrastructure projects. The PC is conducting a six-month investigation into costs, competitiveness and productivity in the provision of nationally significant economic infrastructure. The commissioning of the inquiry is part of an effort by the Abbott Government to investigate how to tap into private finance for infrastructure projects and lower the funding burden on the government purse. About 100 submissions have been lodged with the commission, including responses from The National Growth Areas Alliance, The Local Government Association of Queensland, The Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, The Council of Lord Mayors – South East Queensland, Central NSW Councils and Maroondah City Council. The Terms of Reference for the inquiry provide scope for the Productivity Commission to analyse and report on areas such as the rationale, role and objectives of alternative funding and financing mechanisms. The commission was scheduled to release a draft report in mid-March 2014, hold public hearings in April and issue a final report to the Federal Government in May. Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and Treasurer, Joe Hockey, said the inquiry would be crucial in identifying how to lower construction costs and develop a partnership with the private sector to build future infrastructure. Autumn 2014 Council Manager | 5
TOP 10 NEWS
8
Online toolkit to aid WA councils in reform process Metropolitan local governments in Western Australia gearing up for their biggest structural changes in more than 100 years now have access to a dedicated website to guide them through the transition. Under the reform process, it has been proposed the number of WA metropolitan local governments be cut from 30 to 15 The WA Local Government Association and Local Government Managers Australia (WA) have worked with the state’s Department of Local Government and Communities to produce the toolkit, which is a step-by-step guide for local governments in the lead-up to the changes on July 1, 2015 and beyond. “The toolkit brings together an extraordinary amount of information to help local governments prepare and implement the changes,” WA Local Government Minister, Tony Simpson said. “Content has been provided by people right across local government who have the expertise and experience to ensure it contains valuable information, practical guides and useful materials.” WALGA President, Troy Pickard, said the toolkit could be applied to every local government’s unique situation and adapted to suit their particular needs. “We moved quickly to put in place support for local governments and this comprehensive resource has vast information that leads both practitioners and elected members through a staged transition plan,” Mayor Pickard said. “We identified the need to develop a focus on strategic direction specifically for elected members and it walks them through the milestones to be achieved during the four stages from review to implementation.” 6 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
9
Survey shines light on use of IT by Qld councils Queensland councils are preparing to take the next step in using advances in information technology to boost productivity and improve service delivery to their communities, according to the Local Government Association of Queensland. An in-depth survey of the digital productivity landscape among councils – commissioned by the LGAQ – found the overwhelming majority of councils were keen to use advances in information technology to improve productivity, efficiency and performance. However, the survey also found the local government sector needed to adopt rigorous methods to measure the productivity gains brought on by new technology. The LGAQ said the survey found many councils were ready to use technology to improve the way they served their communities, but were also unsure of how to realise the gains it promised. The association’s President, Margaret de Wit, said the results presented the association with an opportunity to boost understanding among councils about the potential of digital technology to transform the way they did business, particularly in rural and regional areas. “Some are worried about data speeds, others need a model that balances costs with benefits before they will start to invest,’’ Cr de Wit said. The survey examined council attitudes to factors such as social media, the National Broadband Network and digital skills.
10
Court approves Lehman settlement provisions Councils, church groups and charities that are parties to claims for about $180 million in damages against Lehman Brothers Australia – now in liquidation – have been able to begin submitting proofs of claim to the company’s liquidator. The proofs of claim can be lodged with liquidators PPB Advisory following a decision on December 9 by the Federal Court in relation to a conditional settlement reached between the liquidator and representatives of the councils, church groups and charities. The claimants represented by Piper Alderman and litigation funder Bentham IMF were claiming the damages over losses on investments in complex financial derivatives – known as collateralised debt obligations (CDOs) – sold by Lehman Australia’s subsidiary up to 2007. The Federal Court approved an application from IMF clients to settle their class action and discontinue an appeal lodged by Lehman against the original judgement in the class action. It also approved an application by the liquidator to enter into the settlement agreement on the basis that claims by IMF’s client creditors against Lehman be submitted to an agreed claims resolution process. A spokesperson for Bentham IMF said it was estimated that once the proofs of claim had been assessed, the return would be 49 to 50 cents in the dollar. The spokesperson said it was expected the distribution of monies would commence in April 2014 and continue to June.
