Council Magazine Summer 2022/2023

Lord Mayor Donna Davis talks PHIVE

Parramatta’s new community hotspot

How a changing climate calls on councils to adapt

Building better mental health in local government

As 2022 comes to an end and 2023 peeks over the horizon, Australia's councils reflect on a turbulent year brimming with growth and resilience.

The year that was showcased immense strength in community, often spearheaded and supported by local councils. Highlighting resilience in the face of extreme circumstances; such as the continuing climate crisis, unforeseen weather events, or the rising cost of living and housing crisis.

Reprieve from these events has been found in the country’s communities and enduring spirit – from running community events to raise spirits, to maintaining a sense of normalcy, community and forward-thinking.

This is seen in our cover image highlighting Parramatta City Council’s new community hub PHIVE, a new space built to encourage social cohesion and provide for the community for generations to come.

Blacktown City Council’s Diwali celebrations are an eye-catching example of this spirit as well, promoting inclusivity in the region and a sense of community.

Another common theme in the sector is preparation and future planning – as seen in Brisbane City Council’s feature regarding its transport connection planning for the up-and-coming 64ha Victoria Park.

Centre for Just Places’ article, in our Community Design feature, touches on these challenges also – outlining how

councils have a responsibility to not only adapt to a changing climate and update their responses from reactive to proactive, but to advocate for vulnerable community members who are affected at a more acute level.

The topic of mental health is also present and timely, as seen in our eye-opening feature from the Black Dog Institute, outlining the unique mental health challenges council workers face and how these can be managed to build happier workplaces.

Council Magazine wishes our readers a happy holiday season – now is time for rest, recovery, and to reflect on the resiliency councils have shown throughout 2022; how they have stood up for their communities, made change and helped in times of need.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Heralding a milestone in sustainability for Victoria, 2022 marked the 20th anniversary of the state’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards. Over the past two decades, the prestigious awards program has continued to grow and reflect the action happening across industry, local government and community from regional to metropolitan Victoria – with this year's awards shining a light on the innovative work local councils are implementing to promote sustainability.

Asset management is a key responsibility for councils across Australia, since disruptions to essential services or damage to public infrastructure can severely impact communities. By modernising their approaches to proactive rather than reactive solutions, councils are better able to meet the needs of their municipalities now and into the future – using out-of-the-box solutions to

52 PHIVE: PARRAMATTA’S NEW COMMUNITY HUB

In the heart of Sydney, Parramatta is consistently growing – building a bustling, diverse community that has become Sydney’s dual CBD. To match this expansion, City of Parramatta has brought PHIVE to life; a $136 million cultural, civic and community hub. Boasting a bright red roof jutting into the skyline and unique architecture, the community hub is the new icon of the City, featuring everything the community needs for the future, from a new library and Council Chambers, to tech labs and sound studios.

FUTURE WEATHER EVENTS WITH BUOYANT BARRIERS

Future planning is a key responsibility of councils around Australia, as the population steadily rises and more transport infrastructure is needed to support this immense growth. City of Ryde has tackled this head on, with the release of its award-winning Integrated Transport Strategy 2041, working to establish the vision, policy, directions and strategies required to achieve a sustainable, accessible, attractive and convenient transport system.

A WORD FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

AA YEAR OF HIGHS AND LOWS

By Cr Linda Scott, President of the Australian Local Government Association

s we close out the year, it’s worth looking back on everything we have achieved over the past 12 months.

A key priority for councils has been a dedicated federal local government minister, and ALGA’s advocacy has delivered two – Catherine King and former Bega Valley Shire Mayor Kristy McBain.

Councils also asked ALGA to advocate for more federal funding, and we secured an additional $750 million for the hugely successful Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, bringing the total value of this program to $3.25 billion.

We also delivered a commitment from Labor to provide “fair increases” to Financial Assistance Grants, and we are working with the government now on what these increases will look like – with the goal of implementing them from 2023.

Our communities have been devastated by natural disasters over the past few years, and ALGA’s advocacy this year has resulted in a new $200 million per year Disaster Ready Fund.

For communities such as Bundaberg in Queensland, who have disaster mitigation projects ready to go but just need federal funding, this new program will be invaluable.

However, there’s still a lot left to do, and ALGA is committed to delivering the support local governments need to effectively serve their communities.

Affordable housing is one of our country’s biggest issues, and we are working hard to secure funding for councils to play a major role addressing this crisis.

ALGA’s research shows that more than nine in ten Australian councils are experiencing jobs and skills shortages, and we’re advocating for support that will help councils to invest in their workforce planning and development.

Across the country councils are already setting ambitious emission reductions targets, and meeting these targets would bring Australia 96 per cent of the way to reducing its emissions by 28 per cent by 2030.

We need more support though to deliver on this promise, and ALGA will continue to advocate for new funding streams.

Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is fundamental to our future national story, and ALGA will continue to support councils to deliver tangible outcomes in their communities.

The biggest challenge we have as a sector is financial sustainability.

ALGA’s research shows that almost one in four Australian councils are heavily reliant on federal grant funding. Rising costs and skills shortages, as well as rate pegging in some jurisdictions, are putting real pressure on local government budgets.

ALGA understands the financial pressures Australian councils are under and we are working to deliver longlasting solutions.

Working together we have achieved a lot this year, but there is still so much we can deliver for our communities in 2023 and beyond.

I hope to see you in Canberra next June for our 2023 National General Assembly and, we hope, the return of the Australian Council of Local Government.

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

CLOSING THE GAP:

A NEW WAY OF WORKING TOGETHER

Through a genuine partnership, all governments, including the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), worked together with the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks), comprising over seventy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, to develop the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

This is the first time a national agreement designed to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

By National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA)

Substantial change can be achieved when decision-making is shared among the people affected by those decisions. This is why all Australian governments are committed to transforming how they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations to improve life outcomes.

peoples has been formally developed with the people it affects most.

The National Agreement is governed by the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, which brings together:

∞ The Lead Convener of the Coalition of Peaks and Commonwealth Minister for Indigenous Australians as Co-Chairs

∞ ALGA’s President

∞ Ministers responsible for Indigenous Affairs from all States and Territories

∞ 12 members of the Coalition of Peaks

At the heart of the National Agreement are four Priority Reforms which establish the enabling environment required to create meaningful change and accelerate progress and support for First Nations policy priorities.

These four Priority Reforms should be considered in everything all Australian governments do:

1. Formal Partnerships and Shared Decision Making –strong partnerships with a focus on a joined up approach with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives to ensure accountability and representation.

2. Building the Community-Controlled Sector – joint, national efforts to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to continue and expand their delivery of culturally safe and responsive services.

3. Transforming Government Organisations –improvements to mainstream institutions, including governments, their organisations and their institutions to eliminate racism, embed cultural safety and deliver services in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities and peoples.

4. Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional Level – increased data and information access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities to support shared decision-making authority and provide the tools required to make decisions about their own development.

Governments acknowledge that equal participation in the implementation and ongoing monitoring of the National Agreement is essential to accelerate improvements in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) strives to be an example for Australian governments on how considering the Priority Reforms is possible through partnerships that embrace First Nations authority, knowledge and expertise.

The NIAA has deliberately focused on investments in time, people and resources to further mature our practice of working as a trusted partner, building meaningful relationships and establishing the Closing the Gap governance required to support specific actions and commitments.

Each party to the National Agreement has also developed a Closing the Gap Implementation Plan to be delivered with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners, including ALGA's Closing the Gap Implementation Plan

Implementation Plans set out how policies and programs are aligned to the National Agreement and what actions will be taken to achieve the Priority Reforms and outcomes, including information on funding and timeframes for actions. The Plans are reported on annually to the Joint Council. There is much goodwill to embed and accelerate the Priority Reforms however goodwill must translate into actions through institutional, structural and collaborative change.

The Priority Reforms require all Australian governments to change how they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in partnership, and provide goal posts for best practice.

Embedding Priority Reforms takes collective effort, and working in partnership to transform government entities requires a shift in how we all work and think.

The question governments and their employees can ask themselves is “how am I and my organisation making the Priority Reforms central to our day-to-day work?” Each and every government employee should strive to be able to answer this question which brings the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to life.

Accountability in this way gives individuals and organisations a means to measure their own contributions to achieving the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and targets.

For all of us, there are some practical and operational changes we can implement now. Governments can be more conscious that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members are not outnumbered in any meeting on matters that affect them and have their nominated representatives at the table.

The voices and expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and communities should hold as much weight as governments, with consensus decisionmaking through equitable representation.

Governments can also ensure that time and money to support formal partnership arrangements is available to enable First Nations parties to engage and form positions. Equally, it is important to make sure everyone understands the scope and constraints about the project, policy or service they are partnering on.

Another opportunity for strengths-based partnership is through Priority Reform Two – Building the CommunityControlled Sector. The National Agreement commits all parties to identify sectors for joint national strengthening efforts every three years through Sector Strengthening Plans

The initial four sectors identified in the National Agreement are:

∞ Early childhood care and development

∞ Health

∞ Housing

∞ Disability

There are opportunities for local government, through the delivery of the Sector Strengthening Plans, to undertake and strengthen partnerships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community–controlled organisations in the delivery of services.

Additional benefits flow on from such partnerships, including increased employment opportunities and pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into the workforce and leadership positions.

Together, all governments can help Close the Gap by partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – the very people who hold the solutions to the issues that affect them and should lead the way.

