Council Magazine Autumn 2022

New beginnings: councils bouncing back post-pandemic

Ground-cooling trial to beat urban heat

A park changing the way

we think about water

Need a simple security system that manages your entire operation?

TecomC4 - a simple open platform that gives you the flexibility to manage your entire operation from a single interface.

✓ Easy venue booking for users

✓ Visitor management and tracking

✓ Control remote sites

✓ An intuitive graphical user interface, using floor plans

✓ Centralised management and reporting system

To find out more on the TecomC4 security solution, speak with your trusted electronic security provider.

Welcome to Council’s second issue, and the first issue I have worked on as the new Editor.

I am excited to be stepping into the role after working on our inaugural issue, reporting for our digital news coverage and working as Assistant Editor to Council’s sister publication; Utility magazine.

I have lived in a diverse range of communities, from rural Tasmanian farmlands, to the inner city of Melbourne, and have always had a passion for community and the councils that work tirelessly behind the scenes to create it. I think we all deserve to live with a supportive sense of community, and to be raised up by fellow community members in times of crisis, and celebration.

The last few years have been hard for local governments Australia-wide, and 2022 has been no exception. Already we have seen councils in New South Wales and Queensland battle catastrophic floods, with communities rallying for each other in the immediate aftermath and the beginning of the treacherous clean-up.

Council magazine aims to highlight the great work local councils are doing Australia-wide, and the response in the wake of the floods has been no exception.

We have already seen a big change in local communities in 2022, as we learn to “live with the virus”, and the pandemic settles into our daily lives. For councils this doesn’t just mean ensuring the health, wellbeing and safety of communities, but also focusing on boosting the economy after numerous lockdowns.

In this issue we delve into local government’s economic push-back from the pandemic, and how each state is doing this in different and innovative ways. We also discover how councils are championing sustainability and circular economies, as seen in the waste cycle campaign from the City of Ballarat.

Another hot topic is stormwater and green infrastructure, with our feature from Georges River Council highlighting how local governments are rethinking water and sustainability, and how we can capture more of the world’s most precious resource.

In this issue we also cover Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council launching its long-term Community Safety Plan, aiming to reach their vision of an inclusive, safe and connected community.

I hope you enjoy this issue and have had a safe start to 2022. I can’t wait to delve into Council further and deliver the latest news and sector developments. April Shepherd Editor

WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT

A PARK CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT WATER

An award-winning environmental restoration improvement project in Georges River has changed our perspective of stormwater to a resource rather than a problem. By creating a beautiful, natural landscape and supporting wetlands as a filter, the project has reduced water pollution and developed sustainable water use practices.

CITY OF BALLARAT’S CIRCULAR ECONOMY TO TURN FULL CIRCLE

The City of Ballarat is calling for its local waste system to turn full circle, launching a suite of projects that will foster a new precinct of resource exchange, reuse, and local business profitability.

ROADS AND TRANSPORT

Transport is a critical lifeline for many of us, but despite the benefits, the way we travel and the fuel we use is having a major impact on the environment, our well-being, and our health. As the global automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles (EV), local government is ideally placed to benefit while smoothing the transition – and that is good news for all of us. This is why it is not Elon Musk holding the keys to the EV revolution in Australia; instead it is our country’s 537 local governments.

GROUND-COOLING

With initiatives such as Sydney’s $43.5 million George Street transformation project underway, councils are seeking ways to make cities safer and more welcoming in the face of the pandemic. But as we expand pedestrian spaces and increase outdoor dining, it's vital to understand the way city streets are currently being used. An RMIT study outlined how streets are being used to cater for different modes of transport in Melbourne, and how they could be adapted for more equitable use.

THE ROLE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

NORTHERN BEACHES COUNCIL ARTICULATES LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY

The Northern Beaches Council last year launched its Community Safety Plan (2021-2026) – a five-year strategy to help the community realise a collective vision of a safe, inclusive, and connected community in the Northern Beaches region. The strategy is critically grounded by 18 months of consultation with residents and stakeholders, with key outputs including ten priority areas for action on community safety, supported by the latest demography and crime data. Here we break down the significance of the Plan as a model for other local governments to adopt in their own community safety efforts.

UNCOVERING

Sustainable Cities, held in November 2021, was hosted by Council magazine, and it was the latest event to be held under the highly successful Smart Cities banner. This virtual event consisted of two free-to-attend virtual conferences, exploring the ways that Australia’s local government sector is bringing sustainable principles into the way their cities, towns and communities operate.

MAKING

KICK-STARTING OUR CITIES’ ECONOMIES POST-PANDEMIC

Art can improve our mental health and emotional wellbeing — and now, city councils are turning to the sector to stimulate economic growth, following a pandemic-induced economic downturn. Here, we look at the arts, culture, business and infrastructure initiatives that are restoring the vibrancy of Australia’s major cities.

CARING FOR COUNTRY: REJUVENATING THE LAND WITH CULTURAL BURNING

In November 2019, as parts of the nation were battling the first blazes in what developed into one of Australia’s worst fire seasons, the City of Adelaide’s Horticulture Team, project managers and members of the Kaurna community met in the heart of the city with traditional fire practitioner, Victor Steffensen. A descendant of the Tagalaka people in Northern Queensland, Victor has

A WORD FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

TLOCAL GOVERNMENT: SECURING A SEAT AT THE FEDERAL TABLE

by Linda Scott, President of the Australian Local Government Association

he past two years have been incredibly difficult for many Australians.

The Black Summer bushfires, COVID-19 pandemic and now flooding in South East Queensland and New South Wales have had devastating impacts on our communities.

They have exposed cracks in Australia’s foundations and raised questions about social inequality, poverty and housing affordability.

At the same time, these calamities have taught us what we can achieve when we work together.

Through it all, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has championed locally led solutions to build a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable Australia.

With the 2022-23 Federal Budget just weeks away, and a federal election fast approaching, councils are highlighting all that we’ve achieved over two difficult years, and how with more federal support, we can create more jobs and deliver more projects that will benefit all Australians.

ALGA’s national plan, “Don’t Leave Local Communities Behind”, will ensure every council and community has the opportunity to participate in our nation’s postpandemic recovery.

In the lead up to the federal election, our united message to every single candidate and key decision-maker is clear: Australia’s local governments are ready to work with you to drive a locally led recovery, to ensure no community is left behind.

Together, local governments are advocating for whoever forms the next Federal Government to commit to supporting:

∞ An initial injection of Financial Assistance Grants worth $1.3 billion to drive national economic recovery

∞ A phased increase in the total value of this untied funding to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue

∞ A four-year extension of the Government’s highly successful Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program

∞ An increase in Roads to Recovery and Black Spot funding, and new funding to address road transport bottlenecks

∞ Support to reduce local emissions and better prepare for emergency events

If funded, our priorities would create nearly 43,500 new jobs and add $6.46 billion to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product.

They would enable our councils to invest more in resilience and mitigation measures so communities in Queensland, New South Wales and elsewhere need not live in fear of the next “rain bomb” or extreme weather event.

Properly supported, our councils could minimise the impacts of climate change in local communities and accelerate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.

They could accelerate Australia’s transition to a circular economy and further unlock the economic potential of our local communities.

We have a long history of working with State, Territory and Federal Governments to build better communities – and we have the capacity to grow those partnerships even further.

Australians want greater Federal, State and Local Government engagement and cooperation to ensure our post-COVID recovery is effective and long-lasting.

To that end, we’re advocating for ALGA to have a seat in National Cabinet so the views and aspirations of our local communities are heard and considered when decisions affecting their day-to-day lives are made in Canberra.

Working together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable Australia on the other side of COVID-19 and ensure that no community is left behind.

Cr Linda Scott is President of the Australian Local Government Association, the national voice of local government, representing 537 councils across the country.

Bespoke Culvert Relining Delivers Engineered Solution for Major Infrastructure Project

Summary

Mainmark’s Toowoomba Bypass project has received a Good Design Award for its role in upgrading and repairing the $1.6 billion Toowoomba Bypass, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Queensland history. Good Design Australia awarded Mainmark with the prestigious accolade in the Engineering Design category in recognition of outstanding design and innovation.

Mainmark designed a bespoke engineered solution to help reline, repair and future-proof seven concrete drainage culverts that were vital to Toowoomba Bypass’ 41km long dual carriageway and ring road. The bypass was designed to improve freight connections to major ports and markets and reduce the number of trucks on Toowoomba’s local roads, however, the damaged culverts threatened the structural integrity of the bypass.

The Good Design Awards Jury said “Mainmark’s solution was a wonderful example of optimising on a range of parameters within constraints”.

Mainmark’s proprietary product Terefil®, a lightweight cementitious grout consisting of cement slurry and pre-formed hydrocarbon foam, was a key component of the solution to remediate the compromised culverts underneath the bypass, restoring their structural integrity and ensuring suitable drainage. Mainmark tailored the Terefil solution to suit the specific site constraints and allow the entire project to remain on schedule and within budget.

Good Design Australia CEO, Dr Brandon Gien said receiving an Australian Good Design Award is testament to embedding design excellence at the heart of a product, service, place, or experience.

Objectives

A solution was required that would restore structural integrity to the compromised reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) culverts beneath the road with minimal impact on construction timelines.

With access to the interior of the RCP culverts limited by their size and location, the solution needed to allow for effective and efficient delivery, while also protecting the health and safety of all project operations personnel and subcontractors working in the area.

Solution

Mainmark developed an engineered solution using a multi-faceted approach to relining the RCP culverts which involved the insertion of site based custom-manufactured corrugated metal pipes (CMPs) inside the damaged RCP concrete culverts and then filling the void (or annulus) between the CMP and the original RCP concrete culverts with Terefil. The CMP solution that was adopted was designed and developed by Roundel.

Mainmark’s Terefil is a highly specialised lightweight cementitious void fill solution for geotechnical applications. The proprietary, versatile solution was pumped from a single injection point, quickly and easily flowing to fill the annulus between the CMP and culverts. A custom grout mix was developed to comply with specific project requirements determined by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR).

The 12m lengths of CMP were connected through custom abutment-joining metal bands, created to be rigid enough to maintain the seal between each adjoining section, and flexible enough to yield if any float occurred during the Terefil injection. Mainmark also developed a landing skid, reel, and winching system to install the custom CMP inside the concrete culverts, providing reinforcement and stability to the compromised reinforced concrete pipes prior to application of the Terefil solution.

The engineered solution using Roundel’s CMP and Mainmark’s specially formulated Terefil mix successfully delivered the required project outcomes.

The Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, Health and Safety Manager, Leigh Mehmet acknowledged Mainmark’s standard of work and safe approach throughout the project: “The works undertaken by Mainmark for culvert relining have been excellent, and they are a contractor who is setting the standard and leading the way for safety”.

COUNCILS RALLY AMID EAST COAST FLOODS CRISIS

South East Queensland (SEQ) and regions across New South Wales continue to face the mammoth clean up and rebuild associated with the major flood events of late February and March.

The record-breaking flooding began in SEQ, with the wild weather then moving to Northern New South Wales and down the East Coast, with the town of Lismore suffering through the region’s worst flooding in recorded history.

Many councils across Queensland and New South Wales activated Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) assistance, in response to the unfolding events.

The flood events saw mass road closures across both states, evacuation orders, bridges washed away and tragically the loss of many lives as flood waters swiftly took hold in local communities.

Over 40 evacuation centres were set up across both states, as many residents were forced to flee their homes by boat, jetski, and even by helicopter rescue in a number of instances.

Both states were also impacted by overflowing dam waters, with the Wivenhoe Dam in Queensland and the Warrangamba and Manly dams in New South Wales both overflowing and requiring tactical dam releases to cope with the massive influx of rainwater in a concentrated period of time.

Water utilities had the challenge of needing to ensure the safety of drinking water, which faced the threat of contamination from the massive rainfalls.

Coastal councils also had to deal with extreme surf conditions, resulting in high tides and storm surges which exposed beaches to severe inundation and erosion.

As the clean up began, councils such as Tweed Council in New South Wales, moved quickly to seek data from local

businesses and residents on the impacts of the floods, in order to advocate for additional state and federal funding to support the clean up and rebuild efforts getting underway.

By March 9, Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared the floods disaster a national emergency, in an effort to ensure all emergency powers would be available to affected communities and to minimise red tape in delivering services and support on the ground.

The National Recovery and Resilience Agency (NRRA) and Emergency Management Australia assessed the flood extent area, the proportion of the populations affected, the latest residential impact assessments and the proportion of the population seeking assistance for Disaster Recovery Payments, to declare the Richmond Valley, Lismore and Clarence Valley LGAs are the highest impacted areas and in need of additional support.

“The sheer scale and impact to these areas in northern NSW highlights the need for extra support right now,” Mr Morrison said.

“Resilience NSW and Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon and the Queensland Government and Major General Jake Ellwood will work alongside the Federal NRRA to identify the priorities for the longer-term recovery under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

“We’ll work closely with the NSW and Queensland Governments to deliver further funding. It’s crises like this that the Emergency Response Fund was established to help support and it will help as part of the initiatives we deliver so communities across NSW and Queensland get back on their feet.”

RECORD $1.8 BILLION

DEVELOPMENT APPROVED BY CITY OF NEWCASTLE

The City of Newcastle has recorded a significant increase in development applications, with a record $1.8 billion of development approved over the past 12 months.

The City recorded a 20 per cent increase in the number of development applications (DAs) lodged during 2021, in addition to state significant projects. The development is set to generate approximately 3,500 direct jobs and buoy the local economy.

The value of lodged DAs increased by 89 per cent, highlighting the significant nature of development unfolding in the city, including The Store redevelopment ($118 million), former Dairy Farmer’s site ($100 million), and a 133-lot industrial subdivision at Black Hill ($33 million).