May 21 & 22 2014 | Sydney 2014 BEST PRACTICE
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT Conference Developing Excellence in Local Government Organisations
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Australia’s national conference on local government organisational development & performance improvement
■
Practical case studies & expert advice for your council
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SPEAKING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE The 2014 Best Practice in Local Government Conference will again provide attendees with information they can immediately use to improve organisational performance and achieve a culture of excellence within their own local government organisations. Now in its seventh year, the Conference is Australia’s national conference on local government organisational development and performance improvement. Official Endorsing Organisations of the 2014 Conference include Australia’s Local Government Business Excellence Network.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND •
CEOs / General Managers
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Directors
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Organisational Development and Performance Improvement Managers
•
Manager Corporate Services
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Human Resources Manager
•
Manager Corporate Planning
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Business Excellence Manager
PLATINUM SPONSOR
To be staged in Sydney, the 2014 Conference will feature a record number of presentations and workshops. It will provide local government professionals with valuable knowledge, extensive networking opportunities with representatives of leading councils, and inspiration on how to improve the performance of their own local government organisations. Key focal points of this conference will include: • • • • • • • •
Organisational Development Improving workplace culture Change Management People & Performance Management Pursuing business excellence & continuous improvement Enhancing management systems & business processes Staff productivity & workforce development Achieving effective leadership
GOLD SPONSOR
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DATES AND VENUE Following a highly successful 2013 conference, which attracted more than 200 senior local government professionals, the 2014 Best Practice in Local Government Conference will be held in Sydney on May 21 & 22 at Doltone House – a short walk from the city’s Darling Harbour precinct. Discount accommodation rates are available for conference delegates. For more information visit www.lgnews.com.au/lgbestpractice
TO REGISTER YOUR ATTENDANCE Online Registration is available on the conference website www.lgnews.com.au/lgbestpractice. For conference registration and attendance enquiries please contact:
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NEWS
Local government input New initiative to help Qld Monash introduces sought on improved mobile phone services The Federal Department of Communications says it is keen to consult with local government on a $100 million program designed to improve mobile phone services throughout remote, regional and outermetropolitan Australia. The Mobile Coverage Programme has two components, with $80 million to be provided under the Mobile Network Expansion Project to improve mobile phone coverage along major transport routes in small communities and locations prone to experiencing natural disasters. Another $20 million will be provided under the Mobile Black Spots Project to address unique mobile coverage problems. Paul Fletcher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Communications, said the department was keen to talk with councils, particularly on the $20 million component of the program. Mr Fletcher said the department would be consulting with state and territory associations on specific areas in need of better mobile coverage in regional and remote areas. Councils had until February 28 to lodge submissions in response to a discussion paper released in mid-December 2013. “Inadequate mobile phone coverage is a significant concern for regional communities,” Mr Fletcher said. “The Government is keen to hear from mobile phone carriers and other industry participants, and from other levels of government – but also from residents and community leaders in outer metropolitan, regional and remote communities around Australia. “We want to drive this money as far as we possibly can, which means maximising competitive tension between bidders. We also want to make sure this programme not only boosts mobile coverage but also stimulates competition in regional and remote mobile communications.” 8 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
councils tackle floods The Queensland Government has called for Expressions of Interest for the first time from the state’s 77 councils for projects that will help their communities be better prepared to avoid the worst effects of floods. Queensland’s Community Recovery and Resilience Minister, David Crisafulli, said the government was determined to deliver better infrastructure and the first step towards that commitment was better planning. “Communities know best what they need to be better defended against flood waters,” Mr Crisafulli said. “This new phase in the local government funding process is aimed at giving councils the maximum amount of time possible to confirm, plan and talk to us about the projects they need to be more resilient.” Mr Crisafulli said the funds would come from local government grants, Royalties for the Regions and the Natural Disaster Resilience Program (jointly funded by the Federal Government) with a projected combined total of about $47 million. “Different locations need different infrastructure,” he said. “Building a levee around North Queensland won’t stop a cyclone, but projects such as upgrading drainage will make a big difference locally. “In some communities it will be a retention basin, in others back flow devices, but it is important that solutions are found locally. We can’t flood-proof Queensland, but we can do better.”