To learn more about Closing the Gap, visit www.closingthegap.gov.au, or if you have a specific question contact the Closing the Gap team at NIAA via www.closingthegap.gov.au/contact

SUNSHINE COAST’S $16M PROJECT WINS TOP PRIZE AT INDUSTRY AWARDS

The Sunshine Coast Council’s latest beachfront parkland project – Mooloolaba’s $16 million Northern Parkland – has been crowned Project of the Year and also took out the $10 million to $20 million Projects category at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Queensland and Northern Territory (IPWEA) 2022 Excellence Awards.

The Northern Parkland project beat more than 50 projects to take out the top accolade at one of Queensland’s most acclaimed industry awards programs.

The $16 million Stage One Northern Parkland was developed with the support of the Queensland Government’s $50 million Unite and Recover Community Stimulus Package in association with Sunshine Coast Council.

The hectare of multi-level beachfront parkland – complete with a 200m accessible boardwalk, viewing platforms, stateof-the-art playground, renewed seawall, public amenities and community infrastructure – has been attracting thousands of additional visitors to the Mooloolaba foreshore, injecting $5.5 million worth of extra expenditure into local businesses each year.

The coveted awards recognise outstanding community and economic contribution through exceptional project planning, stakeholder engagement, innovation, sustainability and environmental management.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor, Mark Jamieson, agreed with the judges that the breathtaking parkland, nestled between the Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba Esplanade, represented exceptional community outcomes, saying it has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community.

“Visitors have been flocking to Mooloolaba’s new Northern Parkland,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“The area provides a significant opportunity to drive renewed visitation and investment into Mooloolaba and, indeed, the whole Sunshine Coast region.

“Local businesses reported an increase in trade due to the new parkland, and several eateries have adapted their menu to accommodate the increased family trade.”

Mayor Jamieson said the project delivered on the community’s desire to reinvigorate Mooloolaba as a place for locals, attracting more permanent residents to the area, and taking inspiration from the coastal town’s character and community values, with the Northern Parkland celebrating the natural environment and diversity of the Sunshine Coast.

“Mooloolaba’s Northern Parkland transformation includes more than 120 trees and 10,000 new shrubs and groundcovers, along with preserving Norfolk Pines,” Mayor Jamieson said.

Sunshine Coast Council Division 4 Councillor Joe Natoli shared in the excitement, and said the award was a major win for the region.

“It is a great honour for the Northern Parkland to be recognised by the IPWEA, and I sincerely congratulate all those involved in the project,” Cr Natoli said.

“The project team addressed many site considerations to deliver this exciting community space, including detailed engineering concepts for the fully accessible boardwalk, complex hydrology considerations and careful flora and fauna management.

“The team overcame challenges such as a degraded seawall, extreme weather events and global supply constraints.”

Council also acknowledged the local architects, consultants, contractors and specialists who contributed to the project since the original concept design began, which also includes Council’s internal construction teams.

Cr Natoli said a key focus for the parkland was prioritising accessibility and inclusivity so all members of the community can enjoy the foreshore.

“It also features signature Sunshine Coast architecture and parkland design, which blends innovative manmade materials with natural elements including timber and locally sourced rock, emphasising the precinct’s sustainable and relaxed beachside style,” Cr Natoli said.

In early 2022 the Northern Parkland project received the Green Space Urban Award by the Australian Institute of Horticulture Inc (AIH), which recognised environmental responsibility and ‘greening’ the built landscape.

NSW FIRST:

3D PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TRIAL COMING TO MANLY

Northern Beaches Council, in partnership with Transport for NSW, is trialling three new 3D pedestrian crossings in high traffic areas of Manly over summer, in a New South Wales-first.

The new crossings create an optical illusion, appearing to rise up from the pavement, and providing an innovative way to improve pedestrian safety and slow down motorists.

3D crossings have been used in numerous locations in Europe and America, as well as a few Australian locations, with research showing that they can reduce traffic speeds and improve public safety.

Driver, pedestrian and community behaviour will be assessed during the first six months of the trial to determine the crossing’s effectiveness and consider if it should be applied to other high pedestrian and vehicle traffic across the area.

The installation commenced with the removal of the existing crossings, with the installation of the new crossings beginning in early November.

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has announced a multi-storey development plan to provide social and affordable housing, and combat the shortage of rental accommodation in the region.

TRC will work in collaboration with not-for-profit community housing provider, Brisbane Housing company (BHC), to develop the accommodation in its city centre on Station Street.

TRC Planning and Development Committee chair, Cr Megan O’Hara Sullivan, said the 28 September confidential Special Meeting of Council resolved to dispose of a portion of the Station Street car park by selling the freehold title at market value to BHC, subject to finalisation of agreed commercial arrangements.

“BHC’s proposal is to develop new social and affordable units on the south-east portion of the Station Street site,” Cr O’Hara Sullivan said.

“We are pleased to partner with BHC, which has a proven record of delivering this type of accommodation.

“Council has been devising ways to address the acute shortage of rental accommodation, especially for the social and affordable housing sector, that is representative of the tight housing and rental market across Australia.

“Council is positive that the proposed Station Street development will offer a greater variety of well-designed housing options that are close to transport, schools, recreation areas, retail and service hubs.

“Council will look for ways to reinvest the proceeds from the sale of the Station Street land into car parking or similar improvements across the CBD. The Station Street car park is rarely above 60 per cent capacity on most days.

“Private investors have shown their confidence in this part of the CBD through recent multi-storey development applications, including the construction of the Bernoth development fronting Mylne Street.

“There is great potential for additional revitalisation of this area of the CBD with easy connections to the historic and recently upgraded Russell Street retail area, in addition to easy access to the Railway Parklands area.

“The Railway Parklands earlier this year received a $25 million funding injection from the State and Commonwealth Governments through the City Deal agreement (this also incorporates the Council of Mayors South East Queensland, of which Toowoomba is a member).

“Council’s work to prepare a new Planning Scheme, under the Toowoomba Region Futures banner, is planning for growth over the next 30 years to ensure there is more choice in housing type and location.”

BHC Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Oelkers, said BHC welcomed Toowoomba Regional Council’s resolution to progress this project, which “aims to deliver secure, highquality rental homes in close proximity to the city centre”.

“The proposed development will offer a balanced mix of long-term social, affordable and market rentals, ensuring residents in housing need can stay connected to their local area and continue to live, work and thrive as part of the vibrant Toowoomba community,” Ms Oelkers said.

“BHC looks forward to continuing to work with Toowoomba Regional Council to progress the plans for this development and assist in addressing local housing needs.”

The confidential report outlined options for other projects on Council-owned land in Annand Street and Neil Street.

STATEWIDE ROADS EMERGENCY DECLARED FOR NSW AFTER FLOOD DEVASTATION

Local Government NSW’s (LGNSW) declaration of a Statewide Roads Emergency has been unanimously supported by the New South Wales mayors and councillors that attended the National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Hobart on 2-3 November 2022.

As part of the Statewide Roads Emergency, LGNSW is calling for:

∞ An acceleration and significant increase in funding for the $1.1 billion Fixing Local Roads and Fixing Country Bridges program

∞ A boost to Road Block Grant funding to compensate for the damage to the regional road network

∞ New funding to provide councils with plant machinery and skilled workers to expedite road repairs

The declaration and urgent call for the New South Wales and Federal Governments to increase their existing road funding commitments comes after successive floods and torrential rain events caused $2.5 billion in road damages and a collapse of the local and regional road network.

LGNSW President, Darriea Turley, warned that without additional funding, the economic and social harm caused by this emergency would only get worse.

“More than 220 natural disaster areas have been declared across New South Wales this year, leaving the road network in a state of disrepair,” Cr Turley said.

“Road repair funding pledged to date has fallen well short of what is required so we’re declaring this Statewide Roads Emergency to get help before the situation becomes even worse.

“In the coming weeks, close to $4 billion worth of crops will need to be harvested and transported, yet harvesting machinery is unable to access some of the most productive regions in our state.”

Cr Turley said the wider rural communities supporting Australia’s food bowl who are waiting for the network to be repaired “are on their knees”.

“Meanwhile, families travelling during the upcoming summer holidays will find their trips to visit family and friends severely disrupted unless councils get the support we need to rebuild the road network,” Cr Turley said.

“When this rain finally recedes, we owe it to our communities that they gain access to their road network as quickly as possible.”

Cr Turley said New South Wales communities are facing an unprecedented disaster which calls for an unprecedented response.

“I call on the New South Wales and Federal Governments to take action on the Statewide Roads Emergency and help our regional and rural communities bounce back from the devastation caused by this year’s floods,” Cr Turley said.

$1B BUDGET COMMITMENT TO FUND

NEW REGIONAL PROGRAMS

The 2022-23 Federal Budget has pledged $1 billion to regional infrastructure programs for councils and not-for-profit organisations – a commitment which will fund two major programs for a period of three years.

This commitment includes the Growing Regions Program and the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

The new programs will replace the former Coalition Government’s Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF), with the Federal Government also announcing the conclusion to Round 6 of the Building Better Regions Fund introduced by the former government.

In a statement, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said, “The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) found the BBRF grants favoured National Party electorates and were not awarded on the basis of merit, but on the basis of rules that were not made clear to all applicants.”

Coalition MPs have denied these allegations.

The Federal Government claims the Growing Regions Program will provide new opportunities for regional local councils and not-for-profit organisations through an annual open, competitive grants process.

The regional Precincts and Partnerships Program promises a strategic, nationally consistent mechanism for funding and coordinating larger-scale projects that transform a place, to benefit communities in regional cities and wider rural and regional Australia.

Ms King said the government would also terminate the previous government’s Community Development Grants (CDG) program.

“In a similar way, the previous government’s Community Development Grants program started out as a closed fund for 2013 election commitments, but then the Coalition kept it around year after year. It was a ‘grants’ program that community organisations had no ability to apply for,” Ms King said.