City of Newcastle Manager Regulatory, Planning and Assessment, Michelle

Bisson, said low interest rates and a booming property market were helping to drive development in the city.

“Newcastle is surging ahead when it comes to injecting cash into bricks and mortar, despite the pandemic, reflecting high levels of optimism amongst homeowners, investors and developers,” Ms Bisson said.

“The highest value DAs are predominantly in Newcastle West, Adamstown, Beresfield, and Merewether but we’ve also seen a surge in residential development in the suburbs such as Wallsend, Fletcher and New Lambton for residential alterations, additions and single dwellings.

“The construction associated with this level of development generates approximately 3,500 direct jobs and buoys Newcastle’s economy, which is a positive as we come up against the

ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and look to the future.”

Newcastle recently announced a design competition for the $100 million redevelopment of the former ‘Spotlight and Anaconda’ site at 711 Hunter Street, in the city’s revitalised West-end, meaning the pipeline of significant future development applications expected in 2022 is strong.

“Newcastle is transforming into a modern metropolitan city with significant large redevelopments in the pipeline, showing developer confidence in our city is at an all-time high,” Ms Bisson said.

“Ongoing revitalisation and development is continuing to transform Newcastle, and 2022 is set to be another exciting and busy year for our city.”

NSW CITY COUNCILS SECURE COVETED RENEWABLE ENERGY CONTRACT

Six New South Wales city councils have grouped together to acquire a competitive renewable energy contract spanning ten years.

Lake Macquarie, Central Coast Council, Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council, Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council have combined to secure a long-term electricity agreement with Mojo Power, backed by new renewable electricity generation projects in regional New South Wales and the Hunter Region.

Lake Macquarie City Council, which is moving to one hundred per cent renewable energy by 2025 for its

large sites and street lights, facilitated and participated in the innovative joint regional procurement process, harnessing the combined buying power and electricity load of all six councils to secure a competitive ten-year contract.

Council’s Director Built and Natural Assets, David Hughes, said the collaborative approach would result in a greener, more sustainable and diversified source of power for Council’s large sites and street lights.

“This investment fits with Council’s strategy of investing in clean, renewable sources of energy and reducing impacts on the local environment,” Mr Hughes said.

“Working with neighbouring councils enhanced our buying power but, importantly, also signalled a shared commitment by LGAs across our two regions to reduce our carbon footprint and promote the benefits of renewable energy.”

Many of Lake Macquarie’s major sites will source power from the new contract, including the Museum of Art and Culture, libraries, holiday parks, swim centres, the administration building and street lights.

Lake Macquarie City Council will transition to one hundred per cent renewable energy for these sites by 2025 as projects come online.

QLD COUNCIL DEVELOPING SPORTS COMPLEX AHEAD OF 2032 OLYMPICS

Griffin Council has begun design work for Stage 2 of the Griffin Sports Complex project, as part of preparations for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.

It comes as construction of the $13.85 million Stage 1 rugby league precinct has passed the halfway mark, with an expected completion date of mid-2022.

Griffin Mayor, Peter Flannery, said Stage 2 will include multi-purpose sporting fields, netball and tennis courts and a district level park and playground.

“The Olympics and Paralympics may be ten years away but we’re already well on our way with preparations to turn Moreton Bay into a sporting powerhouse of Queensland,” Mayor Flannery said.

“I want young aspiring kids of Moreton Bay to believe that they can represent

electric

Australia at Brisbane 2032 and to have multiple elite sports facilities for them to just have fun and grow.

“Families in Griffin and surrounding suburbs will soon have one of the best and most modern multi-sport precincts in South East Queensland right on their doorstep thanks to Council.

“The Griffin Sports Complex will be a regional facility that will be fit to host national and state level competition for multiple sports and hopefully become a breeding ground for future sports stars.

“It gives families a great place to relax, unwind and keep healthy as our population continues to grow.”

Mayor Flannery said it is just one of many significant sporting projects happening across the region, with work beginning next year on the $22 million football centre of excellence,

and a new state-of-the-art $5.4 million BMX racetrack.

“We’ve already secured a 7,000-seat indoor stadium to host the boxing in 2032 at what will be our new Olympic Park precinct at The Mill at Moreton Bay,” Mayor Flannery said.

“This will not only be a great venue for the Olympics and Paralympics, but it will have lasting legacy benefits for the community for decades after the games.

“It comes on the back of our record $743 million budget and $245 million capital works program to boost our economy and build important infrastructure for locals like sports facilities.

“But this is only the beginning of our Olympics journey and I can’t wait to show off Moreton Bay to the world when they visit in 2032.”

VIC COUNCIL APPROVES $20 MILLION IN MAJOR WORKS

Mildura Rural City Councillors have approved tenders for two major projects in the region, with around $20 million in works to be underway at both sites – all undertaken by local contractors.

Mildura-based construction company King Construction Group was awarded the tender to build Stage 2 of the Mildura Sporting Precinct (MSP), along with the construction of outdoor netball and lighting.

It followed a decision by Councillors to award the Powerhouse Precinct tender to Indigenous construction company Rork Projects.

Mildura Rural City Mayor, Liam Wood, said endorsement of both tenders paved the way for exciting progress on two major projects which have been eagerly anticipated by the community.

“The Powerhouse Precinct and the second stage of the Mildura Sporting Precinct are two of our highest profile projects, and for good reason, as they promise to deliver so many benefits to our community,” Mayor Wood said.

“The Powerhouse Precinct is the next exciting stage of the transformative riverfront development that has attracted tens of thousands of visitors to our region each year, promising to further increase our region’s attraction for visitors and the economic benefits that will flow from that.

“Importantly, it will also further activate our riverfront for the most important people in our region – our local community.

“The Mildura Sporting Precinct meanwhile is already delivering on its potential, attracting major events, increasing growth in indoor sports and providing more opportunities for our community to get active.

“The second stage of the precinct will build on this success, by opening the way for even more sports, including squash and outdoor netball, as well as a new multi-use oval under lights.”

Councillor for Infrastructure and Assets, Glenn Milne, said endorsement of both tenders would provide a major boost for the region throughout the construction phase.

Servicing the Water Industry and proving Pump Solutions

“In terms of the Mildura Sporting Precinct, King Construction Group is a wholly owned and operated local business, with a track record of working with local trades that boost our local economy,” Cr Milne said.

“Stage one saw over 60 per cent of trade hours undertaken by local contractors, so there will be hundreds, if not thousands of hours of employment required to complete the second stage of the precinct, which will go to local trades, and be spent in our local area.

“I’d also like to congratulate Rork Projects on their successful tender for the Powerhouse Precinct.

“Rork Projects have demonstrated a commitment to sourcing local contractors, which again means more jobs and more money injected into our local economy throughout construction of the precinct. Rork Projects have also committed to employing two local Indigenous workers during the project.”

Rork Projects Victorian General Manager, Steven Raymond, said, “The Powerhouse redevelopment is a project of importance to our Victorian team. It will allow us to connect with the community, provide job opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people throughout the region and deliver a legacy for the Mildura Rural City Council.”

NSW COUNCIL VOICES CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE $433M FUNDING GAP

The City of Parramatta has expressed concern it could be left with a funding gap of up to $433 million for CBD community infrastructure, unless changes are made to the proposed state-wide development contributions scheme.

Despite assurances from the New South Wales Government, City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Donna Davis, said Council is likely to be worse off under the proposed New South Wales development contributions scheme unless significant changes are made.

“Greater Sydney’s success depends on Parramatta’s ability to fund and build the infrastructure our fast-growing community needs over the coming decades,” Mayor Davis said.

“Our contributions plan is necessary to support the growth in jobs and housing being delivered in the CBD.”

Council’s CBD Contributions Plan, which was endorsed in 2021, estimates the City of Parramatta will collect $642 million from developers over the next 40 years to pay for community infrastructure in the CBD, compared to just $209 million under the New South Wales Government’s proposed rates.

“It’s not possible for the City of Parramatta to deliver these much-needed jobs and housing in the CBD without a corresponding and integrated contributions plan to sufficiently fund local infrastructure,” Mayor Davis said.

“Council has spent many years working with the New South Wales Government, residents, landowners and developers to create a new planning scheme and contributions plan, to ensure we have the money we need to build the bridges and boardwalks, community hubs, recreational facilities and other essential infrastructure for our residents.”

Cr Davis said developers have long been aware of the plan and the market had already priced in the new rates. Council has been collecting contributions equivalent to the rates outlined in its own CBD contributions plan since 2017.

In addition, the New South Wales Government has also flagged potential future changes to section 7.11 contributions – which are charged when there is a demonstrated link between a development and the infrastructure to be funded.

If pursued, this could reduce money collected from developments outside the CBD by an estimated $193 million, limiting what kind of infrastructure can be delivered in suburban areas.

“It would mean that ratepayers will be left to foot the bill for community facilities and improvements to public domains and town centres, which are vital to support a growing number of workers and visitors to precincts outside our CBD,” Mayor Davis said.

Mayor Davis is calling on the New South Wales Government to include Council’s contributions plan in the new regulations and not make any changes to section 7.11 levies.

“Any reduction to contribution rates, as has been proposed by the New South Wales Government, creates significant risk of market uncertainty, handing value back to developers and short-changing our growing community when it comes to necessary local infrastructure,” Mayor Davis said.

“Developer contributions are key to funding the necessary facilities and services our people need and I look forward to further discussing our proposal with the New South Wales Government.”

The Trusted Choice For Customers

Worldwide:

•

•

Consistent high per formance

Suitable for the harshest environments and over the most challenging terrains

•

•

Ex tensive R&D

Ongoing technical suppor t

BIG BATTERY PROJECT APPROVED FOR MORNINGTON PENINSULA

Maoneng has received development approval for its proposed battery energy storage system (BESS), to be built on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

The standalone 240MWp/480MWh BESS facility will be located adjacent to AusNet’s existing Tyabb substation.

It will draw and store energy from the grid during off-peak periods and dispatch energy to the grid during peak periods, generating power for the equivalent of 40,000 average Australian homes.

The BESS will support the Victorian Government’s objective of improving the reliability of regional electricity in an area that is particularly exposed to fluctuations in demand, primarily as a result of seasonal tourism.

The $190 million project is scheduled for completion in mid-2023, and is expected to generate up to 160 fulltime-equivalent jobs during its 12 month

construction phase, which will support local businesses and the economy.

Maoneng Co-founder and CEO, Morris Zhou, said the approval demonstrated the project’s value in supporting the network, the surrounding neighbours and the environment.

“The Mornington BESS will be a vital piece of local infrastructure that will benefit the local economy in several ways,” Mr Zhou said.

“It will help stabilise the network and manage periods of peak demand when local companies and households really need reliable electricity.

“There are also commercial opportunities during construction, and more work on the supply chain will begin soon as our contractor comes on board and begins the process of hiring individuals, companies and equipment suppliers as the project gets up to speed.”

CULVERTS: THE SECRET OF ROAD AND RAIL QUALITY AND SAFETY

LIES BENEATH THE SURFACE

Culverts play a major role in Australian roads and transport, and can be described as the hidden hero of the infrastructure sector. They are responsible for managing underground sewage and rainwater, allowing water, flora and fauna to flow freely under road and rail corridors. With such a vital contribution to our communities, road infrastructure and travel capability, it is important for authorities to adequately maintain these assets correctly.

Culvert design is based on factors like the weight of the surrounding soil and roads, foundation soil types and the expected water properties and their flow rates. They need to be constructed with a suitable ‘hydraulic capacity’, capable of handling flood water with annual exceedance probability (AEP) up to two per cent, or an average recurrence interval (ARI) up to 50 or 100 years.

Culverts’ hydraulic capacities are typically designed to protect against ‘1 in 100 year’ events, which are significant flood events that have a one per cent chance of occurring in any given year. Unfortunately, substantial flood events often occur more frequently, making hydraulic capacities inadequate and putting undue stress on undersized culverts. As a result, many culverts are prone to damage, which has considerable ramifications for roads and rail corridors.

The conventional approach to repairing, reinforcing and relining culverts is to add a layer of new cement-based material over any damage to minimise deterioration. However, added layers of cement-based materials decrease the culvert’s cavity, which reduces flow rate and overall water capacity. Culverts with lower hydraulic capacity are less effective during flood events, leading councils to face the costly task of replacing the existing infrastructure. Such works can be lengthy and impact traffic flow, the local environment and ultimately the surrounding community.

It is why ground engineering experts like Mainmark recommend more proactive culvert damage mitigation. Culverts should not be forgotten underneath our roads and rail infrastructure; they should be inspected regularly to ensure all blockages are removed and checked for corrosion, settlement, joint or compression failures, water ingress and fire damage. Any potential hazards affecting a culvert’s structural integrity should be acted upon immediately.

Traditional cement-based materials and culvert re-sleeving still hold merit as repair solutions, but there are now additional solutions available that are more effective than these conventional methods. Mainmark’s vinyl ester structural coatings, for example, are a relining solution that can replace the strength of the concrete without the added thickness of conventional materials. With only a thin 12 to 15 millimetres of application required, this type of lining minimises the loss of hydraulic capacity.

By utilising these modern solutions, culverts can continue performing their vital role of managing water flow and keeping communities safe, without the considerable cost of replacement. With a faster and less disruptive approach, downtime is reduced and higher performance flow rates can be achieved, extending the lifespan of the culvert.

About Mainmark

Mainmark provides a range of specialist ground engineering and asset preservation solutions for residential, commercial, industrial, civil infrastructure and mining sectors. Committed to excellence, Mainmark’s state-of-the-art solutions are backed by more than 25 years of engineering expertise. Mainmark has 15 sites across Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the UK. Mainmark products and services include solutions for ground stabilisation, void filling, stopping water ingress, raising and levelling on-ground and in-ground structures, fixing anchors into rock faces and embankments, and other related ground engineering processes. For more information head to www.mainmark.com

A park

CHANGING THE WAY we think about water

by Lulu Shen, Communications Officer, Georges River Council

An award-winning environmental restoration improvement project in Georges River has changed our perspective of stormwater, to a resource rather than a problem. By creating a beautiful, natural landscape and supporting wetlands as a filter, the project has reduced water pollution and developed sustainable water use practices.