Customer Service Guarantee Monash Council in Melbourne’s southeast is reinforcing its renewed focus on customer service by introducing a Customer Service Guarantee. The guarantee includes 40 specific targets for services across the organisation, ranging from how promptly phone calls will be answered to how many metres of footpath will be upgraded each year. Monash Council’s Chief Executive, Andi Diamond, introduced a similar guarantee at Yarra Council when she was its CEO. She said the guarantee would help ensure a consistently high level of service was provided. “Each quarter, we’ll produce a report card on our performance against each of the targets and publish that report card on our website,” she said. “We will be open about any areas that need improvement.” Monash’s Mayor, Geoff Lake, said all of the 40 targets were achievable, with many being service standards that council already had in place. “We want to send a clear message to our community about the high level of service they can expect from us,” Cr Lake said. “We want our community to hold us accountable to these targets. When we fail to meet a target, we will let the community know what action we will take to fix our performance.” Cr Lake said Monash Council prided itself on having the lowest rates of all Melbourne councils, but also wanted to be a leader in local government customer service. “Monash consistently rates highly in state-wide surveys in which residents give their opinions of their council’s performance,” he said. “However, our residents have identified that customer service is one thing we could do better. “Over the past year, we have made major improvements including establishing a dedicated Customer Service team, which is
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NEWS
now the first point of contact for residents with requests and questions, and helps residents navigate our large organisation to get the help they need.”
Queensland has four new councils Four new councils came into being in Queensland at the beginning of 2014 – Noosa, Livingstone, Douglas and Mareeba. The state’s Acting Local Government Minister, Jarrod Bleijie, said January 1 was an historic day for democracy for the residents in the areas who fought long and hard to have their voices heard. “We promised to give communities a vote if there was a chance of reestablishing a viable, independent council and we kept our word,” he said. Mr Bleijie said it was up to the new Mayors and Councillors to work together with each other and their neighbouring councils to get the best results for their communities. He said the first order of business for the new councils would be to consider the interim budget prepared by the transfer managers. “While there’s no doubt the new councils have some big decisions to make in the coming months, I’m confident we have the right mix of fresh ideas and experience to set the new councils on the right course,” he said.
Keeping Sydney’s streets safe The City of Sydney will fast-track the expansion of its CCTV network, with 10 new cameras set to be installed in latenight hot spots. Work was to start in March on installing the fibre optic cables needed to connect the new cameras, which can zoom, tilt and be rotated a full 360 degrees, to the control room at Sydney Town Hall. Once the expansion is complete, 98 cameras will operate across the City of Sydney. 10 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the camera expansion was part of the city’s ongoing efforts to make Sydney’s streets safer after dark. “We want the City to be an open, inclusive place where people feel safe and welcome at all hours,” the Lord Mayor said. “Sydney’s late-night precincts face a range of complex challenges that require long-term investment from all levels of government and we’re committed to taking action wherever we can. “This expansion of our CCTV network has the potential to make a real difference by assisting police in preventing, detecting and investigating crimes in some of our busiest late-night precincts.” Between April 2004 and September 2012 the city installed 37 new CCTV cameras – a 74% increase on the size of the network. In addition to the installation of the new cameras, the city is also in the process of upgrading the recording and system management equipment used to operate its CCTV network. The upgrade will allow for the use of high-definition digital cameras and enhanced recording capabilities.