“We will close down the CDG program and no new projects will be funded from it.

“The Australian Government will provide a pathway for those CDG projects properly accounted for up to the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook to be funded through our new election commitment programs.

“All contracted projects will be honoured, and a further 82 projects that date back to 2016 and that are yet to be contracted will have six months to finalise negotiations before the program ends.”

SYDNEY COUNCIL REITERATES URGENT NEED FOR EVACUATION ROUTE

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News that $50 million in funding has been confirmed for the Castlereagh Connection in the Federal Budget has prompted Penrith City Council to stress the urgent need for an evacuation route in Western Sydney.

Council has called on successive governments, over many years, to deliver the Castlereagh Connection, with the belief that it will unlock economic opportunities for not only Penrith but the wider region – stretching out to the Central West – and to ensure the safety of residents in a crisis.

The untapped 22km corridor was identified in 1951 and has yet to be actioned, with almost 90 per cent of the land government-owned.

Penrith City Council Mayor, Tricia Hitchen, has welcomed the funding boost after witnessing first hand the devastation caused by floods in 2021 and 2022.

“This year alone, the HawkesburyNepean Valley, has been hit by a number of flood events, two of which were emergency situations that closed road networks and wiped out parts of the community; leaving residents stranded, only to watch on as flood waters

encroached on their homes,” Mayor Hitchen said.

“It has been devastating and frustrating to see the impact of these crisis situations, knowing that a critical project we as a Council have long advocated for has been unfunded –until now.

“Council is relieved to hear that the Castlereagh Connection is a step closer to being realised and thanks the Federal Government for its commitment to planning for this project to help protect our community members and future proof our City.”

It was confirmed in the new federal budget that New South Wales infrastructure will receive a $1 billion boost, with $300 million to fund road improvements in Western Sydney.

The Castlereagh Connection is an important response to the immediate flood risks in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and will form a multi-pronged approach to flood management in the region.

Once complete, it will intersect with four of the current evacuation routes to deliver up to 24,000 vehicles (particularly many of the 37,000 residents of the highly flood-prone Richmond-Windsor SA3) onto the M7.

Council said it will, most importantly, create necessary transport links for any emergency situation, not just a flood, as well as building greater development opportunities between the city and the new airport and aerotropolis, and connect Sydney to the Central West.

It will also facilitate access to Sydney’s existing and proposed motorway network to benefit residents in the Penrith, Hawkesbury and Blacktown Local Government Areas, where some 30,000 new homes are planned.

The connection will reduce the current national transport network gaps, particularly to the Central West, unlocking economic opportunities for Penrith and the surrounding areas across tourism, freight and agribusiness.

“Connecting our current and future transport network to facilitate greater access across Sydney will stimulate business growth across strategic centres,” Mayor Hitchen said.

“The delivery of more jobs closer to home, better connected transport links and access to work and educational opportunities for disadvantaged communities are just some of the benefits of delivering the Castlereagh Connection.”

SMART TECHNOLOGY REDUCES RISK OF COMPOST FIRES IN GEELONG

New technology funded through the City of Greater Geelong’s Clean Technology Grant is helping to reduce the risk of fires in local garden organics facilities.

A pilot program at the City of Greater Geelong’s Garden Organics Processing Facility in Anakie is using a fleet of new 4G, weather-proof, solar-powered temperature sensors.

The $26,000 grant was awarded in 2019 through Cleantech Innovations Geelong, a business and industry support program funded by the City of Greater Geelong, the Victorian Government and the Geelong Manufacturing Council.

The new devices, which were developed by Sequence Digital, will monitor 10,000m³ of garden organics – the equivalent of four olympic-sized swimming pools – collected from household green bins across Greater Geelong.

City of Greater Geelong Mayor and Chair of the Innovative Solutions portfolio, Peter Murrihy, said the grant was used to develop the device, which can remotely measure and log the temperature of organic material.

“Compost can get really hot and ignite, so using remote, round-the-clock monitoring means we can improve safety on site and process organics more efficiently,” Mayor Murrihy said.

“The data is available in real time, so our staff know straight away if there’s an issue with higher temperatures and they can take action quickly to cool down the material.

“This initiative is an example of the clever and creative ways we are deploying smart technology to support better outcomes for our environment and community.”

Innovative Solutions Deputy Chair, Councillor Sarah Mansfield, said the new Geelong Garden Organics Composting Facility between Anakie and Lovely Banks processes up to 35,000t per year of green organics collected from garden waste bins.

“Around 50 per cent of the rubbish Australians put in the garbage bin could be put to better use as compost and mulch,” Cr Mansfield said.

“The temperature monitoring means we can safely and efficiently process organics while reducing our impact on the environment.”

Co-director of Sequence Digital, Patrick Blampied, said the industrial temperature sensor has a ground-breaking design with the ability to operate in remote areas where the internet signal is weak, and the weather conditions are extreme.

“These devices are tough as nails and send critical temperature data to the cloud in real time, rain, hail or shine, even in areas with patchy rural internet connectivity,” Mr Blampied said.

“The Cleantech Innovations grant made it possible to redesign our earlier prototype from the ground up to make sure it could be used in the most remote outdoor organics facilities across Australia.”

Featured image: City of Greater Geelong Mayor, Peter Murrihy, with Geelong Manufacturing Council CEO, Jennifer Conley, and Co-Directors of Sequence Digital, Patrick Blampied and Raj Pandita. Image: Reg Ryan.

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SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS

Premier’s highlight innovative councils

Heralding a milestone in sustainability for Victoria, 2022 marked the 20th anniversary of the state’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards. Over the past two decades, the prestigious awards program has continued to grow and reflect the action happening across industry, local government and community from regional to metropolitan Victoria – with this year's awards shining a light on the innovative work local councils are implementing to promote sustainability.

In this day and age, sustainability and implementing it into different facets of the community has become of the utmost priority for local councils as the climate crisis worsens.

The Premier’s Sustainability Awards are delivered collaboratively by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government, along with the Banksia Foundation and Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.

The winners of the 20th Premier’s Sustainability Awards were announced on 20 September 2022, with two local governments among the 12 winners: Darebin City Council and the City of Greater Bendigo.

Darebin City Council took out the Thriving Environment Industry Leader award and the City of Greater Bendigo won the Circular Economy Industry Leader category.

Sustainability Victoria’s Interim CEO, Matt Genever, said Darebin City Council and the City of Greater Bendigo are to be congratulated for their work in accelerating sustainability.

“I’m sure these award-winning programs will provide inspiration to councils across the country,” Mr Genever said.

REWILDING DAREBIN

On 5 December 2016, Darebin City Council became the first local government anywhere in the world to declare a climate emergency, recognising the need to support landscapes and communities to adapt and become resilient to the changes in climate.

In response, a new Open Space Strategy was adopted in 2019 with a key focus on enhancing biodiversity by reintroducing Indigenous plants to Darebin’s open spaces.

Rewilding Darebin was born in 2020 out of this commitment.

This ongoing program focuses on tackling the issues of reduced habitat for local fauna, weed infestations, increased stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect, and residents’ lack of access to nature.

The program’s vision is to ensure the provision of healthy, resilient and biodiverse ecosystems that respect the Indigenous character of the landscape in urban areas for the benefit of

Darebin Council workers working on the Darebin Rewilding program.

communities, flora, fauna, fungi and soil – in the present and into the future.

Darebin’s Parks Special Projects Officer, Ben Smith, said, “Rewilding addresses the impact of densified urbanisation on biodiversity and people’s physical and mental wellbeing, additionally exacerbated by climate change. It is a local response to the global climate, biodiversity loss, and land degradation crisis.”

Darebin City Council is one of a few Victorian councils with a long-standing Conservation Team and it’s this capacity and capability that has helped the Rewilding program thrive.

“While a dedicated Conservation Team has been instrumental to the program, we certainly haven’t worked alone,” Mr Smith said.

“One of the major success stories has been the integration across Council from capital works to parks to water management and city design teams.

“This strong collaboration has seen us work smarter and more holistically. For example, new buildings through the capital works program didn’t come up in our matrix of priorities.

“But when the Narrandjeri Stadium was built, we saw an opportunity for rewilding, and this opportunity resulted in 6,000 plants going in, connecting the new stadium surrounds with the Darebin creek corridor.

“But nature doesn’t work in isolated pockets.

“It needs corridors, stepping stones, so there’s a continuity for species ability to move through areas.”

The team therefore added vegetation around existing buildings near the new sports centre to provide a link between habitats for the wildlife.

DAREBIN’S HURDLES

Commencing in March 2020 at the same time COVID-19 hit, the program faced numerous challenges relating to plant sourcing, supply chain shortages, workforce recruitment and restrictions in working conditions.

However, a redeployment program initiated to secure employment for vulnerable Council staff assisted the program.

Employees from libraries, gyms and school crossings who were unable to continue in their substantive roles were offered the opportunity to be part of the

first Rewilding intake, providing them with ongoing job security.

“Council wanted to keep as many staff employed as possible,” Mr Smith said.

“So, we were able to turn a challenging situation into a positive outcome.”

In 2021, once internal staff returned to their regular roles, a targeted recruitment process was undertaken helping to resource additional Rewilding staff members.

DELIVERING SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES

At the core of the Rewilding program is the joint achievement of social and environmental outcomes.

“Rewilding Darebin promotes understanding, connection and interaction with nature,” Mr Smith said.

“Evidence has shown that when people’s connection with nature increases, their sense of stewardship to care for and protect nature increases too.

“Starting during COVID was actually good timing for us as we were able to engage residents who were craving the outdoors and nature in our volunteer planting days.