In the fast rate of global urbanisation, stormwater and green infrastructure are now a significant focus to provide sustainable solutions to the problems that major cities face. Building intelligent and efficient ways to utilise water, as well as constructing and preserving wetlands can bring us great environmental and economic benefits.

Professor Tim Fletcher from Melbourne University said during an interview with ABC, “In a natural environment, around 80 per cent of rainfall is evaporated into the atmosphere and digested by vegetation; but in an urban setting, 90 per cent of the rainfall runs straight into the drainage system.”1

An award-winning environment improvement project in Georges River has changed our perspective of

stormwater, to a resource rather than a problem, by creating a natural landscape with wetlands as a filter, to reduce water pollution and encourage sustainable water use practices.

Gannons Park, which reaches down to Lime Kiln Bay of the Georges River in Sydney’s south and comprises the eastern boundary of the suburb of Lugarno, has an inspirational history of restoration work.

An historical document from Pocket Guide to Sydney recorded that, “in the early 1900s, the land was the depot for Peakhurst Heights, where they buried the nightsoil, before the area was connected to sewerage system”.2

It was then gradually developed into a scenic 35ha patch of green from 1964, with eight sports fields and a combination of remnant bushland and open parkland.

In 2020, Georges River Council committed close to $12 million (including funding secured from the Federal Government and the New South Wales Government) for the Gannons Park Water Quality Improvement and Stormwater Harvesting Scheme.

The large-scale landscape and stormwater treatment project focused on on-site stormwater harvesting, reinstating a section of Boggywell Creek including natural waterway features such as swales, wetlands, ponds and bioretention systems.

The project has since won the Award for Excellence in Integrated Stormwater Design at the Stormwater NSW 2021 Awards with Stormwater NSW noting that, “the site demonstrates a very good example of how this style of design can enhance a community’s resource – an excellent work in integrated stormwater management.”

WHAT DOES THE PROJECT AIM TO ACHIEVE?

The Gannons Park Water Quality Improvement and Stormwater Harvesting Scheme aims to use landscape architecture and engineering infrastructure to support both the improvement of stormwater quality and the management of this water as a valuable resource, by the below methods, according to a Hurstville Council report:

∞ Substituting potable water with non-potable recycled stormwater for irrigation of sports fields

∞ Reducing pollutants discharging into the Georges River by providing stormwater quality treatment

∞ Enhancing biodiversity and aesthetics through the creation of a water body wetland

∞ Reinstating a former water course through the park via the introduction of swales along the length of the park to the foreshore of the Georges River

The report also states that “the project saw the introduction of vegetated walkways, boardwalks and bridges spanning over the ponds and wetlands and extensions to the shared cycleway and walking path.

“These enhancements linked and reactivated the lower, lesser-used areas of Gannons Park, thereby creating a new identity for this important regional park.”

The project enabled on-site stormwater collection, diversion

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myORsvEUEkw

2. https://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/lugarno.html

and treatments, reused from the underground culverts to the surface, and created swales, wetlands, ponds and bioretention systems.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE DESIGN?

WATER EFFICIENCY

The project will see the reduction in potable water usage, through the harvesting and treatment of catchment stormwater.

26 million litres of water is anticipated to be harvested each year to replace potable water use in this one public park alone.

Through the integration of the stormwater treatment system and naturalisation work, Council has improved the biodiversity and opportunities for passive recreation on site.

The constructed ponds store the water for reuse on-site along with reestablishing aquatic and riparian habitats in their historic location.

WATER QUALITY

Georges River is a regionally significant and highly valued waterway in the Sydney Metropolitan area. More than 16,000kg of polluting chemical debris is anticipated to be removed annually by stormwater wetlands, leaving the precious waterways of the nearby Georges River cleaner.

ECOSYSTEM HEALTH

This water quality improvement work has resulted in enhancement of aquatic and terrestrial environmental habitats within Gannons Park.

Over time, there will be an increase in biodiversity and habitat complexity through the natural features used to treat the stormwater and subsequent naturalisation works.

There will also be predicted longterm and broader benefits than those directly on site, including: introduction of more than 41,000 new native plants to enhance the biodiversity and habitat value of the park; the reduction in heat island effect, improved air quality and improvement of excess stormwater entering the Georges River.

FLOODING AND DRAINAGE CONTROL

The design includes a series of wetlands, swales and bioretention features which treat the water as it flows through the system.

These key features slow stormwater streams and allow drainage of overland flow. The new system, which replaced an underground culvert, assists with the prevention of upstream back up due to the limiting capacity of underground culverts.

3. https://www.ipwea.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=616c46d2-131a-44b3-845f-7762463d996c

PLACEMAKING/AMENITY

The construction of dynamic open spaces is a key hallmark of livability in urban areas. Georges River Council recognised the value of Gannons Park as a significant recreational and green space within the increasingly urbanised setting.

The project improved Council’s ability to maintain public sporting fields to a high standard whilst the stormwater improvement work increased the accessibility, useability and quality of the natural environment through meandering pathways, green walls, raised pedestrian bridges and improved biodiversity.

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change will see the frequency and intensity of weather events change. This system will assist during peak rain events through the flood mitigation features whilst the retention and treatment system will allow the reuse of water on the adjoining sport fields.

This on-site reuse will reduce the impact on potable water sources during drought events.

This best-practice approach also enables Georges River Council to evolve as technology improves to progress environmentally sensitive reuse aspirations, assisting Council to meet a target of net zero emissions by July 2025.

The growth in Australia’s urban space and increased weather events due to

climate change means there will be larger volumes of stormwater available.

Over the years, understanding of wetlands and stormwater has grown, as has appreciation for their contributions to the local environment.

The improvements to Gannons Park have set an example for us to change the way we think about water, create innovative means for it to work with us, and become a resource for us.

The park is now vital for local pollution control, water efficiency and flood buffering. It has truly become an urban oasis for families across the Georges River area and keeps the neighbouring Lime Kiln Bay, Boggywell Creek and many tributaries of the Georges River clean for years to come.

FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR PRODUCTIVITY

Local governments have plenty at stake when it comes to upholding the safety and integrity of critical pipeline assets, but by finding the right equipment partner, supporting and maintaining these pipes, sewers, and drains can be no trouble at all.

Water and wastewater assets possess tremendous value, value that can often be overlooked until something goes horribly wrong.

The smooth function of these hidden networks of pipes, sewers and drains is essential for community life – and poor management of public assets is never a good look for local governments.

At the same time, asset owners and operators must find smart solutions to streamline and perfect their monitoring and maintenance of key assets, to save valuable time and resources.

ENTER YOUR EQUIPMENT PRODUCTIVITY PARTNER

To take the stress out of maintaining pipeline infrastructure in excellent condition, local governments are turning to experienced and capable equipment productivity partners for long-term solutions and support.

By finding the right equipment productivity partner – who has expert knowledge of the equipment needed, as well as the staff and products to fit the job – local councils can lock in an easy win when it comes to productivity, confidence in the asset, and ease of mind.

THE SECA APPROACH

To ensure a streamlined and focused asset management process, local governments are searching for partnerships which are all-encompassing, supporting every aspect of water asset maintenance.

With a 50-year history of pipeline expertise, SECA goes beyond its role as a top equipment distributor, and has refined its products and services to provide a comprehensive, solutions-focused partnership, with cleaning, testing, inspection and rehabilitation capabilities.

Taking the hassle out of seeking services from multiple providers, SECA is a one-stop-shop – from equipment to service to after sales support.

SECA can not only identify what equipment is needed, but as Australia’s leading supplier of pipeline, sewer and plumbing equipment, they can provide cutting-edge products that represent the future of pipeline technology.

As partners in productivity, SECA knows that lost time is lost revenue. That’s why the team works swiftly to find solutions that streamline systems before they are even switched on.

With system efficiency and comprehensive services at its core, SECA’s premiere products and services make water asset upgrades and maintenance easier than ever.

SECA’S IN-HOUSE CCTV SERVICE TEAM

Efficient, timely water asset solutions are key to minimising risk and securing uninterrupted, safe water services.

While other asset maintenance services need to have CCTV cameras and equipment shipped from overseas, extending the wait time and delaying the implementation of solutions, SECA is the only company in the field which can speed up the process with its highly trained in-house CCTV teams in major cities in Australia.

SECA’s in-house technicians are located across the east coast states, providing faster solutions to get the job done and maximise the return on investment.

Services even extend to New Zealand, and monitoring is streamlined with the use of SECA’s high-grade cameras, which are available for purchase.

SECA’s technicians, who are European factory trained, are equipped to provide a range of services, including a complete service and spare parts inventory for the iPEK and Quickview systems, and an extended CCTV workshop.

WinCan support and training services are also available, and SECA offers the support of their WinCan consultants in Switzerland, who can advise on installation and set up processes remotely.

With a focus on prompt and comprehensive solutions, SECA’s product and service offerings are able to provide critical support to continue the smooth functioning of some of our communities’ most vital resources.

For more information on how SECA can assist your local government with a full range of water asset management solutions, head to www.seca.com.au

PARTNERS IN PRODUCTIVITY

Pipeline inspection equipment & WinCan Software sales and training

Large team of CCTV camera technicians located across the east coast states providing faster solutions to maximise return on investment.

After sales Training and support including Nationally Recognised CCTV Courses (Training Provided by Asset Training RTO No. 91255)

Technicians have a combined 60 years experience and undergo training and development to ensure techs are up to date with the latest software and repair procedure.

Exclusive software from manufacturer to allow techs to quickly diagnose any problem as quickly as possible.

We aim to reduce your down times of between 48-72 hours with the vast majority of parts on hand.

To find a SECA workshop near you, visit our website seca.com.au

Talk to the experts 1800 028 584 or visit us online seca.com.au

REVOLUTIONARY WASTEWATER level monitoring solution

Metasphere provides robust, reliable systems and devices to clients globally in the water, wastewater, environmental and gas markets, with the purpose to drive sustainable use of the world’s natural resources.

Art Sewer is a ground-breaking wastewater level monitoring solution offering an all-in-one approach for cost effective mass deployment of IoT sensing devices across wastewater networks.

Combined with machine learning data analytics, Art Sewer is the first ever

solution to deliver ultimate network visibility, performance and forecasting.

Low-cost, robust Sense Level IoT devices collect and feed sewer level data into Metasphere’s powerful data analytics platform, ART (Analytical Remote Telemetry). This data, combined with historic, current, and forecasted rainfall data, detect partial sewer blockages across the network.

Art Sewer helps wastewater utilities prevent wastewater spills, thereby reducing pollution to keep the natural environment clean and protected.

Tim O’Brien, CEO of Metasphere, said, “Art Sewer is a new strategic direction for our business, using IoT sensor technologies combined with data intelligence for largescale mass deployment across wastewater networks.

“Art Sewer offers customers a full end-to-end approach to manage wastewater assets in a hazardous environment and reduce pollution to protect these assets for a better, greener world.’’

Leading Telemetry expert, Metasphere, has launched a revolutionary wastewater level monitoring solution, Art Sewer.

ART SEWER

WASTEWATER LEVEL MONITORING

Compact, low cost, battery-powered radar sensor and Telemetry all-in-one ATEX/IECEx (Zone 0), NB-IoT, Cat-M1

Part of an all-in-one solution that delivers

Full network visibility, performance and forecasting

Also perfect for

INDUSTRIAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING FOR COOLING TOWERS A SUCCESS

An innovative monitoring approach has seen lasting success at a cooling tower project in Melbourne, revealing how automation and sourcing the right technology can make a winning combination for water monitoring.

Established in 1996, Hydro Flow is an Australian-owned company that provides technical and project services, manufactures and supplies treatment chemicals, and installs and maintains dosing and filtration equipment.

Principally staffed by a team of engineers and scientists dedicated to providing world-class water treatment programs and solutions to all market sectors, Hydro Flow offers a principle service of managing cooling towers, including water treatment and corrosion monitoring.

ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE: AUTOMATED MONITORING

To minimise time on-site and lower maintenance and calibration costs at cooling tower projects, Hydro Flow recently decided to leverage its more than 20-year relationship with Bürkert and investigate the idea of automated water quality monitoring, while upgrading current chlorine and pH measurement technology.

Bürkert offered its Type 8905 online water quality monitoring system, combined with a Type MZ20 automatic cleaning system.

“This was an agreement between Hydro Flow and Bürkert for the benefit of both parties,” said John Kennedy, National Water Field Segment Manager for Bürkert.

“Bürkert offered Hydro Flow their latest in water quality management technology for their cooling tower application, to see how the benefits

could be established in industrial water industries.

“For Hydro Flow, if the trial of the water quality monitoring system was a success, then they could also benefit from the advantages of using this technology, particularly with their other clients with larger infrastructure, such as museums, galleries, hospitals, stadiums and inner-city spaces.”

WHY MONITORING OF COOLING TOWERS MATTERS

Hydro Flow have been monitoring cooling tower dosage with a number of monitoring methods, measuring dosing levels and making adjustments as required, and understand that reliable monitoring of cooling towers is necessary to eliminate the risk of bacterial growth in cooling tower water, particularly Legionella bacteria.

Legionella bacteria occur naturally within soil and water in the environment, and can enter a cooling tower system through water dispersion, where it can rapidly reproduce in the warm and moist environment it provides, particularly in the presence of nutrients and sunlight. It can then escape the system within aerosols and travel significant distances to potentially enter a person’s respiratory system.