Waste management practices improving: report A new national report has found Australians are making great strides in waste management but there is still room for improvement, according to Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt. ‘National Waste Reporting 2013’ is a new online resource developed by the Federal Government along with the states and territories providing improved access to data about waste and recycling. Mr Hunt said the report provided information on trends in waste management and identified opportunities for better managing the nation’s waste. It detailed how much waste was generated and managed across Australia,
with facts and figures about issues including hazardous and organic waste, the waste management industry and infrastructure, community and charitable operations, and product stewardship. Mr Hunt said between 2007 and 2011, Australians increased their recycling efforts from 21.4 million tonnes to 27.3 million tonnes per year and increased the amount of waste they converted to energy from about 1.32 million tonnes to 1.52 million tonnes per year. “However there is still work to do to in removing or diverting waste from landfill and a range of benefits from re-using waste material,” Mr Hunt said. “For example, reducing the volume of organic waste going to landfill can reduce the amount of methane gas that is produced when organic material breaks down, and has harmful effects on the atmosphere. “Instead this material can be diverted from landfill and put to valuable use in compost and soil conditioners.”
MoU between SA local government and development industry South Australia’s Local Government Association and peak development industry bodies have found what they describe as common ground in looking at SA’s planning and development system. The association, Business SA, the Property Council, Master Builders Association, the Civil Contractors Federation and the Urban Development Institute of Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to support the system. The MOU has three objectives: • Better community education regarding development costs and equitable sharing of supporting infrastructure costs; • Developing “good practice” in developer/council engagement which meets probity/Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) requirements; and
• Working together to reduce delays and ‘red tape’ in SA’s planning system. The association held discussions with peak bodies, which resulted in them agreeing on key steps to support sustainable economic growth. The association’s Acting President, Lorraine Rosenberg, said many councils and developers worked effectively together and welcomed the State Planning Review as a vehicle to improve the planning and development system. The MoU was a key step in seeking to highlight this engagement and promote good practices. Mayor Rosenberg said government had encouraged greater discussion about planning applications with developers, but there was confusion about what that meant in the context of the ICAC legislation. As a separate initiative, the parties have also agreed to call on the next SA Government to convene a round-table of the bodies within the first six months after the state election to discuss enhancing economic growth in the state. “In the past there has been a tendency for the state to hold bilateral talks with the bodies rather than get everyone around the same table,” Mayor Rosenberg said. Business SA’s Chief Executive, Nigel McBride, said the MoU provided support for a constructive relationship between local government and the development industry. “Recent legislation targeting potential corruption, misfeasance and
maladministration are part of a transparent and ethical framework that all South Australians have the right to expect. However it’s also increased industry confusion and we want to help all parties engage more effectively by understanding what probity actually means in these situations,” Mr McBride said. “Our members are telling us they want guidance on how to work more effectively with councils without affecting probity and we need ongoing conversation between local government and industry,” CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (SA), Terry Walsh said. The Civil Contractors Federation said the development industry recognised local government’s role in development included encouraging sustainable economic development and providing local and regional leadership, development planning, and regulatory and other services to support economic activity.
Another step in the fight against graffiti More than 70% of Victoria’s councils have now been allocated portable graffiti removal systems, with Cardinia Shire in Melbourne’s south-east the latest local government area to benefit from the State Government’s graffiti removal program.
Victoria’s Minister for Crime Prevention, Edward O’Donohue, presented the removal system to Cardinia Neighbourhood Watch in Pakenham – 56 km from Melbourne – saying it would be an essential tool in combating graffiti. Mr O’Donohue said another 13 portable removal graffiti systems would be provided to other Neighbourhood Watch groups across Victoria, including one that would be available for loan across multiple locations. “Illegal and unsightly graffiti is a blight on the local streetscape and can make people feel less safe in their own community. “Portable graffiti removal systems are valuable assets in the ongoing fight against graffiti as they help community members remove graffiti as quickly as possible after it appears.” The graffiti removal system consists of a 120-litre wheelie bin, a high-pressure water system, graffiti removal products and personal protective equipment. So far, 58 councils have been allocated 199 portable graffiti removal systems – that equates to 73 per cent of Victorian councils. A further 52 portable graffiti removal systems have been allocated across 48 Victorian community groups. The portable graffiti removal system is one of a range of government initiatives to support the removal of graffiti in partnership with councils and state agencies.