“The program was also the number one trending topic in Darebin Council social networks during the height of the Victorian lockdowns!

“By being actively involved, residents have a sense of ownership of the plants, they’re witnessing a transformation every season and they’re sharing what they see with us.”

In response to the growing interest, community planting and educational

days have been increased, going from four to six a year to over 16 events.

So far in total, 400,000 Indigenous plants have been planted in conservation zones, creek corridors, sports oval surrounds, new capital projects and existing parks across over 20ha for the Darebin community to enjoy.

“Foliage coverage has improved by 50 per cent and we’re starting to see birds nesting in our remnant trees again,” Mr Smith said.

“We’re consistently seeing Musk Lorikeets and Scaly-Breasted Lorikeets as well as Honeyeaters and other smaller bird species.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Showing its commitment for rewilding, Darebin has raised a capital works budget for the program that runs until 2025/26, to deliver more transformation.

“We’re partnering with our neighbouring councils and creek management committees, Merri-bek and Banyule, to create linear creek corridors and we’ll continue incorporating and supporting future programs with schools (Darebin’s yarning conference, CERES schools for wildlife), local community groups, First Nations people and stretching into the private realm by supporting initiatives such as Gardens for Wildlife,” Mr Smith said.

It is the combination of social and environmental outcomes that have made Darebin’s Rewilding program such an outstanding success, leading the way for other councils to invest in this scale of biodiversity improvement.

Darebin’s top tips for other councils:

• Take small steps

• Identify key outcomes, current research and learnings

• Look at internal staff skills

• Collaborate between internal departments

• Identify how strategies interconnect

• Collaborate with neighbouring councils and external bodies

• Capacity build community and volunteer potential

• Be ambitious

CIRCULAR GREATER BENDIGO’S WASTE OVERHAUL

Faced with the challenge of its sole remaining landfill reaching capacity in 2023, the City of Greater Bendigo (CoGB) has adopted an ambitious awardwinning approach to the issue of waste.

Known as the Circular Greater Bendigo project (CGB), the CoGB has commenced a process of identifying, developing and implementing highvalue circular economy and resource management solutions to handle, reprocess and recirculate end-of-life material resources moving throughout the wider region.

The CGB project draws upon the global rise of the circular economy concept to shift how Greater Bendigo consumes resources and how materials at the end of their life are valued and recycled back into new products. It also reduces negative environmental impacts and provides new economic development opportunities for businesses in the region.

Circular Economy Coordinator at the City of Greater Bendigo, Dr Scott Bryant, said, “The circular economy seeks to change how we handle and value our material resources and keep them in use for as long as possible.

“This is a shift from a ‘take, make, waste’ society to a ‘take, make, reuse’ society, where we recover and eventually reuse all of the material resources from products we no longer need.

“Through this project, the CoGB is identifying how we can help our residents make smarter choices and avoid producing waste in the first place, but also importantly how we can support businesses in our region to make that transition so we’re not producing products and materials that have to end up in landfill.”

Through the implementation of tangible circular economy solutions, CoGB in partnership with industry is revitalising an area of society that is typically seen as an unavoidable expense for the region and turning it into one of economic value.

“Our current waste system struggles to do much with the end-of-life materials we call ‘waste’. But with good design and effective recovery of materials, we aim to avoid waste completely and create new industries for Greater Bendigo,” Dr Bryant said.

In another step forward, the CoGB has been identifying the embodied carbon of products – the amount of raw goods being used versus recycled, typically called the circularity measurement – and working out how it can get its emissions down.

PROCUREMENT PRACTICES

As a result of its circular economy project, the CoGB has started to identify, develop and implement several initiatives, an important one being procurement.

Over the course of nine months, staff at CoGB were engaged and consulted on what would and wouldn’t work, ultimately resulting in the embedding of circular economy policy requirements into the City’s standard procurement processes.

“We now have templates that go out to suppliers asking what circular solutions they have and how they are mitigating or minimising waste,” Dr Bryant said.

Circular procurement at the City is already resulting in projects procuring additional recycled content in roads, and staff designing new playgrounds using predominantly reused and upcycled materials and equipment.

There are also examples of a coffee cup reuse program that has saved 20,159 takeaway coffee cups being landfilled and local businesses adopting organics recycling that has diverted over 470t of food waste from landfill.

“It’s about normalising the embedding of circular economy principles in the design and delivery of our projects and services,” Dr Bryant said.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The CoGB is in the planning stage of looking at transitioning its transfer stations to Circular Economy Hubs and how to set them up so every item has a home.

It is also aiming to set up a commercial focus for business waste and wants to establish a reuse warehouse within a Circular Economy Precinct.

COGB ADVICE TO COUNCILS

“There is great appetite within councils and businesses to implement circular economy practices, they often just don’t know how to start,” Dr Bryant said.

“But if councils have a few key staff with the skills, passion and expertise to drive initiatives, you can get a hell of a lot done. Here at the CoGB, we only have one FTE resource dedicated to circular economy work, and another three FTE staff that support circular economy initiatives when time and capacity permits.”

Dr Bryant also said it’s important to get buy-in from internal and external stakeholders – and to communicate.

Darebin City Council and the City of Greater Bendigo are now eligible for a National Banksia Sustainability Award.

Bendigo's top tips for other councils:

Dr Bryant suggests other councils focus on two areas:

1. Internal processes and projects – by embedding circular economy as a core pillar of local council operations and behaviour, councils can influence where they are buying from and adopt a policy focused on circular procurement

2. Waste services – by reassessing how local councils look at delivering or contract managing the services for their residents’ ‘waste’, there are great opportunities to collaborate with solution providers to develop circular infrastructure to recirculate end-of-life materials locally, rather than settling for contracts that focus on making the problem merely appear to disappear in the back of someone’s truck

Staff from the National Hotel Bendigo who are taking part in the City of Greater Bendigo’s organic program.

BUILDING BETTER MENTAL HEALTH IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Trigger warning: this article discusses mental health and may be distressing to some readers

When it comes to workplace mental health, councils face some unique challenges –and as Redland City Council recently discovered, engaging staff in practical, skillsbased training and improving wellbeing initiatives can reap great rewards.

In late 2020, when the world was in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shannon Ahern pivoted out of the travel industry to take on a new role at Redland City Council. As the group manager responsible for health, wellbeing and safety, he has since been an integral part of the Council’s transformative journey to creating a mentally healthier workplace.

“When you join a new organisation, you do a bit of a stocktake: What have we got? Where are we at?” Mr Ahern said.

“What I found is that we had a mature safety and health culture, but there was more we could do to improve wellbeing and build really great, positive mental health at work.

“Many of our workers are directly customer facing.

“In most cases, the community is very thankful for the work that gets done, but when people aren’t happy, they tend to exhibit that to our workers. There’s angry phone calls or letters, sometimes verbal abuse, we’re quite lucky that there’s few incidents of physical abuse – and while it’s not necessarily

directed at specific employees, you still get this vicarious trauma coming through of having to deal with those on a daily basis. It just chips away at that resiliency.”

BEGINNING THE JOURNEY

Mr Ahern began to explore how the Council could improve its mental health strategies by reaching out to the Black Dog Institute, which offers a range of training and tools to support wellbeing at work.

“I had worked with the Black Dog Institute in the past and saw what they do,” he said.

“They have excellent resources, from the standpoint of being evidence-based and scientifically researched, and experts to guide you.

“That’s what got me in the door. It’s then the connections you make with the team and the genuine caring – they really want to see you succeed, they really want to help, and the support along the way is fantastic.”

Redland City Council workers after Black Dog Institute mental health training.

Mr Ahern was connected with a specialist Engagement Manager at the Black Dog Institute, Leighton Hellem-Williams, who recommended undertaking a mental health audit as a first step.

“We quickly started unpacking what was already in place at the Council,” Ms Hellem-Williams said.

“Like many organisations, there were a lot of ad hoc mental health initiatives that all had wonderful intentions but didn’t necessarily reinforce or strengthen one another.”

The audit uncovered a range of opportunities and recommendations for the council to consider, from consolidating its services, to creating easy pathways for employees to seek help.

Key among these was the importance of mental health training for all staff, particularly managers who have a critical role to play in workplace wellbeing.

“One of the first things we try to educate people about is, there are two categories of mental health programs in workplaces,” Ms Hellem-Williams said.

“One of those is awareness building, which is important – it normalises and reduces stigma. The other, more important category is skill-building.

“The Black Dog Institute achieves this through interactive workshops that cover really practical things like how to have an effective conversation about mental health, or how to support an employee returning to work after sickness absence.

“It’s not about being an expert about mental health, it’s about knowing your individual role and responsibilities in contributing to creating a more mentally healthy workplace.

health practices, not only for individual employees but the organisation as a whole.

“When employees are mentally well and feel supported at work, they are more present and productive,” Ms HellemWilliams said.

“When you have empathetic leaders who care about the wellbeing of individuals and teams, that in turn creates a sense of loyalty and trust, and you will become an employer of choice.”

POSITIVE RESULTS

By tracking its progress, Redland City Council has already seen evidence of positive behaviour change from its leadership through to employees in the space of a year.

“We did a second audit to independently track progress on how we’d gone with the recommendations and what else we needed to do to keep it going,” Mr Ahern said.

“In that period, we’d got to the point that the majority of recommendations had been completed and 88 per cent of our employee population had done the mental health training.”

Mr Ahern said that the Council was fortunate enough to have the budget to enable this to occur, and to have leadership support.

“But all credit to Black Dog too – the training sessions are fantastic. It just took a few people to get in there and say, ‘This is brilliant!’ It quickly went from us telling people, ‘You need to do this’ to ‘I don’t want to miss out on this.’”