In Australia, legislation regarding microbiological testing for cooling towers varies between state and territory jurisdictions, water samples must be taken to test for Legionella as well as Heterotrophic Colony Count, at least monthly or quarterly, pending

Bürkert’s online water analysis system provides remote monitoring confidence.

regulation, and the water must be tested by a NATA-accredited laboratory.

ALL PARAMETERS ANALYSED BY A SINGLE UNIT

Typically used for drinking water quality applications, Bürkert’s Type 8905 modular system is for monitoring all important water parameters through one platform, including pH, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, conductivity, ORP, turbidity, iron and temperature.

Hydro Flow decided to use the system at a site in the Melbourne CBD.

The Type MZ20 automatic cleaning system was also installed, automatically cleaning the fluidic channels and the sensor surfaces in the connected sensor cubes – eliminating another element of maintenance.

The combined system also offers traditional analogue outputs and fieldbus connectivity, with remote access, allowing the system to be monitored remotely.

SOLUTION PROVEN IN SERVICE

After more than two years, the combined system provided by Hydro Flow and Bürkert is still working and providing a low-maintenance solution within the Melbourne CBD cooling tower.

Mathew French, Area Manager of Projects, Hydro Flow, summed up the solution, saying, “During the pandemic in 2020 there were limitations to site access during lockdown, however we had confidence in Bürkert’s solution to continue the accurate water quality monitoring for the test site.”

For more information about how Bürkert’s monitoring technology can assist your business, head to www.burkert.com.au/en

Servo-assisted diaphragm/piston valve offers reliable switching of mildly contaminated and aggressive gases and fluids for diameters DN 10 to 65 mm, available in various materials. Make

THE FK RANGE BY DAB: SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS FOR SEWAGE

Thanks to their construction, the FK Series – DAB’s professional submersible wastewater pumps – can guarantee reliability, efficiency and ease of maintenance, all of which are important values for installers and maintenance engineers.

Suitable for the transfer of wastewater in public buildings, industries, subways and parking lots, the FK range has been designed for pumping wastewater with varying solids, from the drainage of surface water, up to residential wastewater, from wastewater with high fibre content up to industrial wastewater.

Conveniently, the FK range is available with either a vortex or single channel impeller depending on the application.

WHY IS THE FK SERIES RELIABLE?

NEW NON-CLOGGING VORTEX IMPELLER

The guarantee of operation comes before efficiency. A new design of the vortex impellers and the total solid handling are respectively the two guarantees to have no-clogging issues.

MOISTURE SENSOR

Supplied as a standard option, it allows the prevention of any engine failures due to possible water infiltration in the oil chamber seals.

BI-COMPONENT COATING

Unlike conventional water-based paints, the bi-component coating is more suitable in aggressive environments such as wastewater. It prevents oxidation and the consequent wear of the pump.

IECEX AND ATEX COMPLIANT

The FK Series is IECex and ATEX compliant when required for sensitive projects.

NEW AUTO COUPLING DA-V

The seal mounted on the new auto coupling ensures a tight contact, which optimises pumping efficiency while minimising operating costs.

WHY IS THE FK SERIES EFFICIENT?

NEW IE3 MOTORS

The new IE3 premium efficiency motors drastically reduce energy operating costs. Given its low running temperatures, it guarantees operation up to 40°C, as well as thermal protection being standard.

NEW SINGLE CHANNEL HYDRAULICS

The new high efficiency single-channel hydraulic has been designed especially for continuous wastewater operations with high flow demand and low fibre content.

WHY IS THE FK SERIES EASY TO MAINTAIN?

ONE CABLE TO THE PUMP

A single standard cable that encloses power and signal inputs together, drastically reduces the possibility of problems due to cuts or leaks.

SINGLE-UNIT CARTRIDGE SEAL

A single-unit cartridge seal is a great advantage for maintenance of the pump as it allows the removal and insertion of the seals in less time. It is an exclusive DAB patent: a double mechanical seal Sic-Sic with opposite faces, independent from the rotational direction of the  shaft.

ENERGY

EFFICIENCY 1300

NEW IE3 MOTORS

The new IE3 high efficiency motors drastically reduce operation energy costs. Due to the low overheating temperatures, their operation is guaranteed for temperatures up 40 °C. Thermal protection is standard.

IECex approved version available.

CARTRIDGE SEAL

The cartridge is a great advantage during maintenance of the pump, as it enables removing and replacing the seals in less time, with full reassurance that the operation has been carried out correctly. This is an exclusive DAB patent, with double Sic/Sic seal with opposite faces independent from the direction of rotation, with Viton elastometers and Corteco.

EN 12050-1

ANTI-CLOGGING VORTEX IMPELLERS

The reliability comes even before efficiency. A new design of Vortex impellers, and the guarantee of always having a total free passage, are two of the most important functionalities of the new FK.

In compliance with European Standard EN 12050-1

EN 12050-1

NEW SINGLE-CHANNEL HYDRAULICS

New high efficiency singlechannel hydraulics for applications requiring continuous high flow rate operation with loaded water with low fibre content.

In compliance with European Standard EN 12050-1

CITY OF BALLARAT’S CIRCULAR ECONOMY TO TURN FULL CIRCLE

The City of Ballarat is calling for its local waste system to turn full circle, launching a suite of projects that will foster a new precinct of resource exchange, reuse, and local business profitability.

In a state-leading waste cycle campaign from the City of Ballarat, the Circular Ballarat Framework is setting out to reduce waste by turning it into materials that can then be used in manufacturing, rather than a linear “take-makewaste” system.

European research shows circular economies can increase economic growth by between 0.8 per cent and 1.4 per cent annually, translating to a possible annual Gross Regional Product in Ballarat of $57-$100 million and an extra 380-680 jobs.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Daniel Moloney, said recent community consultation told Council that sustainability and the environment was of strong importance to the Ballarat community.

“Transitioning to a circular economy will also increase the profitability of local businesses and result in a healthier place for our community,” Mayor Moloney said.

“A circular economy allows us to decrease our dependence on resources such as raw materials, water and energy. It helps protect our environment, reduce waste and the emissions of greenhouse gases, and changes mindsets in relation to recycling and reuse.”

FOUR INITIATIVES TO LAUNCH THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The Circular Ballarat Framework will be led by four new initiatives aimed at helping businesses of all sizes through difficult COVID-19 times.

These include:

THE CSIRO’S ASPIRE (ADVISORY STREAM FOR PROCESS INNOVATION AND RESOURCE EXCHANGE) PROGRAM

An online marketplace for businesses to both sell and buy waste, diverting materials from landfill, providing cost savings and potentially creating new revenue streams. The City of Ballarat’s 12-month subscription allows any Ballarat-based business with less than 100 employees to use the platform for free until July. The City of Ballarat will also access ASPIRE data to better understand local waste streams and help attract circular economy businesses.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY READY, SET, GROW BUSINESS GROWTH PROGRAM

Helping 20 participating businesses examine their operations through a circular lens. The program, run by Runway Ballarat, is subsidised by the City of Ballarat, with a $300 participants co-contribution.

CIRCULAR BALLARAT: DETAIL MATERIALS FLOW ANALYSIS AND END MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Ballarat is undertaking a detailed regional material flows analysis to better understand what resources are used in our economy, where resources are sourced, what they are used to do, where they are consumed and how businesses manage their waste.

This project is supported by the Recycling Victoria Councils Fund and delivered by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the State Government. In round one, 26 projects were successful and will share in more than $1.7 million in grants. City of Ballarat is partnering with Grampians Central West Waste Resource and Recovery Group on this project.

WASTE TO WELLBEING PROGRAM

The City of Ballarat has engaged Circular Economy Victoria to deliver a 12-month program designed to empower the Ballarat community and businesses to create social and economic wellbeing by using activities like reselling, reusing, sharing, repairing, and composting to add value to waste.

The project commenced in December and will engage with local community groups, start-ups, small and medium enterprises, corporate businesses, and City of Ballarat work groups to map activities that are already occurring in Ballarat.

Once the existing ecosystem is known, the project will then identify gaps and opportunities and develop a business case to expand local solutions that add value to waste. The final project report will be completed by October.

NEXT STEPS FOR THE CIRCULAR BALLARAT FRAMEWORK

The next phase of the Circular Ballarat Framework will focus on enhancing sustainability outcomes from procurement policies by:

∞ Reviewing and updating mechanisms to understand and consider real environmental costs when evaluating projects, contracts, and services

∞ Achieving better sustainability outcomes by improving the way the City of Ballarat’s implements sustainability features in its Procurement Policy

∞ Constructing more sustainable infrastructure through design, alternative materials use and technology innovation

The City of Ballarat is also tackling its waste management challenge head-on with a plan to develop a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that will help keep 10,000 tonnes of valuable recyclables out of Ballarat’s landfill each year.

A Materials Recovery Facility will sort recyclables into separate streams of plastics, cardboard, aluminium, and paper, so they can be remanufactured into useful new products.

The City of Ballarat is also seeking government support to create a Circular Economy Precinct, anchored by the MRF, in the Ballarat West Employment Zone.

“We have businesses wanting to invest $270 million plus in a Circular Economy Precinct at the Ballarat West Employment Zone and we expect more investment when the precinct is up and running,” Mayor Moloney said.

“Infrastructure like the Materials Recovery Facility allows us to attract businesses which want to co-locate so they can use the plastics, paper, metals and cardboard it sorts.

“This project will provide more local jobs and maximise the benefits to our economy. The number of jobs involved in material reprocessing is a lot higher than in dumping waste in landfill.

“From inception, about 32 per cent of the materials sorted at the facility will be able to be used by recyclers and remanufacturers locally. This project also solves a problem for the Victorian Government as it aligns perfectly with State Government recycling policy.

“With a processing capacity of around 30,000 tonnes per year, the Materials Recovery Facility will have enormous potential to service much of western Victoria.”

WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS HOLDING THE KEYS TO THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE REVOLUTION

by Scott Dwyer and Kriti Nagrath, Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney

Transport is a critical lifeline for many of us, but despite the benefits, the way we travel and the fuel we use is having a major impact on the environment, our wellbeing, and our health. As the global automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles (EV), local government is ideally placed to benefit while smoothing the transition – and that is good news for all of us. This is why it is not Elon Musk holding the keys to the EV revolution in Australia; instead it is our country’s 537 local governments.

THE SHIFT TOWARDS ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Transport plays an important role in our everyday lives. It helps us get to work and do our work, deliver vital services and shop for convenience, keep essential appointments and enjoy leisure activities. However, there is a global paradigm shift underway in transport as the public becomes more concerned about sustainability issues, as governments establish and commit to new environmental targets, and as the automotive industry responds by adding EVs to their product offerings.

Unfortunately, mixed messages from politicians and media, combined with a policy vacuum, has meant Australia has been slow off the blocks with regards to EVs. Meanwhile, a number of local governments around the country have been quietly ‘plugging away’ at initiatives to support the uptake of EVs within their fleets and LGAs. Many are also keen to further explore how electrification can mitigate many of the negative impacts of transport, while helping to bring wider benefits to the communities they serve.

REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS

Transport in Australia contributes a disproportionate amount to the country’s overall carbon emissions, which as the science shows, is making our world much less inhabitable. Transport is the country’s third-largest source of carbon dioxide and light vehicles (such as cars, SUVs, 4x4s, utes and vans) alone are responsible for 10 per cent of the country’s total emissions. They are also increasing quicker than any other source over the last three decades.

As the result of a changing climate, previously rare weather events are becoming a more regular occurrence. This has a direct and long-lasting impact on communities, harming local economies, and stretching local services that must respond to more frequent and intense bushfires and storms, flash floods,

long droughts, and extreme temperatures. A switch from petrol or diesel-fuelled vehicles to all-electric ones offers an important route to decarbonise a major part of the transport sector. By replacing an engine with an electric motor and re-charging the battery using grid-supplied (or even better, renewable) electricity, they are able to emit less carbon and particle pollution than those using fossil fuel.

IMPROVING LOCAL AIR QUALITY

The negative health effects of a more sedentary lifestyle and over-reliance on motorised transport are well known, but there is mounting evidence that the health impact of air pollution is wider and more severe than previously thought.

Fine particulate matter (such as those that are produced by diesel vehicles) has been shown to lodge deep in the lungs, with the inflammation increasing the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This means it affects those communities where traffic is heaviest and most congested. Local air pollution also disproportionately affects the young, elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.

BENEFITING LOCAL ECONOMIES

Destination charging – where EV charging facilities are strategically placed in regional towns or tourist amenities to encourage patronage – can drive local economic benefits to these areas. This is in contrast to the highways service station model, which redirected heavy and speeding traffic away from towns and villages but at the same time took away the local income they generated.

Local government is in a good position to support the placement of charging infrastructure that serves the local community, going beyond purely economic criteria, and

ensuring that regional and rural areas can play a role and benefit from the transition to EVs.

IMPROVING AFFORDABILITY OF EVS

Local government can play another important role in decarbonising transport by helping to bring more affordable EVs to the public via their out-cycled fleet vehicles. Despite positive customer sentiment of EVs among Australians, prices remain high and sales low and EV sales stalled between 2019 and 2020, with less than 7,000 sold in 2020. A recent uptick in sales in 2021 means that 10,000 or more are likely to be bought in 2021 but this is still a tiny fraction of the over 1 million light vehicle sales a year.

ENSURING EQUITY, INCLUSIVITY, LIVEABILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY

There are many considerations for charging infrastructure deployment but the best interests of the entire community are not always taken into account. Existing strategies and priorities mean that local government is well placed to ensure EV charging deployment benefits those who can’t afford brand new EV passenger cars, as well as those of us who don’t drive or can’t drive.

Research from the UK has found that disabled people are concerned about the way EV charging is being deployed. For physically and visually impaired drivers, potential issues include locating charging facilities far from other services, lack of wheelchair accessibility, and heavy or difficultto-reach EV charging cables. These anxieties can then affect driver confidence and lead to a decline in independence.