Autumn 2014 Council Manager | 11
NEWS
National Smart
Customer Service
Communities Conference Solutions for to be staged in June National
Smart Communities Conference www.govtechreview.com.au/smartcom
June 4 & 5 | 2014 | Melbourne
Presentations from NBN Co that will provide local governments with a crucial update on the National Broadband Network roll-out and the role of councils are among those confirmed for the forthcoming 2014 National Smart Communities Conference. To be held in Melbourne on June 4 & 5, this annual event (formerly known as the Local Government NBN Conference) will provide delegates with the latest advice on how to ensure local communities and government services are keeping pace with change and are on the cutting-edge of broadband and digital technology use. Other key topics to be analysed at this event include: • Digital Economic Development strategies for your community. • Advice on how your local government can improve services and operations through use of fast broadband and new digital technologies. • Insights from the leaders of Australia’s smartest communities. In light of last year’s change of Federal Government, and the growing need for councils and their communities to optimise use of digital technology, the 2014 National Smart Communities Conference will be an important gathering of community leaders and local government professionals from across Australia and overseas. Attendees will include: Senior Local Government Managers, Economic Development Managers, IT Managers, Councillors and representatives of other government agencies. To register your attendance, and for further information about the event, visit the conference website www.govtechreview. com.au/smartcom to register online. 12 | Council Manager Autumn 2014
Government and Public Sector Conference 2014 Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman, Richard Glenn, and Deputy NSW Ombudsman Chris Wheeler will speak at the Customer Service Solutions for Government and Public Sector Conference 2014 – to be staged on June 11 and 12 at Rydges Parramatta, NSW. The conference is designed to provide customer service professionals in local, state and federal government with knowledge and practical information for delivering relevant, timely, efficient and cost effective customer service through the delivery of practical information and case study presentations. Local government case studies featured at the conference include Adelaide City Council’s development of a customer service strategy, and how the Council took a whole of organisation approach to its implementation and how Queensland’s Logan City Council has built a culture of customer service excellence, and how the Council is striving for a balance between quality service and cost savings. A key theme of the conference that will be addressed by both Mr Glenn and Mr Wheeler is managing customer complaints. Mr Glenn will give an early insight into the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s findings of an investigation into complaint handling by all Commonwealth agencies, while Mr Wheeler will provide a presentation providing new guidance on better practice complaint handling from Standards Australia and the NSW Ombudsman. Registrations for the conference are now open. To register, and for further information about the conference speaking program and topics, visit www. governmentcustomerservice.com.au
CUSTOMER SERVICE SOLUTIONS for Government & Public Sector Conference 2014 June 11 & 12 | Rydges Parramatta | NSW
2014
GOVERNMENT SUSTAINABILITY Conference
Embedding sustainability in government organisations Sydney | August 12 & 13 | 2014
National local government environment conference to be held in Sydney A wide range of presentations providing case studies of successful sustainability initiatives in the government sector, as well as latest advice on key environment issues will be delivered at the 2014 Government Sustainability Conference, which will be held in Sydney on August 12 & 13. This annual national conference will again provide delegates from local government and the wider public sector with comprehensive analysis and advice on how to embed environmentally sustainable policies and practices within their organisations and address crucial environmental issues. This conference will follow on from the highly successful 2013 Government Sustainability Conference, which attracted 200 attendees. The 2014 Government Sustainability Conference will be held on Tuesday, August 12 and Wednesday, August 13 at Doltone House in central Sydney – a short walk from the city’s Darling Harbour precinct. By focusing on the environmental issues that need to be addressed by governments and authorities, this conference has become the peak annual environment conference for Australia’s public sector. This national conference will provide attendees with the means to network and discuss environmental best practice with officials from the nation’s public sector sustainability leaders. The conference will also provide attendees with high-quality information and case studies that will assist them to address crucial environmental issues facing all levels of government. To register your attendance at this conference, and to access further information about the event, visit www.enviroinfo.com.au/govsus