Another big shift was the move to more preventative mental health strategies – encouraging staff to reach out for assistance early and often, not just when a situation reaches crisis point.

“We formed a stronger and closer alliance with Acacia, our employee assistance provider, and promoted their services not from a place of: ‘If you’re unwell, talk to them.’ It was, ‘Don’t wait until then, do it now,’” Mr Ahern said.

“Primarily it’s about creating a shared language and understanding across a workplace, not only about what mental health is or isn’t, but also how do we collectively, as an organisation, support ourselves and each other. What can we start doing at work tomorrow to improve wellbeing?”

GOOD FOR EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESS

With mental illness estimated to cost Australian businesses more than $39 billion each year through a loss of productivity, absenteeism and turnover, more workplaces are starting to realise the benefits of assessing and improving their mental

“That simple paradigm shift increased the utilisation rate from two per cent to 14 per cent in 12 months. Most importantly, it was about proactive help seeking, to build resiliency before things escalate.”

For any other councils looking at ways to build better mental health at work, Mr Ahern’s message is this, “I couldn’t stress more, first of all, reach out and have a chat with the Black Dog Institute. They have a whole heap of options in terms of resources and programs that can be tailored to your needs. It’s not just a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Second thing, do the [workplace mental health] audit. The engagement and return on investment you get when you start rolling out the recommendations is well worth the investment.”

SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK

Black Dog Institute is a world-renowned medical research institute, translating research into programs, resources, services and digital tools to create a mentally healthier world for everyone.

Black Dog Institute provides people-focused and outcomeoriented workplace mental health programs that give practical strategies to manage mental health at work.

A range of programs are available with flexible delivery options and short time commitment to improve mental health at an individual, team and organisational level.

Notably, Black Dog Institute manager training has been shown to deliver a return on investment of $10 for every $1 spent.

To find out more, visit blackdoginstitute.org.au or email workplace@blackdog.org.au to schedule a time to talk with a Workplace Engagement Manager.

Redland City Council’s Group Manager for health, wellbeing and safety, Shannon Ahern (pictured), has been an integral part of the Council’s mental health transformation.

HOW CAN AID COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY GOALS SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS

For Blair Athol Primary School in South Australia, keeping sustainability as a core value across all subjects and year levels has been a key priority since its inception 12 years ago. The school incorporates this into the students' learning in a plethora of ways, running a flourishing kitchen garden program supported by the wider community, local council and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation’s Kitchen Garden Program.

Blair Athol Primary School’s Rain garden. Image: Blair Athol Primary School.

For schools, teaching children sustainable practices in a fun and engaging way is a top priority, especially when this can be woven into the wider community’s long-term goals.

Blair Athol Primary School is located in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield in the inner north and north-western suburbs of Adelaide, and features a rain garden, food waste art and exemplary recycling initiatives.

The school’s environmental leadership is a perfect fit with the local Council’s sustainability goals, which form part of its Living Environment Program.

These goals are highlighted in the council’s Annual Business Plan 2022-23, which states that Council will continue to accelerate its response to climate change and environmental sustainability priorities – including supporting businesses and community action through the Greening Our City initiative, the Green Business Incentive Scheme and the Community Environment Program.

The school’s garden is powered through the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation’s Kitchen Garden Program, which works with local governments and schools to deliver food education for young people.

SUSTAINABILITY ON A COMMUNITY LEVEL

City of Port Adelaide Enfield Waste Management Leader, Stephen Payne, said Council has a unique variety of natural environments, and the protection of these environments is crucial for health, economic and social wellbeing.

“We recognise the importance of providing children with an opportunity to learn about sustainability practices and get involved in local environmental projects and initiatives,” Mr Payne said.

“It has been fantastic to see the students at Blair Athol Primary School connect with the living environment and develop environmentally-responsible habits.”

The school and Council have collaborated closely to deliver the kitchen garden and teach the youngest members of the community about sustainability and where their food comes from.

Blair Athol Primary School’s Garden Specialist, Thomas Hayward, describes the school’s approach to sustainability as ‘student-strengthened’, and although the school itself is only 12 years old, a focus on the environment has always been central to its ethos.

“More and more so recently we've included sustainability as a subject,” Mr Hayward said.

“Which has really helped us reach the whole school, as opposed to smaller groups that we used to work with.”

A Winter Solstice event held in early 2022 managed to connect students, the broader community, and local and State Government representatives.

It also celebrated the school’s participation in the National Park City initiative, run by state body Green Adelaide, which according to Mr Hayward looks at “how the community strengthens through nature”.

“Many parents and staff came out, stayed after school and chatted,” Mr Hayward said.

“Students were touring their parents around, exhibiting lots of the work they've been doing in the sustainability sessions, and in the garden. Students and staff had made soup and bread, and there was lots going on.”

CONNECTING WIDER GOALS TO THE PROGRAM

Local Councillor Carol Martin OAM is also heavily involved with the project, with her grandchild attending the school.

Beyond the expected enthusiasm of a grandparent, the program's alignment with Council goals has provided additional motivation for Cr Martin to get involved.

“There is strong alignment between the Kitchen Garden Program and Council’s sustainability goals. Council’s Living Environment Program is focused on accelerating climate change and environmental action, and supporting community led action that helps reduce our environmental footprint,” Cr Martin said.

“It is so important that we ensure this action has a positive outcome for the environment and the community. They go hand in hand.

“Our relationship with our food, where it comes from, how to grow it sustainably, how to make healthy choices and how to share our food are all part of creating sustainable communities.”

Cr Martin said that, as part of the Living Environment Program and in partnership with Green Adelaide, Council has funded a series of Grow Local workshops throughout the city, with the most recent one held in October 2022 at the Parks Library as part of the 2022 Nature Festival.

Blair Athol Primary School Senior Leader: Innovative Pedagogies, Sam Anderson, said, “Carol is really visible here

in our school. Most people know who she is, meaning she’ll always stop and have a chat. But anything we do around sustainability, whether it's learning or an event, she really gets behind – which is fantastic.

“I think that's really powerful for the community to see, knowing that someone who represents them at that level is really on the ground in terms of what's happening in schools.”

TEACHING THE COMMUNITY’S BRIGHT YOUNG MINDS

Collaborating with Council not only helps the partnership to reach community sustainability goals, but also gives students real-life insight into how local government works – with the school’s student leaders planning a visit to learn more about how Council serves the community.

The council’s community waste officer has also kept students informed about local waste programs, including what they can do at home and in their kitchen garden program.

“If you ask students ‘what does the council do?’, they’d say things like, ‘they take the bins away’ or ‘they take your rubbish away’,” Mr Hayward said.

“Interactions with local government are really beneficial.”

Mr Payne said Council has been “so grateful for the opportunity to deliver waste management information to the students at Blair Athol Primary”.

Students working in the garden. Image: Blair Athol Primary School.

“These children are now among our best advocates for recycling, and help us deliver the recycling message beyond the classroom to their families and communities.”

Mr Payne said that as Council residents of the future, it has been encouraging to see the children’s genuine commitment to effective recycling practices.

Building relationships with the wider community also strengthens feelings of self-worth and social belonging.

“A lot of our students really love contact with outside people. They’re very proud of our school,” Mr Hayward said.

Mr Hayward also said that having external visitors “has been quite powerful for students in their learning and sense of pride, which I think is a really important thing for their wellbeing”.

This connection is strengthened by the students' level of engagement with their onsite 'rain garden.

“Our rain garden project has been fantastic because it's been a huge focus for our kids to build that sense of ownership and belonging,” Mr Anderson said.

“They have been involved in every aspect – from the planning, to the building and gardening. In terms of their involvement day-to-day, there's a genuine connection to that space.”

FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS

The parents are also enthusiastic about the level of student participation in these projects.

“They just love a lot of the initiatives that are happening because they can see that their children are actively involved in it, learning a lot from it, coming home and talking about the things that they've been doing and that's part of our bigger goal,” Mr Anderson said.

The practical, hands-on nature of kitchen garden lessons also provides opportunities to explore other areas of the curriculum, including sustainability and science.

“We use the sustainability sessions each week as a bit of a vehicle too,” Mr Anderson said.

“They’ve been involved in testing the water's pH levels, getting an understanding of where it goes when it leaves the rain garden.

“In terms of their understanding of the connections between their behaviour and the impact on the environment, they are connected to the rain garden so they’re very protective and they want to see that space flourish.

“They've seen it change from a swamp to a kind of landscape area.”

EMBRACING DIVERSITY

Fostering custodial responsibility towards the environment encourages a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, with educators emphasising the importance of looking after the land.

“We bring the idea that if we look after the land, the lands are going to look after us,” Mr Anderson said.

The school has around 43 different language backgrounds, making it one of the most diverse schools in South Australia.

“For our students to go home and articulate what they have learned to their parents, maybe in another language, is powerful, and really valuable for us as well,” Mr Anderson said.

“It might be around composting or different things, but you know they'll go home and talk about what they're doing in the rain garden.”

This connection to the broader community proved especially valuable during the pandemic.

“We had some students assisting with translating a lot of the COVID-19 information that was coming out,” Mr Hayward said.

“Not all the languages were covered in the information that was sent out, so we had some students assisting by translating these big bodies of really important text, and turning that into letters that would go out to families.”

Mr Anderson is excited to see students evolving into effective sustainability advocates within their families and broader communities – which also ties back to communicating council initiatives.

YOUNG, BUDDING SUSTAINABILITY ACTIVISTS

“What our kids are amazing at is sharing their learning at home,” Mr Anderson said.