In 2021, the EV Council reported that there were thirty-one EV models for sale in Australia, with fourteen priced under $65,000. However, even the recently launched ZS EV – a medium-sized SUV from MG Motors – has prices starting from $41,990 (the same model in petrol engine format costs $21,990). This is more than many motorists on the roads today would be willing or able to spend on their next car. However, the total cost of ownership is now becoming competitive in certain cases with purchase price parity expected in the mid-to -second half of the decade.

On carsales.com, a leading online marketplace of used vehicles, only 20 used fully electric cars were for sale at the time of writing. This is out of a total of 121,996 previously owned cars. Pre-owned fleet vehicles are critical to increasing this supply to bring more affordable electric models to those who want them.

With a government fleet in the hundreds of thousands and typical passenger vehicle and SUV replacement cycles of three to four years, these will be an important source of more affordable EVs for the used car market.

Working within existing council policy frameworks that address equity, inclusivity, liveability, and accessibility can help avoid creating issues such as these. Support services, community groups, educational institutions, and not-for-profit enterprises can also benefit greatly from the electrification of transportation, and local government offers a way to support these groups and help them engage with EVs.

THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN EV UPTAKE

Australian states have been initially slow to support EVs but new measures put in place recently have started to create the sort of policy environment that’s needed. While local government has less control over these policy levers, there is still much local government can do.

While many choices can be made by councils in terms of how charging infrastructure is deployed, one of the biggest and most challenging decisions they need to make is on what role they want to play in owning and operating it. A systematic approach to assessing which business models best suit the unique characteristics of their local government area, the risks they are willing to bear, and how this relates to existing council policies, can help result in an optimum outcome based on local constraints and resources. However, State and Federal Governments could do more to help councils navigate these challenges. If Australia is serious about decarbonising its transport sector, the third tier of government can help this happen faster and more equitably if they are given the tools to do so.

GROUND-COOLING TRIAL TO BEAT URBAN HEAT

by April Shepherd, Editor, Council magazine

As the effects of climate change become more and more evident in Australia's diverse regions, temperatures continue to rise – especially in urban areas. Blacktown Council, in Sydney’s western suburbs, is tackling urban heat with an innovative road-cooling solution, to reduce heat stress in the community; now and into the future.

Blacktown City Council is feeling the heat more than some, with Western Sydney routinely gauging higher summer temperatures than the city’s CBD.

This is why Council implemented an innovative trial to not just tackle urban heat, but to stop it at the source; the region’s roads.

As reported by a Council spokesperson, roads are the largest single contributor to the urban heat island effect in Western Sydney, especially at night.

This is due to dark asphalt roads holding a significant amount of residual heat, increasing neighbourhood temperatures.

Council put this to the test, conducting a trial using CoolSeal, an asphalt seal coating in the form of paint that is designed to achieve lower temperatures on the road surface by being a lighter colour than traditional asphalt.

THE EFFECTS OF URBAN HEAT

The effects of urban heat impact many facets of society and due to increasing urban development and climate change,

these effects are only becoming more prevalent.

Climate modelling for the Western Sydney region predicts an increase of up to ten days over 35°C over the coming years.

Blacktown City Council Mayor, Tony Bleasdale, said, “Urban heat is a significant challenge for Blacktown City, which consistently records higher summer temperatures than the average for metropolitan Sydney. It is crucial we look at ways to reduce the urban heat impact and improve quality of life in our City.

“I am particularly concerned for vulnerable residents, such as the elderly, those with a disability or with pre-existing medical conditions, as they are particularly at risk to the impacts of extreme heat.

“In recent years, we have seen the catastrophic consequences of rising temperatures on our environment, and therefore Council is committed to reducing heat stress in Blacktown City.

“Council is committed to exploring ways to deal with the urban heat effect through urban planning and cool road solutions.”

ROADBLOCKING URBAN HEAT

Blacktown City Council aims to combat this urban heat through collaboration; partnering with Western Sydney University, the City of Parramatta and Campbelltown City Council to implement the trial.

The trial used CoolSeal, which aims to lower temperatures on the road not only by being a lighter shade of asphalt, but also highly reflective – which helps to reduce the amount of heat absorbed.

The roads included in the trial, which was conducted by Western Sydney University in the summer of 2020-2021, were: Mortlock Avenue, O’Donoghue Street, Burnet Court, Bartlett Avenue and Kobe Street – all located in Ropes Crossing, alongside some in Parramatta and Campbelltown CBD.

All roads were in good condition and received two coats of CoolSeal, and were all chosen due to varying climate factors, such as the amount of urban greening in the surroundings (open low-rise with scattered trees, compact low-rise and sparsely built with low plants).

Kobe Street in Ropes Crossing getting ‘painted’ with the CoolSeal. Image: Blacktown City Council.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

After nearly two years, the Council has reported positive results from the innovative trial, finding that unshaded pavements coated in CoolSeal were between 6 and 11°C cooler than uncoated pavements.

The trial concluded that CoolSeal is effective in reducing the surface temperatures of unshaded surfaces, however the effect on ambient (air) temperatures is still yet to be discovered, due to limits on trial area sizes.

All of the councils that participated in the trial will assess the results and determine how CoolSeal could be rolled out further, a spokerson from the Blacktown City Council said.

STEPS FOR THE FUTURE: COOLING WESTERN SYDNEY

Alongside the use of CoolSeal, the Council also introduced an array of other initiatives to prevent rising urban heat levels.

Council is exploring further projects that could reduce road temperatures, which include the use of:

∞ Light-coloured aggregate in road surfacing (such as recycled concrete)

∞ Clear asphalt binder in place of traditional black binder

∞ Concrete pavements and the use of light-coloured rejuvenation products (that protect and enhance the road seal)

Blacktown City Council is also working with the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) on the ‘Turn Down the Heat’ and ‘Heat Smart’ initiatives.

Turn Down the Heat is a WSROCled project that uses a multi-sector approach to cool down the region, guided by the Turn Down the Heat Strategy and Action Plan (2018) which was co-designed by over 55 stakeholders. Heat Smart is also WSROC-led, but focuses on analysing which processes are needed to handle heatwave emergencies.

The Council also started a heat refuge trial in January 2022, activating a network of cool centres, which are places for vulnerable community members to seek refuge during days of high temperatures, and are manned by Red Cross volunteers.

There are a number of cool centres across Blacktown City, including: Tregear Community Centre, Bidwill Blacktown Uniting Churches and Community Access Western Sydney centres. Other key initiatives are:

∞ Council is committed to improving energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

∞ Council is aiming for net-zero emissions from all electricity, gas and fuel used in its operations by 2030

∞ Council is working with the community to aid New South Wales in achieving its target of net-zero emissions by 2050

∞ Blacktown City Council also joined the nationwide declaration of a climate emergency in February 2020 and called for immediate action from all levels of government

∞ Council allocates $100,000 each year for a climate change emergency fund that it can draw on to implement additional climate change initiatives

FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE TO REDUCE EXTREME HEAT

As important as urban heat preventative initiatives are for the health and longevity of the Western Sydney region, Blacktown City Council recognises the need to reduce carbon emissions and focus on fighting climate change, to prevent the cause of rising temperatures.

Council has been committed to carbon neutrality for its operations from the financial year 2020/21 and is on track to reach its target of 100 per cent renewable electricity for its operations by 2025.

The Council has also introduced free electric vehicle charging stations, has its own electric vehicle fleet and has been focusing on integrating solar energy into Council buildings, installing 1,800 solar panels so far.

“Tackling rising temperatures is a key challenge for Blacktown City and Western Sydney more broadly, and Council is committed to ensuring the City can become more resilient to a changing climate and remain liveable into the future,” Mayor Tony Bleasdale said.

Blacktown City Council’s Manager Environment, Donna Wallace, and New South Wales State Manager of SuperSealing, Michael Williams. Image: Blacktown City Council.

HOW COUNCILS CAN MAKE THE BEST USE OF STREET SPACE Street smarts:

Although city spaces have seen many changes since the beginning of the pandemic, very few studies have measured the impact of these moves on pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and public transport users.

To better understand this, RMIT’s Centre for Urban Research mapped the use of each mode of transport in Melbourne, compared to how much space is allocated for each.

Lead researcher, Dr Chris De Gruyter, said that the study revealed the unrealised potential for Melbourne to make more equitable and efficient use of its space.

“Despite the move towards reallocating on-street car parking for outdoor dining, we found that very few studies worldwide have explicitly measured how much actual street space is allocated and used by each mode of transport, particularly in Australian cities,” Dr De Gruyter said.

“This is particularly relevant in areas such as shopping strips, where high traffic flows typically conflict with popular places and key destinations.

“It is also relevant in the context of the pandemic, where greater space is being sought to support physical distancing, alongside efforts to increase outdoor dining opportunities through converting on-street car parking to ‘parklets’.”

For many cities, street space is strongly contested, particularly where high traffic flows meet key destinations and popular areas.

Understanding how these spaces operate and how they can be made safer and more efficient could be a key part of making Melbourne more sustainable and welcoming people back into the city.

HOW IS STREET SPACE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED?

The study examined surveys taken from 57 shopping strip locations in Melbourne, most within 10km of the city’s CBD.

Researchers counted the number of people going past a specific point, and then sorted them into categories depending on what type of transport they were using.

These findings were then compared to the amount of street width that was allocated for that mode of transport.

This was turned into a measurement of concentration (the amount of people per kilometre using that mode of transport) to account for different travel speeds.

A key finding from the study revealed that Melbourne’s shopping strips lacked adequate pedestrian space.

On average, pedestrians are given 33 per cent of street space, but account for 56 per cent of all travelers.

by Lauren DeLorenzo, Journalist, Council magazine

With initiatives such as Sydney’s $43.5 million George Street transformation project underway, councils are seeking ways to make cities safer and more welcoming in the face of the pandemic. But as we expand pedestrian spaces and increase outdoor dining, it's vital to understand the way city streets are currently being used. An RMIT study outlined how streets are being used to cater for different modes of transport in Melbourne, and how they could be adapted for more equitable use.

Meanwhile, other modes of transport were found to take up much more space than their average use suggests is needed.

On-street car parking takes up 21 per cent of street space on average, but only accounts for 13 per cent of all travelers.

Shared general traffic and bus lanes were also found to take up a greater amount of allocated space than required, using 42 per cent of street space to cater for 29 per cent of total travelers.

TRANSFORMING STREETS FOR PEDESTRIAN USE

Dr De Gruyter said that the study, “presents an opportunity to introduce wider footpaths and more outdoor dining through converting on-street car parking space, where it is considered appropriate to do so”.

As part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts, the City of Melbourne purchased $1.1 million in parklet infrastructure to transform on-street car parking spaces into expanded outdoor dining areas.

Dr De Gruyter said that this approach provided an opportunity to enable outdoor dining without encroaching on valuable footpath space.

However, solutions for better street space management will largely depend on the specific needs of the area, as the findings were highly variable depending on the location being studied.

Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds, for example, had a much higher discrepancy between pedestrian traffic and allocated space, with pedestrians accounting for more than 80 per cent of travelers but having only 35 per cent of the street space allocated to them.

“While recognising that the reallocation of street space involves a range of governance, political and ethical considerations, efforts to reallocate street space should also be informed by empirical evidence of street space allocation and use,” Dr De Gruyter said.

“Our study findings provide an evidence base that can help local governments in distributing street space more equitably to users, and support broader goals for increasing the uptake of more sustainable forms of transport.”

ENCOURAGING LOCAL LIVING AND SUSTAINABILITY

Data on street space allocation can help keep communities safe from COVID-19, avoiding cramped pedestrian spaces and encouraging alternative COVID-safe forms of transport.

But understanding the best use of street space can have further implications beyond making travel more comfortable – it can also help local governments meet broader community objectives.

“Increased pedestrian space and better planned streets, particularly in shopping strip locations, can support broader objectives for increasing the uptake of walking, cycling and public transport, and reducing our reliance on the private car,” Dr De Gruyter said.

“Doing so can further support the concept of local living and recognise that shopping strip locations are ‘places’ in their own right, rather than main roads only where traffic passes through.

“This is particularly relevant in areas where movement and place objectives are in conflict with one another, such as activity centres, and where cities are looking to provide greater priority to more sustainable forms of transport.”

Transition your fleet to Net-Zero emissions

Going green is no longer a trend. With awareness of sustainable practices increasing, councils are well positioned to lead their community so that sustainability is firmly embedded into the Australian way of life. Street Sweepers Street Washers Litter Vacuums

Ready to start the conversation about green fleet transition?

Scan the QR Code to download our complimentary guide or visit ecoteq.com.au for more information.

THE ROLE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The global market for electric mobility continues its unstoppable growth, both in terms of registrations of hybrid and full-electric vehicles – and future-minded LGAs are investing in electric charging infrastructure solutions that support electric vehicle growth across both Council fleets and the broader public.

Although Australia is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in its uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), a recent report from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has shown that the adoption of EVs in Australia is starting to grow, and perceptions of EVs versus Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles are changing in a positive direction.

These insights were further illustrated by the EVC’s recent findings that EVs represented a 2.39 per cent share of vehicles sold in 2021, compared to 0.78 per cent in 2020.

One area needed to support this continued growth is ensuring a reliable electric vehicle charging network, whether at the home, office or out and about, to counter any “range anxiety”.

For the home, the market offers AC chargers for both single-phase and three-phase electricity connections. These chargers can come in a range of power ratings and features to suit

the homeowner or residential complex needs and vehicles.

Public, commercial or industrial locations have more options for the configuration of AC chargers. In this space, you may want to offer free charging to entice people to the region or have a pay as you charge solution connected to a charger management network.