New online platform to promote local government careers
A
new platform that will promote local government as a careers destination and assist councils to find qualified staff and address skills shortages across the sector, is soon to be launched. The Local Government Virtual Careers Fair, which has been developed by an Australian company called CommStrat, will connect local governments with both active job seekers and passive talent with relevant skill sets for local government. “The Local Government Virtual Careers Fair benefits councils by connecting them with a large pool of relevant and quality talent, which they may not have been able to readily tap into by existing means,” said Tom Kende, National Digital Sales Manager at LG Jobs. This online event, which runs in the format of a virtual conference and exhibition, provides councils with the opportunity to promote themselves to job seekers as part of the exhibition. At the same time, job seekers have the ability to find out more about local government careers in general and connect with participating councils from across Australia. More than 6,000 people have already registered to be a part of this ground-breaking online event, which is free for job seekers to attend. Registrants consist of experienced talent already working in local government or currently in the private sector as well as graduates. They represent professions as diverse as engineering, environmental services, administration and customer service, health and safety, planning and surveying and information technology. “The Virtual Careers Fair provides a platform to attract passive talent to local government in a way that exceeds the immediate
reach of job boards,” Mr Kende said. “It also provides a powerful point of difference with traditional conferences, as delegates can visit the Fair both during periods of live content and visit the booths outside of these times as well.” A key feature of the Virtual Careers Fair is the exhibition hall, where local governments from across Australia, regardless of their geographic location, have the opportunity to enhance their brand in order to attract talent to their council. By exhibiting, a council has the opportunity to interact with attendees through live chat, and can also post information about their council within a virtual exhibition booth. “Exhibiting councils have a great opportunity to highlight their achievements, including awards and innovative and interesting projects that are being undertaken at the council,” Mr Kende said. “This kind of information is of real interest to potential candidates and is an ideal way to draw attention to job opportunities at council whether for today or in the future.” Delegates attending the Careers Fair gain the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of local government by viewing a range of tailored, on-demand content about the sector across a wide spectrum of core topics. Themes addressed include an introduction to local government; exploration of the career possibilities in local government (including tips to gain a role); specific focus on certain skilled individuals within local government; and spotlight on certain councils and their achievements. In addition, delegates have the opportunity to create their own virtual business card, which they can choose to provide to participating councils at their booths and receive relevant job notifications when a position becomes available in their area of expertise. View the Local Government Virtual Careers Fair, from 7 April 2014 at www.virtualcareersfair.com.au
For further information about the Local Government Virtual Careers Fair, please contact Tom Kende, P: (03) 8534 5048; E: tom.kende@commstrat.com.au Autumn 2014 Council Manager | 13
CEO PROFILE
Charting a fresh course for King Island’s future By Ben Hutchison The CEO of King Island Council, Mark Goode, is assisting the Bass Strait community to seek out new opportunities to enhance the island’s economy and quality of life.
As CEO of King Island Council, Mark Goode is not just responsible for his 35 council staff – he has a key role in the forging of a positive future for the island’s community. A 64 km long by 27 km wide stretch of land anchored in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania, picturesque King Island has just over 1500 residents and – like most island communities – a culture of resilience and self-reliance. The council has for a long time been seeking ways to uplift the island’s economy since the closure of the island’s scheelite mine in 1990 led to the halving of the island’s population.