“If a parent isn't reading materials from the council, or doesn’t have the level of English, they're being informed by their kids.

“For some parents that's the only avenue they’ve got for what's happening at school.”

Blair Athol Primary School is a prime example of how community gardens can bring people together and educate communities about the natural environment.

It’s a practical way for councils and community health organisations to meet sustainability targets, while supporting schools and services to nurture the social and academic needs of young people.

“We are all part of a movement of communities that are taking action for the better, and Blair Athol Primary School is part of that wonderful movement,” Cr Martin said.

By helping in the rain garden students learn about a plethora of topics.

Image: Blair Athol Primary School.

The most wonderful time of the year…

FOR THEFT

With Christmas coming up, the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and people are starting to get excited about the holidays – but unfortunately, so are the opportunistic criminals who use this time of year to target empty job sites and unprotected assets.

As work slows down and construction sites are left unprotected over the Christmas and New Year season, it’s important to secure critical assets from theft or vandalism. This time coincides with school, university and work holidays, and hot nights – and higher temperatures coincide with more aggressive and risk-taking behaviour. As the saying goes, ‘idle hands are the devil’s work’. It all comes together to result in a spike in crime and anti-social behaviour through summer.

But surveillance isn’t just about installing cameras to record incidents and respond after the fact. With advanced technology, businesses can change their approach from retroactive to preventative by incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and active deterrence, powered by renewable energy.

Securing critical assets is about using technology that can not only sense an intruder, but also act before they enter the premises in the first place.

CREATING A SOLUTION, NOT JUST A PRODUCT

For Spectur, developing surveillance platforms isn’t just about creating the best product, it’s about understanding the current infrastructure landscape to create much-needed security solutions.

Managing Director at Spectur, Dr Gerard Dyson, said most surveillance technology companies only focus on offering cameras and neglect to consider what else goes into a comprehensive security system.

“Other companies are not looking at the power system, the telecommunication system, or the pole system, or how it's installed, moved and integrated together. They don't provide a solution, they provide an ingredient,” Dr Dyson said.

“Spectur is a solutions company. There's no one else in this space that creates both a product and solution and makes it available for sale.”

While traditional systems can only sense or record potential and actual threats, Spectur surveillance systems use AI, cloud and edge computing to identify threats and take action to prevent thefts or damage to property before it happens.

Spectur solutions utilise advanced technology to make sure surveillance systems can sense, think and act. Cameras can monitor and detect threats, but it’s the AI and cloud technology which can analyse those threats.

By interpreting images and recognising objects, Spectur systems can minimise false alarms while also being able to take appropriate action for varying threats, such as sounding an audio alarm, activating a floodlight or sending out alerts. Even if personnel are away on holidays, the system can effectively prevent damage and theft without relying on someone to be there on the ground.

SUSTAINABLE AND REMOTE SURVEILLANCE

Having an automated surveillance system can particularly help critical assets in remote locations, where expensive security guards or “no security at all” are the only options during the holidays.

For many industries or businesses, there are situations where surveillance is not possible because the location is too remote or there is no power connection for a traditional camera system.

But Spectur systems are able to function in remote locations because the platforms are entirely wireless and solar-powered. Each platform, consisting of up to four cameras, can run up to five days of fully overcast conditions, meaning they are perfect for off-the-grid locations.

This can also allow for cameras to be placed on the perimeter of the property, rather than outside or inside the building, which can prevent intruders from getting onto a property in the first place, creating a preventative rather than retroactive approach.

Instead of spreading human resources thin, utilities and businesses can go away on holiday rest-assured that there is an automatic and responsive system in place that doesn’t even give criminals a chance to scale the fence.

AUSTRALIAN-OWNED AND DEVELOPED

Theft isn’t always physical objects, sometimes it’s data breaches and servers getting hacked. For Australian utilities, using technology and software made and owned within Australia means sensitive data and critical assets are protected from potential cybersecurity risks.

All of Spectur’s hardware and software is designed, developed and coded in Australia while adhering to the highest data security standards.

“We design our electronics and we write our own software. We build this from the bottom up rather than trying to cobble together someone else’s technology,” Dr Dyson said.

Storing data on secure Australian cloud servers prevents data leaks or security breaches that come with routing data through foreign servers, which is crucial for government and industry clients.

Setting up a surveillance system that is able to protect data, footage and sensitive information for critical assets over the holidays means personnel can meet their duty of care to the public and their staff even when they’re away.

PEACE OF MIND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

There’s no need to leave critical assets or construction sites unprotected over the holidays when Spectur’s surveillance technology offers peace of mind for utilities and businesses.

Having a reliable security system for assets in remote locations or sites left unattended for weeks requires more than just setting up the best cameras on the market. It is just as important to employ technology that can analyse and act on recorded images, all while protecting such data from breaches with encrypted servers.

This Christmas, don’t let the criminals take advantage of the holiday season.

ASSET MANAGEMENT FROM THE GROUND UP

For councils around Australia, asset management is a crucial responsibility, one that is becoming increasingly difficult to manage as more climate-related issues arise. From extreme heat to devastating floods and severe storms, councils often spend significant time and resources recovering and replacing damaged assets, causing community and environmental disruption. To eliminate this, councils are turning to innovative solutions to manage assets proactively.

Though essential, asset management is often costly and invasive, inconveniencing not just residents but the environment as well – with construction and prolonged use of chemicals affecting flora and fauna.

Managing assets with the future and changing climate in mind is critical in helping councils recover from disasters with ease, and prepare for an uncertain new world of challenges.

The main obstacles all levels of government face in asset management are securing funding to complete necessary works, environmental disruptions and inconveniencing the community due to prolonged area closures and disruptive construction noise.

Therefore implementing proactive, sustainable and non-invasive solutions is critical for councils to create safe communities, both now and in the future.

Mainmark – an internationallyrecognised ground engineering and asset preservation specialist – provides non-invasive and low impact solutions that remediate assets instead of replacing them, saving resources, costs and the environment.

MANAGING ASSETS FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES

In recent years Australia has faced unprecedented natural disasters, which have forced councils across the country to carry out extensive asset management and rehabilitation.

Asset management and rehabilitation are commonly performed on a reactive basis – taking place after disasters have struck or in response to infrastructure problems.

Reactive asset management is essential, but as climate change accelerates, governments need to adopt a proactive approach to securing future assets in anticipation of these extreme events and to minimise impacts in environmentally sensitive areas.

Additionally, when constructing new infrastructure, such as seawalls, buildings and footpaths, councils should plan and consider an asset remediation plan to manage and prevent issues before they arise.

Issues such as ground subsidence and instability, which can manifest in infrastructure as uneven flooring and cracks, are usually remedied through re-levelling – an often time-consuming, expensive and disruptive process.

Mainmark’s state-of-the-art resin injection solution, Teretek®, offers

asset remediation with less labour and disturbance for the community involved – remediating and fixing existing assets, instead of replacing them entirely.

SUSTAINABLE REMEDIATION FOR ALL KINDS OF LOCATIONS

Replacing disaster-affected or damaged infrastructure in its entirety provides tangible results in the short term, but when looking at the long term can be unsustainable and costly.

Fortifying and improving existing infrastructure to eliminate future rebuilding or replacement is a sustainable way councils can secure assets, reduce costs and lessen environmental impacts.

This can be done by strengthening existing infrastructure, increasing its durability and tenacity, and improving the ground-bearing capacity of the surrounding area, securing the infrastructure.

Asset management in environmentally sensitive areas is especially precarious, as necessary steps must be taken to preserve and protect the natural surroundings.

In ground-bearing capacity improvement projects, it is critical that the deployed solution is sustainable for the environment and doesn’t result in

soil or groundwater contamination and disruption to flora and fauna.

Mainmark’s Teretek® is environmentally inert – meaning it has no effect on the wildlife, soil quality or groundwater of the surrounding area.

Teretek® helps to solve pre-existing soil weakness or subsidence problems, while providing a strong foundation for prospective building and future infrastructure, and eliminating the need to rebuild foundations.

THE KEYHOLE APPROACH TO ASSET MANAGEMENT

Building re-levelling and maintenance often involves large-scale excavation. When this excavation occurs in urban areas, it can lead to prolonged downtime, blockades, community inconvenience and disruption.

In traditional excavation, buildings in the affected area often need to be evacuated, meaning the relocation of families for the duration of work in residential instances.

In retail or warehouse situations this excavation means business and activity on the site is forced to cease, heavy machinery or stock needs to be moved, and at mine sites, heavy vehicles and machinery must avoid driving over the affected area.

For these reasons, asset remediation and management solutions that are non-invasive to the environment and surrounding area are crucial.

Mainmark offers Teretek® as a ‘no mess, no excavation’ substitute to conventional re-levelling methods.

With Teretek®’s application process likened to keyhole surgery, this method results in less disruption to the

community, no prolonged site closures, and no loud construction noise.

CASE STUDY: TIDBINBILLA NATURE RESERVE CAUSEWAY

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, located in the Australian Capital Territory, consists of more than 54km² of protected environment and is home to ample local flora and fauna.

In 2021, Mainmark was commissioned to repair a causeway located across Mountain Creek in the reserve that had suffered serious damage from a series of heavy rainfall.

THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE

The infrastructure of the causeway was significantly compromised in multiple places due to the force of the creek’s water flow, which had intensified to a raging torrent following torrential downpours.

Before the rainfall, the area had also been damaged by bushfires, destroying vital areas of protective vegetation.

As a result, the creek’s fast-flowing water was able to breach the causeway infrastructure in numerous places and wash away large amounts of soil fines from the embankment, resulting in several voids and major erosion beneath the causeway.