FIMER’s FLEXA AC Station is a perfect solution for on the street, or in a public or private car park in a shopping centre, office or industrial complex. These stations can charge two vehicles simultaneously, with up to 22kW per vehicle (up to 44kW).

However, DC fast chargers are the way to go for areas that might require faster charging, in regional or remote cities or along major roads. These chargers pump energy directly into the vehicle’s battery without first converting the energy from AC to DC. The charging times are much quicker, with fewer losses experienced.

For instance, FIMER’s ELECTRA DC charger is a modular charger available in power ratings from 60kW up to 150kW, offering both AC and DC charging up to three vehicles at one time. The charger will dynamically distribute the available power to the vehicles, depending on the number of vehicles being charged and the number of chargers installed at the same site.

DC Fast Chargers will usually be a pay-to-charge solution as they require more energy. The cost of this additional energy can be offset if the DC Fast Chargers are connected to a community microgrid that uses energy from the grid as well as a renewable energy source that may include batteries.

FIMER is the fourth largest solar manufacturer globally and still manufactures string inverters and electric vehicles in its two manufacturing facilities in Italy. Since 2017, it has been manufacturing electric vehicle chargers, and to date, has over 55,000 units installed around the world.

To learn more about FIMER’s charging solutions: fimer.com/charging-electric-vehicles

Let the energy drive you with FIMER’s charging solutions

Since 2017, we have supplied more than 54,000 charging stations around the world and partnered with the main players in the industry. We have developed AC and DC charging platforms designed to meet the diverse needs of users, who are seeking solutions for private, public and commercial use.

Our FIMER FLEXA AC Wallbox, FIMER FLEXA AC Station and FIMER ELECTRA (Fast) DC Station, are all easy to install and will provide an efficient, reliable and safe charge every time.

Learn more: fimer.com/charging-electric-vehicles

BOOSTING CONNECTIVITY ACROSS REGIONAL COUNCIL OPERATIONS

Developing and delivering solutions to meet the unique communications needs of Australian regional councils requires specialist expertise. With a proven track record of delivering commercially viable solutions for Federal, State and Local Governments, Australian Private Networks is a leader in telecommunications solutions for remote Australian organisations.

Australian Private Networks (APN) is already the preferred choice for over 100 remote and regional LGAs across the country, providing a suite of connectivity solutions to regional councils and their communities since 2002.

APN’s business solutions include:

∞ Unlimited data on satellite internet

∞ Community WiFi and phone solutions

∞ Portable satellite internet – ‘comms-on-the-pause’ and ‘comms-on-the-move’

∞ DRP specific services – for network redundancy in the event of primary network outage

APN’s solutions are cost-effective, versatile and designed specifically for rural, regional and remote Australia.

Their solutions can come in a variety of different formats and configurations depending on the unique requirements of the use-case and demands on the solution.

Some examples include:

∞ Solar-powered or battery-powered

∞ Standalone or building-mounted installations

∞ Portable satellite systems built-in-a-case

APN’s experience has included delivering major end-toend projects for the Federal Government, including the Remote Australia Strategies Programme and the Regional Connectivity Program.

They currently provide services to over 100 remote and regional LGAs across Australia.

As a major partner of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) of Australia, APN provides the RFDS with communications

solutions and services to ensure they remain at the forefront of remote communications technology.

APN is 100 per cent Australian-owned and operated, with locally based customer support teams.

With a field service team outfitted with customised 4WD service vehicles, APN has the unique ability to provide installation, servicing, and maintenance of their solutions all in-house. This capability to provide on-site support in the most unreachable corners of Australia is a unique differentiator from other internet service providers.

APN has a fully certified integrated management system that conforms to international standards, covering delivery, support, project management, service and maintenance and sales.

APN is a pre-qualified, accredited supplier for LGA associations across the country including the WALGA, LocalBuy (NT, QLD, VIC & TAS) and QAssure (QLD), as well as being represented on three New South Wales panels.

APN is a holder of telecommunications carrier licence 167 and three annually audited ISO certifications – AS/ NZS ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems, AS/ NZS ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems & AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

APN also has individual preferred supplier agreements with the Western Australian, South Australian, Northern Territory and Victorian State Governments.

Satellite Internet for Local Councils

Australian Private Networks provides communications solutions for Local Government, Councils and Indigenous Corporations across regional and remote Australia.

Solutions Available:

Unlimited Data

F Fixed & Portable Services

Consolidated Billing of Multiple Services

P Public WiFi / Community WiFi

DRP Specific Service Plans

Solar-Powered Options for select services

Installation & Field Support Australia-wide

We provide remote on-site support using our team of Remote Service Technicians, outfitted with special 4WD off-road vehicles equipped to handle installation, servicing and maintenance in even the harshest, most isolated corners of Australia. For more informatio on call (03) 8566 8312 or email corporatesales@apn.net.au

NORTHERN BEACHES COUNCIL

articulates long-term strategy for community safety

by Christopher Allan, Journalist, Council magazine

The Northern Beaches Council last year launched its Community Safety Plan (2021-2026) – a five-year strategy to help the community realise a collective vision of a safe, inclusive, and connected community in the Northern Beaches region. The strategy is critically grounded by 18 months of consultation with residents and stakeholders, with key outputs including ten priority areas for action on community safety, supported by the latest demography and crime data. Here, we break down the significance of the Plan as a model for other local governments to adopt in their own community safety efforts.

Last September, Northern Beaches Council signalled a long-term commitment to community safety by endorsing the Community Safety Plan, a five-year roadmap to both maintain and elevate a high standard of community safety for all Northern Beaches residents.

Critical to the development of the Northern Beaches Council Community Safety Plan (2021-2026) was an extensive campaign of community consultation: over a period of 18 months, the Council consulted with residents and key stakeholders through stakeholder focus groups as well as telephone and online surveys.

As acknowledged in the Plan, consultation activities allowed Council to “assess the community’s sense of safety living on the Northern Beaches, their level of satisfaction with community safety and crime prevention, and to identify issues causing concern”.

The Council placed a copy of the Plan on exhibition in the months prior to its September release for further community feedback, a testament to how the Northern Beaches community has shaped the dialogue of local community safety.

Indeed, following community consultation last year, the Plan includes specific references to youth, including actions to develop a Youth Discussion Paper and deliver youth development programs that build resilience across a diverse cross section of young people.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY SAFETY?

According to the Plan, being safe is defined as “being protected from harm and danger, both emotionally and physically”.

“Community safety involves reducing crime, controlling risk, preventing injury and supporting vulnerable community members … recognising the need for all sections of the community to work together to create a safer environment for people to live, work and travel.

“The perception of safety is just as important as the experience of safety itself … when people feel safe, they are more prepared to connect with others and participate in community life, and together they can build more cohesive and resilient communities.”

According to Northern Beaches Council Mayor, Michael Regan, the Plan reflects how Council must work across agencies in a collaborative approach to community safety to meet the specific

safety needs of different locations and vulnerable populations.

“The Community Safety Plan outlines the actions we will take to build on our responsiveness to community safety issues over the next five years,” Mayor Regan said.

“Community safety is a high priority, and the Community Safety Plan puts us in good stead to tackle the challenges of the future.”

Strategically, the Plan outlines actions that Council, service partners and the community will take in working towards the Northern Beaches Council Better Together Social Sustainability Strategy 2040.

GOAL-SETTING ON COMMUNITY SAFETY: MAKING SENSE OF PANDEMIC CRIME DATA

A critical achievement of the Northern Beaches Council Community Safety Plan (2021-2026) is how crime statistics taken during the height of the pandemic are balanced against broader demography and crime data as well as local agency experiences, to best inform priorities for action on community safety.

Demographically, Northern Beaches Council has produced a well-developed snapshot of the Northern Beaches community, which has a higher proportion of retirees and mature adults when compared to Greater Sydney, for example.

When it comes to local crime data, the Annual Recorded Crime Statistics for the Northern Beaches Local Government Area, released in December 2020, confirmed that Northern Beaches crime rates tended to be lower than state averages, with 96 per cent of the community agreeing with the statement “I feel safe”.

However, the Plan critically notes that these crime statistics, taken during the height of the pandemic, can paint a distorted picture of crime and safety experiences in the community in the long-term.

“Although Northern Beaches data shows domestic violence has decreased 28 per cent in the 12 months to December 2020, local agencies are reporting a significant surge in demand for their services,” the Plan reported.

“We see a reduction in fraud, however we know that as our community moved online for work and social interaction, there was a 28.8 per cent rise in the number of Australians falling victim to scams in 2020 compared to 2019.”

To correct for the impact of COVID-19 on local crime data, the Plan drew on added demography and crime sources, such as state-wide crime trends.

“Sexual assault, indecent assault and other sexual offences have continued to rise and form part of a concerning trend throughout New South Wales,” the Plan reported.

“Over the long term, the Northern Beaches highest crime areas are domestic violence, non-domestic violence related assault, fraud and malicious damage.

“Council, Police and partner agencies will continue to thoroughly examine these local issues and ensure strategies are in place to protect and strengthen our local community.”

By studying crime data taken beyond pandemic sources, and listening to frontline feedback from community agencies, Northern Beaches Council has ensured that the Community Safety Plan remains a fitting strategic model for community safety into a postpandemic world.

TEN PRIORITY AREAS FOR ACTION ON COMMUNITY SAFETY

The five-year roadmap of the Northern Beaches Community Safety Plan outlined ten priority areas for Council, service partners and the

community to take action on community safety, organised around the two core outcomes of Safe Places and Safe People.

Each of the ten priority areas is described in full in the Community Safety Plan, with provision of community context as well as a list of actions to be taken over the next five years by Council.

Importantly, the youth and senior population groups have been identified for priority attention in the implementation of actions.

SAFE PLACES

The core outcome of Safe Places reflects Council efforts to ensure the community is “safe in public, at home and online”.

The five priority areas for working towards the Safe Places outcome are:

∞ Safe Open Spaces

∞ Safe Neighbourhoods

∞ Safe Businesses

∞ Safe Travel

∞ Safe Online

The success of these five priority areas will be reflected in the proportion of Northern Beaches residents who feel that they are able to participate in community life, measured every two years through a Community Wellbeing Survey.

SAFE PEOPLE

The core outcome of Safe People reflects a commitment from Council to “work with Police and service providers to maximise the safety of Northern Beaches residents”.

The five priority areas for working towards the Safe People outcome are:

∞ Safe Residents

∞ Safe Visitors

∞ Safe Relationships

∞ Safe Communities

∞ Safe Supports

The success of these five priority areas will be reflected in the proportion of Northern Beaches residents who feel that they know where to get help when they need it, measured every two years through a Community Wellbeing Survey.

A CLEAR ROADMAP FOR COUNCIL ACTION ON COMMUNITY SAFETY

The Northern Beaches Community Action Plan (2021-2026) is a long-term vision that well-demonstrates the heights of Council efforts towards community safety.

Through undertaking rigorous community consultation throughout the development of the Plan, the Council has ensured that the values and actions described in the Plan are a genuine reflection of the best outcomes for the community.

A strength of the Plan is how it balances crime research conducted during the pandemic against other information sources, like state-wide trends in sexual assault and other sexual offences, as well as local agency reporting.

Each of the ten priority areas of the Plan are described in-depth, with specific reference to actions to be taken in the next five years by Council, its service partners and the community.

“Community safety and wellbeing is a complex issue and requires us all, as part of this community, to play a role,” Mayor Regan said.

“It’s more than just policing and security – it’s about building a cohesive, resilient community where everyone feels safe and connected.

“Community safety is a high priority, and the Community Safety Plan puts us in good stead to tackle the challenges of the future.”

The full Community Safety Plan (2021-2026) is accessible via the Strategies and Plans page of the Northern Beaches Council website, will be reviewed annually to accommodate any emerging issues and evaluated every five years.

LIDAR measures the urban environment in full 3D, giving the most accurate tree canopy coverage data.

HOW TO MEASURE TREE CANOPY COVERAGE AND WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT

Interest in measuring tree canopy and building policies to increase urban tree canopy coverage is, quite literally, growing. Here, we explore common methods for measuring tree canopy coverage, and explain how the right methods can ensure councils have the best data to measure success over time.

Local councils are beginning to understand how effective the urban forest is for improving the livability and safety of their jurisdictions.

The questions facing councils now are how to measure the canopy coverage to support their policy development and how to measure the efficacy of those policies.

Aerometrex’s tree canopy measurement service builds on years of experience and refinement, testing the three most common measurement methods: aerial imagery, LIDAR, and I-Tree Canopy. They have found strengths and limitations for the end-user to consider before choosing which is best for their needs.

WHY MEASURE TREE CANOPIES?

Tree canopies and the urban forest are highly impactful climate change mitigation assets. A tree’s thermal and shading benefits reduce air and ground temperatures, making urban areas safer and more livable. As urban development accelerates, so does the clearing of trees, and their replacement with built infrastructure creates urban heat islands. The result is increasingly hot urban areas exacerbated by broader temperature increases associated with ongoing climate change.

The challenge for local councils and shires wanting to mitigate urban heat is to make meaningful tree canopy and urban forest policies, and accurately measure their effectiveness over time. Choosing the most suitable base data will inform better, more communicable policies and help councils measure success over time.

THREE APPROACHES FOR TREE CANOPY MEASUREMENT

Here we offer an explainer and evaluation of the three most common ways to measure tree canopies, and the best use for each data type.

LIDAR

Simply put, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is the most repeatably accurate way to measure 3D space at any scale, and as such, is the most precise way to measure tree canopies and gauge changes over time.

LIDAR measures the time taken for a laser pulse emitted from an aeroplane-mounted sensor to travel to and reflect off the earth’s surface back to the sensor.

Aerometrex’s LIDAR and aerial imagery combined to measure the City of Unley’s tree canopy accurately.