Mark Goode
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“When I was recruited (in 2010)…the overt question for the candidates was ‘how will you make the island as it was’,” Mr Goode said. “What I did know was that everything changes. So it seemed to me that we would never be what we were. So my approach was to absolutely look at it like ‘King Island Inc’ - to look at the whole business, not just council business. So when I got here I looked at what were some unexploited areas of the island’s economy.” This research led to a rather innovative answer: golf. The potential for international-grade golf courses to be constructed on the island – with the community to benefit from the resultant tourism and other economic spin-offs – is now being avidly pursued. “We started making phone calls and inviting people over, and probably in six months we had the second-largest golf course maker in Australia so excited by the island that he bought some land, and within 12 months he had planning approval and here we are two years later and (the golf course) is three-quarters constructed,” Mr Goode said. This activity also led to another golf course developer deciding to proceed with a project on the island, resulting in two major golf courses now under construction. At present, annual tourist numbers to King Island amount to about 5000 – deemed to be quite small. “If the golf courses go ahead, they will probably increase tourism by up to 1000% all new money,” Mr Goode said. “And of course there will be a lot of secondary and tertiary industry tacked on to that.” The forecast tourism growth is big enough that the council is currently undertaking a
major financial investment to double the size of the island’s airport terminal. “We’re actually going to spend $1.5 million on it, which is equivalent to a year’s rates,” Mr Goode said. “We actually see it as kind of a turning point. If the golf courses hit their targets, then the two golf courses will be bigger than the beef or the dairy industry on the island.” International promotion of the golf courses is also seen as a chance to refresh the island’s “brand” – which will benefit other industries on the island. An exporter of quality foods such as cheese, beef and crayfish, King Island’s food products are expected to receive a boost as a result of greater public awareness of King Island due to extensive promotion of its golf courses.
Isolation breeds ingenuity Though it has a workforce far smaller than most mainland councils, King Island Council has a diverse range of employees that must carry out the full range of normal municipal services. The council provides conventional local government infrastructure and community services, but also takes on many non-statutory roles in order to assist its local community. These include supporting local organisations such as the island’s historical society, community house and culture centre – which otherwise may not be able to survive without council assistance. According to Mr Goode, being an island council means its staff “have to be able to do everything”. “A lot of councils, for example, would outsource a lot of their infrastructure (maintenance), so they wouldn’t do their own
“A lot of councils, for example, would outsource a lot of their infrastructure (maintenance), so they wouldn’t do their own road making or their own quarries or their own waste - we do all of that,” road making or their own quarries or their own waste - we do all of that,” he said. “So in our tiny little team of 35, we’ve got people who are competent in water and sewerage, running quarries, biological treatment systems, running hot and cold road making - we are actually quite diversely skilled. “What I think is a little different in this council compared to your conventional large councils is that you don’t actually have ready access to expertise or experience, or even equipment. If it’s not on the island it’s a lot more time and a lot more cost to bring it in. And we don’t have a lot of spare money.” The council seeks to maintain the quality of life on the island without
raising rates – and as a result its rates are quite cheap compared to many other municipalities. “There’s so few people that rating is not the answer – basically, we would be taking it from people on the one hand just to give it back to them on the other,” Mr Goode said. “We do reasonably well considering our size - we try not to rely too much on rates or grants.” King Island Council’s annual budget is usually about $5 million in total, including about $1.5 million in rate revenue. In recent times the council has been generating significant efficiencies in capital works operations, which have led to the delivery of infrastructure projects much more quickly and at lower cost than was previously expected. “In the last year we had the largest capital works program in the council’s history without increasing rates or borrowings,” Mr Goode said. “We reduced the cost of production in quarries by about 80% and reduced the cost of road construction and bridge construction in some cases by 50%, and we pulled together one big program and built five bridges.” Much of the savings were as a result of the council deciding to undertake capital works
projects themselves in order to pin down the true construction cost. “I had a bit of a look at it, and it was my view that we were paying eight or 10 times too much for bridges compared to the mainland. It seemed to me we didn’t actually know what things cost,” Mr Goode said. “I talked to the bridge builders and they said ‘no, it can’t possibly be done cheaper’ and they said ‘you don’t understand’ - which is always not a good thing to say to me! “So I decided we’d build a couple of bridges ourselves to get a feel for it and we did it for about a tenth of the cost. After that we went out to tender for five (bridges) and we found that we had the price down to about half.” Despite the challenges of life as an isolated island community, Mr Goode said King Island benefitted from a culture of positivity and self-reliance and was indeed a great place to live. “And if you like crayfish, abalone and beaches wherever you look it’s the perfect place”!
For more information about King Island Council visit www.kingisland.tas.gov.au.
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