The causeway features three 12m concrete-reinforced culverts, situated beneath the road and within an embankment, consisting of compacted bedding material and backfill, with an aging bluestone protection wall supporting the culvert pipes.

A ground penetrating radar test commissioned by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, determined that while the road was structurally adequate for general vehicle use, the load limit had been compromised, preventing trucks and tourist buses from accessing the road.

Ground improvement works were required to stabilise the embankment and re-support the ground beneath the road, protecting the culverts' long-term performance and stopping further damage.

NON-INVASIVE REMEDIATION: FIXING THE CAUSEWAY

Due to the causeway’s environmentally sensitive location, replacing the existing culverts was quickly ruled out as an option.

Due to the difficulty of the project, Mainmark was commissioned to provide

an environmentally safe, non-intrusive and cost-effective remediation solution. The solution would need to fill the voids, strengthen the weakened backfill within the embankment and re-support the surrounding culverts and concrete roadway – so the bluestone protection wall could then be repaired.

The solution also needed to provide long-term protection against further erosion and prevent water infiltration into the bedding and embankment.

THE SOLUTION

Mainmark’s Teretek® engineered resin was deemed to be the ideal solution due to its ability to increase ground-bearing capacity without damaging the already compromised culverts.

Before commencing the project, a leak barrier was constructed between the work zone and the creek to ensure the ongoing safety and protection of the surrounding area.

Backed by a 50-year product warranty, Teretek® resin injection treatment commenced, where the environmentally inert engineered resin was injected into the ground through very small tubes.

Once injected into the ground, Teretek®’s resin components combine, triggering a chemical reaction that expands to strengthen the ground and re-level the infrastructure and concrete slabs quickly, creating a long-term solution without a hefty price tag.

THE DESIRED RESULT

Mainmark technicians were able to target areas where weak soil and voids had been identified in the ground penetrating radar report.

The project immediately reestablished ground support to the embankment and concrete roadway, with little interference to the surrounding nature reserve.

Teretek® proved to be an extremely cost-effective and environmentally safe alternative to replacing the culverts, which would have required road closure and expensive excavation works and may have resulted in environmental damage.

The entire project was successfully completed within two days, after which the road was immediately re-opened to traffic, including heavy vehicles.

ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR COUNCILS TOP FIVE INNOVATIVE

By Stephanie Nestor, Journalist, Council Magazine

Asset management is a key responsibility for councils across Australia, since disruptions to essential services or damage to public infrastructure can severely impact communities. By modernising their approaches to proactive rather than reactive solutions, councils are better able to meet the needs of their municipalities now and into the future – using out-of-the-box solutions to remedy old and new challenges.

Being responsible for multiple vital services, councils are routinely monitoring, inspecting, repairing and upgrading infrastructure around their communities. There are a number of factors councils must consider when choosing the best maintenance solution, such as costs, proactive management, sustainability, climate change resilience and community safety.

As natural disasters and extreme weather become more frequent throughout the country, asset management is more important than ever.

Due to this, councils are finding different ways to monitor and maintain assets by embracing new technologies, engaging with community members and turning to natural solutions.

Here Council has collated five innovative strategies being used by councils around Australia to protect key assets and keep vital services running.

1. MODERN MAINTENANCE: PREDICTING DETERIORATION WITH AI

Councils often receive complaints about potholes more than anything else, especially following heavy rainfall or storms, and most councils in urban areas can expect to fill in tens of thousands of potholes annually.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used in other asset maintenance and monitoring, with the technology being adapted to tackle road repairs. Through AI, processes like data collection and analysis can be automated to take the workload

off human personnel and keep track of roads to prevent potholes from becoming a problem.

Transport for NSW fills in over 100,000 potholes a year, which is why it is trialling AI technology that tracks and analyses the condition of roads, after Canterbury-Bankstown Council conducted a successful trial in their municipality.

The $2.9 million Asset AI™ trial consists of 32 sensors being installed on public transport buses to gather footage and information of roads all across New South Wales. Alongside local weather observations, this data will be used to calculate and predict road deterioration.

Being able to predict the rate of deterioration will streamline maintenance by spending weeks, instead of years, mapping out thousands of kilometres of roads. Councils can respond to pothole callouts and repair any damage to roads far more efficiently if they can accurately anticipate when they require the most attention and repairs.

The trial is funded by the New South Wales Digital Restart Fund and will eventually be available to all New South Wales local government areas.

2. NEIGHBOURHOOD PORTALS: COMMUNITY FEEDBACK MADE EASY

Due to the internet and social media, engaging with community members has never been easier for councils, with locals being able to use these platforms, or neighbourhood portals, to inform local government when assets are damaged, faulty or vandalised.

To maintain the area's assets, City of Melbourne has launched new interactive portals to connect with, understand and respond to residents.

There is a portal for each neighbourhood in the municipality, including the CBD, Kensington, Carlton, North Melbourne, West Melbourne, East Melbourne, Parkville, Docklands, Southbank and South Yarra.

Each portal has an overview of the neighbourhood, with facts and figures about the area, an acknowledgement of Traditional Owners, an interactive map of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung significant places, a list of local priorities, Council plans, and options to provide feedback, community news and local stories.

Residents can contact their Neighbourhood Partner through the portal or add a comment to the interactive map about a complaint or suggestion.

These portals have opened up direct and productive communication between residents and Council, creating an online platform for reporting issues and informing locals.

3. WARNING SYSTEMS: SENSORS MONITORING NATURAL DISASTERS

When it comes to extreme weather and flooding, sensors and warning systems can assist councils and their residents in preparing for when disaster strikes – saving assets before the danger hits.

Taking advantage of this technology, Tamworth Regional Council has developed an innovative warning system to warn Nundle and Woolomin residents of potential flooding.

Tamworth Regional Council worked alongside Water Technology and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to develop the Flood Early Warning System.

The system monitors the flow of creeks and rivers with a gauge in conjunction with using predicted rainfall from the Bureau to identify the magnitude of flooding and what risks that poses to the local community. This means residents will receive warnings earlier to ensure they can prepare and evacuate before it is too late.

Other councils have been using flood cameras, social media messaging, manually activated sirens, and flood modelling software to keep residents informed regarding possible emergencies.

The sensors, cameras, and modelling all help to predict flooding, while social media and sirens communicate warnings and evacuation orders.

These kinds of warning systems not only help residents prepare, but also assist SES and council crews to carry out work.

4. EMBRACING DIGITISATION: HEADING CLOUD FIRST INTO THE FUTURE

Digitisation has allowed councils to create databases for all their information, automate processes for maintenance, and predict issues before they occur using IoT and cloud technology. Bundaberg Regional Council has centred its digital transformation on the software as a service (SaaS) model and engaged global public software provider Civica to use its program Authority Altitude.

This means that instead of a reactive approach to maintenance, councils can use software to continuously monitor assets and store data to prevent damage and disruptions before they happen.

All data related to assets and maintenance is stored on a single encrypted database, giving Bundaberg Regional Council complete control over its assets and digital infrastructure.

This means that Council IT staff no longer need to do traditional back-of-house IT work and operating costs have been streamlined with a flat operating expense from year-toyear with zero capital expense.

5. BACK TO NATURE: MANAGING GREEN SPACES

WITH NATURAL SOLUTIONS

As Australia deals with environmental degradation, finding natural solutions that are less harmful, invasive or disruptive to both humans and animals will help councils ensure parks and reserves continue to thrive.

The City of Melbourne, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, is trialling goats to clear its parks of weeds rather than relying on toxic herbicides. The goats have been deployed in Royal Park to regenerate the habitat of the native White’s Skink, because their rocky basking sites are being smothered by grasses.

As part of the trial, the goats are fenced off and only eat the weeds in seven designated areas, with eight additional plots to be left unmanaged as control sites. Once the weeds are cleared, indigenous grasses will be planted and the skink population will be measured.

Other councils around Victoria are also deploying goats for weed control, particularly to clear inaccessible sites.

The goats are not a replacement for chemical weed control or mowing, but will be used in conjunction with other methods.

Herbicides can be very toxic to both humans and animals, so reducing the reliance of chemicals for landscaping and removing weeds will help both labourers and wildlife.

THE FUTURE OF ASSET MANAGEMENT

Whether it’s embracing new technologies, turning to the community or working with nature, the future of asset management for councils hinges on finding innovative ways to maintain key infrastructure.

These new approaches transform asset management from reactive to preventative, preparing councils for whatever may come in the future, whether it’s new technology or the next natural disaster.

UTILISING ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE THROUGH SUPPORTIVE SUPPLIERS

Innovative asset management software can assist councils in maintaining crucial infrastructure and keeping essential services running, by collating up-to-date data and generating reports that all departments can access, to monitor assets in real time. With added support and guidance from suppliers making this journey of innovation even easier for councils to adopt.

For councils, asset management forms a large part of day-to-day operations, with the management of water, roads and waste disposal networks being top tier responsibilities that require 24/7 monitoring and maintenance across multiple departments.

This is why innovative asset management software, to help councils monitor and analyse sewer networks, is becoming more popular amongst utilities and local governments alike.

AROUND THE CLOCK ACCESS TO REAL-TIME DATA

WinCan, developed by Swiss company CD-Lab and supplied by SECA, is a prime example of innovative software that allows councils to monitor sewer assets around the clock, made simpler with ongoing support.

Experienced in water asset management, SECA is a leading supplier of cleaning, testing, inspection and rehabilitation equipment for pipes, sewers and drains, providing long-term solutions for all aspects of the wastewater process.

By choosing a supplier such as SECA, that offers ongoing technical support, councils can ensure that WinCan will facilitate efficient and confident asset management.