Each reflection becomes a measurement point, and the millions of individual points become a LIDAR point cloud that accurately measures the urban landscape in three dimensions.

LIDAR data is flexible, with applications well beyond tree canopy measurement alone. Investing in a high-resolution LIDAR dataset benefits all spatial data users and provides ongoing benefits beyond tree canopy projects.

LIDAR explicitly measures a tree’s location in a threedimensional structure and is accurate enough to measure canopy change at individual tree levels, allowing councils to segment LIDAR data to track tree canopy within specific areas and better understand changing distribution and land ownership status.

AERIAL IMAGERY AND AI

High-resolution aerial imagery with artificial intelligencebased tree canopy coverage measurement is cost-effective and representative across large areas, making it suitable for macro insights.

There are, however, inherent limitations when trying to develop policies using aerial imagery.

Trained AI systems recognise trees within aerial imagery and calculate their area. AI and aerial imagery measurement works well at a large scale, but is less accurate at smaller, propertyscale areas. Aspect distortions with aerial imagery mean trees will be measured on an angle or obscured by buildings; in large areas, aspect lean averages out, but it’s more extreme at small scales. A small area has potentially high variance from real-world canopy coverage, and each subsequent set of aerial imagery will vary from the previous.

Aerial imagery only gives a two-dimensional view and will not account for canopy height, as LIDAR does. All tree canopy coverage will be weighted equally in aerial imagery calculations, regardless of whether a tree gives on-ground thermal benefits. Aerial imagery will not measure vertical growth either.

Policy written from AI and aerial imagery-derived data must focus on large areas and offset the inherent variability at a small scale. It is, nonetheless, effective for measuring large areas, making it suitable for tree canopy coverage overview.

I-TREE CANOPY

i-Tree Canopy is a free web-based measurement platform using statistical algorithms applied to Google Earth imagery. It’s popular and open for anyone to use with a simple set of drawing tools and data outputs.

i-Tree Canopy’s simple and accessible web interface contributes significantly to increased awareness of protecting the urban forest. It has empowered environmental management experts to track tree canopy cover that otherwise may not access more complex methodologies.

i-Tree Canopy’s best use case is making broad and generalised insights across large areas.

However, i-Tree Canopy’s weakness is accuracy. It uses free, low-resolution Google Earth satellite imagery and the derived data is less accurate than LIDAR and aerial imagery.

i-Tree Canopy is, therefore, the least suitable measurement on which to base policy decisions and measure policy effectiveness.

CANOPY MEASUREMENT IN ACTION

Aerometrex determined that a mixture of LIDAR and aerial imagery provides the best overall dataset for councils and government bodies to accurately quantify and track changes in tree canopy coverage, write more effective policies, and measure the efficacy of those policies.

The City of Unley in South Australia commissioned Aerometrex to measure, quantify, and track changes in tree canopies across their jurisdiction.

The base datasets were LIDAR captures in 2018 and 2021, with supplementary high-resolution MetroMap aerial imagery data segmenting the canopy change into existing tree growth, pruning existing trees, tree removal, and tree planting. Those categories are critical in understanding the nature of canopy change.

The quality base data gave valuable and precise insights to the City of Unley:

∞ Total canopy coverage across the City of Unley increased from 26.63 per cent to 27.99 per cent between 2018 and 2021

∞ Growth of existing trees contributed five times as much new tree canopy cover as newly planted trees that have reached a height of 3m

∞ Canopy coverage losses from tree removal and pruning are the equivalent of approximately 78,900 newly planted trees reaching 3m in height (299,917m2)

∞ 68 per cent of tree canopy loss occurred on private land

∞ The most significant losses of tree canopy were intrinsically linked to urban development

The City of Unley’s dataset shows precisely how much and where tree canopy coverage changed, with added land ownership data indicating who is responsible for that change. It’s a robust, communicable dataset for all their needs.

THE BEST DATA FOR YOU

The most important consideration for choosing how to measure tree canopies is deciding the data’s use case.

LIDAR, aerial imagery, and i-Tree Canopy all give valid canopy coverage measurements, but not all will suit the same purpose in the short or long term.

The Aerometrex team has the experience to find the best solution to your tree canopy measurement needs.

Different aspect lean in the above aerial image shows how the same property can have highly variant canopy coverage measured.

TRENDS IN DIGITAL SENSING, THINKING AND ACTING TECHNOLOGY

by Gerard Dyson, Managing Director, Spectur

In our personal and working lives, we are becoming increasingly comfortable with the expansion of digital technology. Artificial intelligence, camera surveillance, sensing and automation are increasingly making our workplaces safer and more productive, supplementing, improving or even replacing the work of people. This growth has, until recently, been largely constrained by the limitations of connectivity to power and the internet. With improvements in solar battery, communications, processing power and electronics technology, the benefits of the digital world are now pushing into the outdoor “disconnected” world.

This expansion is coalescing around three related themes of sensing, thinking and acting. The Internet of Things (IoT) is moving increasingly to remote and outdoor locations, with camera technology a core element, supplemented by a broad spectrum of other sensors gathering data from the environment. To control and manage these sensors, including their power and communications, increasingly powerful and energy efficient processors are being deployed outdoors. In some cases, these systems host artificial intelligence applications or are connected via 4G, 5G, satellite or other communications technologies to cloud-based and more powerful artificial intelligence. Finally, it is possible to take an increasing array of actions in the field in response to sensing, thinking or other stimulus, without needing people to be present.

These solutions are enabling a presence in situations where there are safety hazards, when people cannot practically be present at all times, or when the costs of a human presence are too high. This digital sensing, thinking and acting technology is currently being applied to a growing array of challenges and making a big difference to communities.

Fully wireless, solar platforms with cameras and other sensors are being deployed to remote or unpowered sites to detect and deter vandalism, illegal dumping, theft and other antisocial behaviour. These systems can use artificial intelligence to interpret camera images and discern true threats before notifying first responders via email or other alerts, activate lights and sirens, record and store footage and even speak directly to the offenders. These platforms are stopping crime before it occurs, not just keeping a record of it.

Councils with beaches, rivers, lakes and other water bodies are deploying systems that improve the safety of the community. These systems include cameras to observe (live) the environment, emergency response phones, digital sign boards for community communications, loudspeakers, warning lights and even smart boxes with first aid kits and defibrillators. Fully solar-powered and connected via wireless technology, these systems can be deployed to sites without power and connectivity, ready to operate at all hours. This means the community can get help and be warned of hazards such as fire, sharks, tsunami or other material risks in an instant at multiple locations, without having to put people in harm’s way.

Ensuring environmental compliance with these remote platforms is increasingly simplified. Dust, noise, temperature, water quality and a plethora of other metrics can now be captured remotely and stored in the cloud. Using edge or cloud computing, alerts and alarms can be triggered, including actions in the field to ensure that harm or pending harm is identified and reduced. This means that an environmental spill can trigger an alert immediately, or excessive noise can be identified, recorded and pinpointed with alerts, before the damage is prolonged or increased.

The range of applications for this digital technology continues to expand. Fully wireless solutions for parking management, understanding pedestrian usage patterns, measuring social distancing and other smart city applications are now becoming available without having to dig trenches, run cables or otherwise be tethered to internet and powerhard infrastructure. Solutions continue to expand as the costs of remote technology decrease.

To find out more on how remote solar powered digital technology can make a positive impact in your communities, contact the team at spectur.com.au, your Australian digital technology experts.

MAKING PUBLIC SPACES BETTER WITH OUT OF HOME

Out of Home media is increasingly being used by councils to relay critical information to their communities.

by Cathy O’Connor, CEO, oOh!media

The impact Out of Home media and advertising can have on a community extends far beyond simply relaying product information – Out of Home infrastructure like bus shelters, billboards and information kiosks are increasingly being used in local government communities to inform residents about health messaging during the pandemic, emergency messaging during extreme weather events and as a convenient means of wayfinding in busy locations.

Since joining oOh!media just over a year ago, the pivotal role local governments play in advancing their communities by delivering quality services and infrastructure, and the strong partnership built with Out of Home providers to help achieve it, is clearly evident.

Councils support their constituents, and as a trusted partner, oOh! is committed to ensuring that continues. It’s why our company's purpose is “Making Public Spaces Better” and I’ve placed a renewed focus on living our mission. It’s central to what we believe and informs everything we do – from investing in new assets; to including communication panels, kiosks and bus shelters that benefit communities and connect with them in meaningful ways; and making sure the assets remain clean, safe and fit-for-purpose.

More than just advertising, Out of Home is a media that informs, educates and entertains millions of Australians, enhancing public spaces and delivering tangible utility to the lives of Australians each day.

As a mass reach medium, Out of Home has been effectively used to relay important health messages during the pandemic quickly and at scale. We’ve worked with the Federal and State Governments to push the vaccination message. We knew we needed to do more, so we played a direct role too and launched the ‘Getting back outdoors, it’s worth a shot’ campaign. Developed in-house, it used real-time data and dynamic creative to deliver geo-targeted information on vaccination rates in particular suburbs across the country, as well as encouraging those that hadn’t rolled up their sleeves to do so.

The dynamic capabilities of digital Out of Home signage are also used to provide vital emergency messaging during times of natural disasters and extreme weather. For example, the City of Adelaide utilised our digital assets within bus shelters to demonstrate the severity of severe heat conditions hitting

the city, and informed those sleeping rough where to go for additional support.

Similarly, Out of Home enables cities to become smarter. For the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, manager of Australia’s largest events precinct, residents and visitors were better able to navigate the complex following oOh!’s investment in digital wayfinding and information kiosks.

Out of Home is also an effective channel to connect communities with educational and inspiring content. Working with the National Gallery of Australia, we turned bus shelters into art galleries, by presenting the nation’s largest outdoor art event “Know My Name”. It championed some of the country’s best female artists by bringing their works to people on billboards and street furniture in suburbs across Australia, who would have usually had to visit the National Gallery to appreciate the art.

Younger, aspiring artists weren’t excluded. A grassroots community initiative also invited school kids to recreate Vincent Van Gough’s “Sunflowers’ with the finalists” works showcased across our national digital network.

Importantly, during the pandemic, oOh!’s cleaning and maintenance functions were classified as an essential service. Maintaining our infrastructure and ensuring it is kept clean and sanitised to keep the public safe was – and always will –remain a priority.

Out of Home also stimulates local economies by helping small businesses and communities to recover faster, with hyper-local advertising across street furniture and office towers as workers return to CBDs.

As life returns to something resembling normality, we proudly continue to work closely with our council and government partners to ensure we not just talk about our mission to make public spaces better, but continue to deliver on it.

Making public spaces better

Aust ralia’s leading Out of Home provider

KICK-STARTING OUR CITIES’ ECONOMIES POST-PANDEMIC

by Lauren DeLorenzo, Journalist, Council magazine

Art can improve our mental health and emotional wellbeing — and now, city councils are turning to the sector to stimulate economic growth, following a pandemicinduced economic downturn. Here, we look at the arts, culture, business and infrastructure initiatives that are restoring the vibrancy of Australia’s major cities.

Adelaide is a city known for its events, and Adelaide City Council’s COVID-19 recovery focuses on bringing back events and festivals while supporting local businesses.

With each city experiencing different levels of lockdowns and economic uncertainty, councils have tailored recovery efforts to target major opportunities for economic growth.

Here is how Australia’s major cities are planning to bounce back from the challenges of the last two years.

MELBOURNE: TRANSFORMING LANEWAYS INTO CAFES

Not even a pandemic could take away Melbourne’s pride in its coffee culture.

As part of its recovery efforts, Melbourne City Council has waived outdoor dining permits for over 1,250 cafes and restaurants, closed 16 laneways to make room for additional outdoor seating, and purchased $1.1 million in parklet infrastructure for businesses to use.

Council has also fast-tracked over 40km of planned bike lanes and pedestrian areas in the city, and made it a priority to ‘green’ the city with additional plants and trees.

But the beautification doesn’t stop there. A program of art installations, live performances and lighting installations has been rolled out, and vacant city storefronts have been rejuvenated with creative pop-up shops and activities.

Fees for busking permits and street trading were temporarily waived, while Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Fashion Week were reimagined to be more COVID-safe in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Small business reactivation grants were also a priority, with 1,100 small local businesses being awarded a total of $8 million in grants at the end of 2020.

ADELAIDE: CREATING UNFORGETTABLE EVENTS

A city which typically boasts a packed events calendar, Adelaide City Council’s COVID-19 recovery focuses on bringing back events and festivals while supporting local businesses.

Adelaide City Council’s Events Recovery Fund aims to support the events industry with the long-term effects of the pandemic.

The program offers three categories of funding — quick response (up to $10,000), expansion of existing events (up to $50,000) and new events (up to $200,000).

Site hire fees and application fees for events in the Park Lands have also been waived until August 2022, to attract new and diverse events from local, interstate and international organisers.

The Event Infrastructure Incentives Scheme matched funding up to $10,000 to help organisations cover event infrastructure costs, for events being held from January to June 2022.

Supporting local businesses continues to be a priority, with three-hour consultations available to help owners adapt their businesses during the pandemic.

Council also introduced a City Business Support Package for small-to-medium businesses in 2020, delivered in partnership with Business SA.

The initiative has been extended until December 2022, with further initiatives planned through the city’s Reignite Adelaide plan.

BRISBANE: BUILDING THE ECONOMY BRICK BY BRICK

With an Olympic Games on the horizon, Brisbane is constructing its COVID-19 recovery pathway by bolstering its infrastructure initiatives.

Brisbane City Council’s Dedicated House and Homes assessment team is fast-tracking construction approvals for small-scale projects, which provide work for small and medium businesses, such as new dwelling houses and extensions.

A Building and Construction Hotline will be available for customers to better understand the steps needed to get approval for their projects, moving them along more quickly.

Council has implemented a target turnaround of 20 business days for code assessable, well-made developmental change applications.

Council has also introduced new incentives to build, such as reduced minimum value for bonding uncompleted works and a new green buildings incentive policy, which encourages the development of energy efficient residential and commercial office buildings.

Outdoor dining has been a key feature for many CBD councils looking to bounce back from the pandemic.

PERTH: FLOWER BOMBS FOR FLOURISHING STREETS

With a targeted COVID-19 Economic Rebound Strategy, Perth City Council has implemented a number of arts, culture and community programs to help the city flourish.

With flower bombs, digital walking trails, public art pieces and fairy lights in trees, Perth is living up to its nickname of the City of Lights, enhancing street level vibrancy and encouraging foot traffic.

Window decals were scattered through empty tenancies and the East Perth Tunnel of Hope, and increased signage in Northbridge announced the precinct was open to visitors.

Free online professional development webinars armed creative industry professionals with advice on upskilling and pivoting business models, while a flexible approach to arts and culture sponsorship allowed the industry to postpone or alter sponsored events.

Perth also waived fees for outdoor dining permits, implementing a fast-tracked, web-based self-accreditation process, and removed charges associated with Food Premise Licence Fees.

SYDNEY: GREEN SPACES FOR A COMMUNITYDRIVEN RECOVERY

Recovery efforts for the Harbour City are focused on supporting communities, funding the arts sector and transforming city streets into pedestrian-friendly zones.

The City of Sydney is working to mitigate community issues exacerbated by the pandemic, bolstering its affordable housing programs and advocating to the New South Wales Government for no forced evictions and tenant’s rights.

A $1 million donation to Oz Harvest food relief is part of Council’s efforts to prioritize food security for vulnerable populations.

With 30 per cent of Australia’s cultural and creative industries operating in Greater Sydney, and an estimated 1,800 creative businesses in the city, arts funding is crucial to Sydney’s economic recovery efforts.

A working group of cultural sector representatives will be set up to agree upon sites for future pop-up cultural activities, with support for a focus on Indigenous cultural practices and knowledge sharing.

$23 million has been allocated to upgrade Sydney’s parks, playgrounds, streets and encourage outdoor activities, with a massive transformation of George Street underway to expand outdoor dining and create a pedestrian-only zone.

City of Sydney Council has also approved a major revitalisation of Town Hall, City South and Chinatown precincts with new COVID-safe public spaces, green avenues, slow streets and laneways, as part of a planned citywide transformation.

Six new pop-up cycle ways will make bike riding a priority, and roaming ambassadors, maps and digital services will be rolled out to welcome people back to the city.

DARWIN: PRIORITISING LOCAL SPENDING

As Darwin leaps ahead with its 2030 Economic Development Strategy, the city has focused on a “buy local” campaign to encourage spending that will support local jobs and businesses.

A new policy to buy local has a weighting of 30 per cent local content requirements, with the aim of increasing City of Darwin’s procurement in the local economy to 95 per cent of all Council expenditure.

The myDarwin online platform provided discounts, subsidised by Council, at locally-owned Darwin businesses.

Health and safety measures were also a priority, and Council implemented a new cleaning program and additional night time security patrols.

HOBART: GRANTS TO KEEP COMMUNITIES CONNECTED

The City of Hobart has waived charges for outdoor dining for restaurants and cafes, as well as application fees for expanding outdoor dining to a COVID-safe area.

The fee changes aim to encourage the creation of new spaces for people to stay connected while staying safe, and also supporting local businesses.

Financial support is also available for artists through the Creative Hobart Grants, and a number of business grants are also available.

Urban greening and making CBDs an attractive place to be has also been a focus.

CARING FOR COUNTRY:

REJUVENATING THE LAND WITH CULTURAL BURNING

In November 2019, as parts of the nation were battling the first blazes in what developed into one of Australia’s worst fire seasons, the City of Adelaide’s Horticulture Team, project managers and members of the Kaurna community met in the heart of the city with traditional fire practitioner, Victor Steffensen. A descendant of the Tagalaka people in Northern Queensland, Victor has been sharing his knowledge about cultural burning for the past 20 years.

Also known as fire-stick farming, cultural burning is a method that has been used by Aboriginal people to manage land over tens of thousands of years. By introducing others to the practice, Victor and other traditional fire practitioners are keeping this ancient, invaluable Aboriginal knowledge alive.

In the workshop, Victor spoke of the importance of land management and the steps required to take care of our land. Rectifying the issues which leave us vulnerable to wildfires will be a long-term process that may take generations to fix. The key is education, so the community understands the value of the process, so that new practitioners are fully equipped with the right knowledge, direct from the traditional practitioners and to know how to read the land, the soil, the trees, the fuel loads and the perfect conditions to ignite the right fire for the right country.

It may be hard to fathom when, in 2019, Australia experienced one of the most extreme bushfire seasons,

but in Aboriginal culture, fire is seen in a similar way to water – as a means to reinvigorate the land. A cultural burn is conducted in such a controlled and measured way that quite often – once the fire passes over, the ground is cool to the touch. This is a fire that burns so slowly and purposefully, that creatures great and small can instinctively move away to safety. The motion of the fire itself is often referred to by the practitioners as ‘trickling’, much like water; cleansing and rejuvenating the land it passes over.

At a time when we are focussed on and making efforts to reverse the damage done to our planet, it makes sense we would seek insights from a culture that valued its environment in such a way that they lived in complete harmony with their natural surroundings for over 65,000 years.

“Over the years, our native grasslands and grassy woodlands have come under increasing pressure from human settlement, urbanisation and a changing climate,” explains Gemma Bataille, Biodiversity Leading Hand for the City of Adelaide.

“Natural grazing and fire regimes are key ecological processes in native grassland ecosystems. Without that, the condition of the vegetation structure and species composition can be profoundly affected.”

"When we see little projects like this, it's not insignificant, because it gives the people in cities an opportunity to be exposed to the knowledge, and to understand."

Victor Steffensen, Traditional Fire Practitioner

To manage the landscape, the biodiversity team have mimicked the effects of fire within this site in recent years.

“To be able to have fire in the City of Adelaide, what that does for me as an Aboriginal man, is it empowers me. It gives me strength, it lets me know that, hey we have a voice here and we're part of some of that decision-making around what happens to our country on the Adelaide Plains.”

“With the absence of fire as a tool, the team have used handweeding, mowing and brush-cutting as methods to reduce thatch build-up of native grass species, manage weed species and to maintain the amenity of the site. The aim for this site is to increase total native cover, and to increase the proportion of native cover that is made up by non-grass components of the site,” Ms Bataille said.

“As effective as the fire management will be, personally, I believe the cultural significance is even greater than the ecological outcomes.

"I think it will be a profound step forward for the Kaurna community and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be involved."

“There is a large reconciliation aspect to a project like this and there have been some leaders in the non-Aboriginal community, who have actively sought out us Kaurna people to be involved,” said Kaurna Narungga Man, Clem Newchurch.

“The burn will be Aboriginal led, which is an amazing example of reconciliation and action.”

According to Kaurna Ngarrindjeri Cultural Bearer, Allan Sumner, fire was a part of everyday life for Aboriginal people –used for healing, warming, cooking and hunting. want to bring these

Along with playing a major part in healing the country, Allan says regular burn-offs will begin to attract other species of plants.

"For us as Aboriginal people, just the smell of fire and smoke, connects us back to the country."

Allan Sumner, Kaurna Ngarrindjeri

Cultural Bearer

“It'll awaken those seeds that have been lying in the ground for many years. In fact, the term Tarnanthi, which is used for the Art Festival here in South Australia, means to arise, like a seed growing up from the ground. So that word Tarnanthi for us, also connects us with fire.”

Allan also expressed how important it is for there to be opportunities for young people to express themselves culturally.

“In normalising the practice of fire, it's going to create that pathway for our young people. To feel like they can be part of their own culture.

“For us as Aboriginal people, just the smell of fire and smoke, connects us back to the country. There's something that touches our senses and it gives us a sense of belonging.”

The trial of the cultural burn within the City of Adelaide may be on a small scale, but that doesn’t diminish its significance.

“Every single, little step is important for change," Victor explains.

"When we see little projects like this, it's not insignificant, because it gives the people in cities an opportunity to be exposed to the knowledge, and to understand.

“So, these types of projects are great, and let's face it, it's a massive challenge. Because we're in a city, but also the land has been tampered with for so long.

“This is going to be a positive way forward. It will excite people and revive this country and its Aboriginal culture in a way that evolves with the broader community.”

To find out more details about this project, titled Kaurna Kardla Parranthi, including an FAQ please visit Your Say Adelaide.

UNCOVERING THE LATEST IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Sustainable Cities, held in November 2021, was hosted by Council magazine, and it was the latest event to be held under the highly successful Smart Cities banner. This virtual event consisted of two free-to-attend virtual conferences, exploring the ways that Australia’s local government sector is bringing sustainable principles into the way their cities, towns and communities operate.

Over the course of the two conferences, speakers explored the concept of the sustainable city, looking at the different pillars of sustainability and how these are applied in a local government context. The program also took a closer look at some of Australia’s most sustainable cities, diving deep into where and how they are excelling in achieving sustainability objectives.

Conference one, Exploring Sustainable Cities, looked at sustainability in our cities and communities in a broader context. We explored what sustainability means to councils around Australia, and considered the benchmarks the local

government sector uses to measure its sustainability performance.

Conference two, Sustainable Cities in Action, drilled down to case studies providing full visibility of some of Australia’s best performing cities when it comes to sustainability. These case studies covered a range of sustainability principles, including the built environment, energy, water, waste, consumption and much more.

Conference one kicked off with a keynote presentation from Natasha Palich, Executive Officer at the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE). Natasha spoke about the need for collaborative

governance in order to encourage practices across our cities and organisations. Natasha also spoke extensively about CASBE’s role in creating a specific methodology for assessing projects against sustainable goals, a crucial part in developing a movement that has turned ideas around sustainability into concrete action.

Natasha’s presentation was followed by Roger Swinbourne, ARUP’s Australasia Sustainability Leader, who discussed the next steps local governments need to take in their sustainability journeys.

Roger’s presentation provided delegates with some historical context

on the development of a sustainability industry in Australia, and he noted that our understanding of sustainability globally has been gradually increasing in complexity in recent years. Viewing sustainability through a social, environmental and economic lens has become relatively common; but Roger noted that we now also see a big focus on resilience, particularly towards environmental challenges like floods and bushfires.

The last two years have also led to a massive shift in financial markets now requiring businesses to have sustainable practices embedded in their organisation, which has been a positive step forward for sustainability advocates and professionals.

There’s a growing realisation that as planetary limits are being pushed, we need to come together to define some key future goals in the sustainability realm. But bringing multiple parties together for positive sustainability outcomes can be a challenge. According to Roger, a big part of resolving this challenge will be in finding the common language that all parties will be engaged by.

The next presentation from Strategic Smart City Consultant, Gordon Falconer, focused on the work Norwegian cities have undertaken to achieve sustainability goals; and the final session for the first conference was a panel discussion looking at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and local government, focusing on how local governments can rise to the challenge and reap the benefits that come with adopting the SDGs.

The keynote speaker for conference two was Nick Kamper, the Chief Executive Officer at Purpose Bureau, and his presentation focused on the fact that local governments are often the unsung heroes of sustainability.

Purpose Bureau uses a range of data sources to gain sustainability insights into companies and organisations, and their research shows that commitment to net zero is often a good indicator of sustainability momentum. The good

news at the local government level is that almost half of Australia's population live in LGAs are already committed to net zero, with Victoria being the state leading the country in local government commitment to net zero.

Overall, 17 per cent of Australian councils have made a net zero commitment, as opposed to a Purpose Bureau analysis of 50,000 private sector businesses, which found that only six per cent of large businesses have a net zero commitment.

Nick’s presentation was followed by Maria Zotti, the Manager of Park Lands and Sustainability at the City of Adelaide, who discussed Adelaide’s lofty sustainability goals. The City has already committed to having the entire city carbon neutral by 2025, with the council organisation itself already carbon neutral.

According to Maria, Adelaide boasts the greenest town hall in Australia, which has led to massive electricity savings for Council. The early successes the City saw on its sustainability journey led to the development of a Climate Change Risk Adaptation Action Plan, which represents a massive program of works to ensure the city is climate ready.

The next speaker was Wendy Steele, who is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Urban Research and School of Global Urban and Social Studies at RMIT University. Wendy presented her

research on helping local communities find meaningful ways to address sustainability, which has identified an emerging model of quiet activism within local communities all around Australia. Conference two concluded with a panel discussion on the topic of “Sustainability in local government: beyond the first steps”, during which Portia Odell, Director of the Cities Power Partnership, Guy Pritchard, Manager of the SV Lab at Sustainability Victoria, Professor Brendan Mackey, Director of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and Kieren Moffat, CEO of Voconiq, looked at some of the initiatives local governments should be looking at to move beyond the basics and take their sustainability journey to the next level.

Sustainable Cities was well-attended by delegates from councils all around Australia, and it was a fascinating exploration of the things local governments have achieved to date when it comes to sustainability, and the next steps they can take to ensure they remain in step with the expectations of their residents.

The conference was made possible by the generous support of our sponsors: Event Partner Axis Communications, Session Partner Fimer, Panel Sponsor Vococniq and Sponsor GHD.

The Sustainable Cities conversation will continue in May, when Council hosts our first virtual conference for the year, Smart Cities. For more information on this event, and to register for free, head to smart-cities.com.au

Panellists discussing the sustainable development goals and how these apply to local government.

FEATURES SCHEDULE

ASSIST URBAN PLANNING, ASSET MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH HIGH RESOLUTION

ASSIST URBAN PLANNING, ASSET MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH HIGH RESOLUTION

AERIAL IMAGERY

AERIAL IMAGERY

metromap.com.au