COMPREHENSIVE ASSET MONITORING

In WinCan, data is kept accurate, up to date and accessible.

WinCan VX is the core of the WinCan suite of software, allowing users to collect pipe inspection data, organise it in a database, generate reports for analysis and share that data with relevant parties.

Under one system, WinCan VX streamlines data collection and sharing, allowing everyone involved – from engineers to management – to access and analyse the data.

There are different packages to account for varying needs and specialisations, offering software to evaluate, manage and analyse different areas of a sewer network.

By using WinCan, data can be captured and uploaded to the system in real time, and viewed in both grid and schematic views, which helps to understand and monitor asset condition easily.

By graphically displaying pipes and manholes in the WinCan database, maintenance teams can observe any defects after inspection to create in-depth reports and analysis. Visualisation also helps councils maintain assets well into the future and prepare for when disaster strikes.

With an up-to-date and comprehensive system, councils have a complete overview of sewer networks – to prepare and understand these key assets before an incident becomes a problem for the community.

DEDICATED SUPPORT AND ADAPTABILITY

SECA has been supplying WinCan to contractors and authorities in Australia since 1999 and has an exclusive WinCan VX Professional Certification, which means it has the expertise to properly operate and sell the software.

With two WinCan Support consultants, one of which has been trained in Switzerland, SECA offers help with installation, training for beginners and ongoing remote and in-person assistance.

SECA is the only Australian supplier that offers this type of personalised WinCan support.

WinCan itself adapts to the capability of any user, regardless of skill level or experience, as it offers varying levels of detail and functions.

WinCan is also compatible with different language and regional standards, and seamlessly integrates into different geographical information systems (GIS).

This customisation ensures everything from the user interface to displaying inspection codes suits the individual user.

SOFTWARE BY SUBSCRIPTION

WinCan VX is a software by subscription, which means it’s cloud-based to create an accessible and affordable software option for councils.

In a centrally-hosted system, data is stored on WinCan Web and can be accessed from anywhere via the WinCan app or a web browser.

Councils can also choose different software packages and adjust storage depending on requirements – to ensure they only pay for the features used.

CUTTING COSTS WITH WINCAN

Damage to, or deterioration of sewerage infrastructure, can cause disruptions to essential services and be costly for councils.

WinCan helps councils save money in two ways; by licensing the software as a subscription and by helping to maintain assets through the use of a comprehensive system.

Through SECA, councils can access affordable asset monitoring technology from WinCan, with a trained support team to help keep costs down and essential services running.

LLIGHTING UP THE FUTURE:

UPGRADING LIGHTING ASSETS TO REACH NET ZERO TARGETS

For councils, reaching future sustainability goals is crucial to creating liveable communities for generations to come – with upgrading aging assets one of the easiest ways to save energy and reduce emissions.

ocal government is one of the most ambitious sectors when it comes to carbon emission reduction goals – but setting the targets is the easy part, it is the delivery that can prove to be difficult.

Sports fields use a large number of lights in a concentrated area, and although they don’t get constant use, often a peak load tariff is applied to the facility.

Due to this, and the fact that many councils still have legacy metal halide systems, replacing these assets can make for an easy win in the race towards net zero.

CUTTING DOWN CARBON EMISSIONS

Many of the older models of metal halide 2kW lamps were very efficient – as in the technology put out a lot of light and most of that went on to the field. However, this light output depreciates very quickly and in most cases these models lose 25 per cent output within 300 hours of use.

This means that councils are still using and paying for 2kW of power, but only getting 1.5kW of output – in a typical 20 light design this means paying for 40kW of power, but only effectively getting 30kW.

By replacing these aging assets with LED, typical deterioration on newer systems is less than ten per cent over 50,000 hours, meaning consumers need 30 per cent less kilowatts to generate the same amount of light.

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

When purchasing lighting or upgrading assets, the longevity and lifecycle of the product is important to consider.

For example, once a fitting has reached the end of its life and the LEDs are dim or not working, the whole unit ends up in landfill – using energy and resources to be processed.

However, Legacy Lighting now offers a simple electronics upgrade by way of PC board replacement. This not only prevents valuable elements going to landfill or energy intensive recycling, but is cost effective by delivering as-new results for around one third of the cost.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Legacy Lighting’s solutions include a lifecycle guarantee that extends for ten years beyond the warranty, effectively guaranteeing the luminaires will still be performing to a high standard 20 years from now.

By designing the lighting using less kilowatts of power, councils can renegotiate their availability tariff and effectively reduce the power bills – without reducing lux levels on the field.

As LEDs only deteriorate by ten per cent over 50,000 hours, there is no need to hire an electrician to change bulbs annually, resulting in long-term savings to council maintenance budgets.

For more information, go to: https://legacysportlighting.com/sport/

BRIMBANK’S 5G GARBAGE TRUCKS:

COLLECTING MORE THAN JUST RUBBISH

By April Shepherd, Editor, Council Magazine

Brimbank City Council, located in Melbourne’s western suburbs, is home to just under 200,000 locals – a considerable amount of residents to contribute to wear and tear on public assets like roads. So when a recent community survey revealed that many locals place the improvement of the region’s roads and roadside spaces as a top priority, Brimbank City Council joined forces with Swinburne University of Technology and Optus to create a smart IoT-powered solution.

Brimbank City Council manages over 900km of road network and 20,000 road signs, and receives over 7,000 reports of illegally dumped rubbish yearly – all of which require a member of Council, or the community, to identify and report for the required maintenance to be undertaken.

With an area this large to maintain, Brimbank – like many councils in Australia – is looking to adopt innovative digital solutions to manage these assets.

This need for digitisation and asset management, paired with a generous Federal Government grant valued at $1.18 million under the Australian 5G Innovation Initiative – created to help businesses develop 5G applications and products – gave birth to an innovative idea between Brimbank City Council, Swinburne University of Technology and Optus.

The 5G-based solution is a research project led by the Council, involving the fitting of high resolution stereo vision cameras and GPS sensors onto eleven waste collection trucks (some green, some general waste), which then go along their usual routes in the community, gathering data and information

for Council to identify the location of maintenance issues such as illegal dumping and damage to road signs.

“The technology documents visual evidence of damaged signs, dumped rubbish and pin-points their exact location on a municipality map dashboard,” Brimbank City Council Mayor, Cr Jasmine Nguyen said.

The Council and University applied for the grant together, with the research project commencing in October 2021.

Director of Swinburne’s Factory of the Future and Digital Innovation Lab, Associate Professor Prem Prakash Jayaraman said, “The developed proof of concept has been operational since June this year, and we have been constantly reporting various asset issues to Brimbank via the system.”

ONE MAN’S TRASH: DATA IS THE NEW TREASURE

Although the work waste collection trucks do day-to-day is already pivotal in keeping the Brimbank community functioning, clean and safe – those fitted with the 5G capabilities are looking for data hidden amongst the rubbish.

The rich data captured from these connected trucks is sent in real time to a cloud-based system that creates a map of

Brimbank’s 5G garbage trucks. Image: Brimbank City Council.

assets that require maintenance – such as road signs, bus shelters or damaged roads.

It is anticipated that once officially implemented, this map will reduce the time it takes Council to identify, document and fix issues. Resulting in potential savings to the annual costs associated with asset auditing.

Maintenance teams out on the road will also be able to receive information directly to the work tablet computers notifying them of assets in need of attention.

With more than 900km of road under maintenance and an estimated $15 to $20 million spent every year to maintain and improve road and roadside assets in Brimbank alone, it is hoped once this system is fully operational it will encourage other councils to consider alternative ways to enhance community services.

THE BIG ISSUES

In July 2022 the project passed a significant milestone, with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) needed to recognise issues in Council-owned assets, such as graffiti and damaged road signs, finally put into action.

“Our exciting project milestone shows evidence that AI can not only capture an image, but identify something that should not be there, such as graffiti on a sign or a mattress dumped roadside," Cr Jasmine Nguyen, Brimbank City Council Mayor.

The 5G-fitted trucks can monitor and alert Council to numerous issues along the road and in the community, with Associate Professor Jayaraman explaining that three main goals for the project were identified at the beginning.

“The three focal points within the scope of the project that we started off with, was illegal dumping of rubbish on the nature strip, road signs that are often damaged for various reasons and how these can be picked up automatically by our system, and the last one was the condition of bus shelters within the Council area," Associate Professor Jayaraman said.

Associate Professor Jayaraman explained that since the trucks are a permanent fixture of the community, they collect and monitor for eight hours a day.

“On average, these trucks do eight hours of collection, either green waste or your household waste.

“The entire solution is live and as the trucks are driving out every day from their 5am shift to midday, we are collecting data, processing it and reporting back to Brimbank.”

FUTURE PLANS

As the trucks continue to gather data, Council is determining how best to pilot the new system in 2023 and boost community benefits.

“The project’s next phase is to integrate this into Council’s digital systems and processes,” Mayor Nguyen said.

Mayor Nguyen said the data allows Council to explore the possibilities of asset monitoring and automated notifications of maintenance requirements in real time, and could be further developed to include identifying road maintenance

requirements such as potholes and faded line markings, while also fitting into the City’s broader smart city plans and 10 Year Asset Plan.

COLLABORATION THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Mayor Nguyen said that the research project has been a great opportunity to partner with and learn from experts in the field, and deliver an enhanced service to the Brimbank community through working together.

Associate Professor Jayaraman said that although there were many small challenges along the journey, as expected in an innovative project such as this, the biggest was the uniqueness of the initiative.

“I think it's a very unique project where a council's working with a university. We kicked off the project in October/ November last year and I think the first fully deployed functional solution was sometime in May/June, which means we hardly had about six months to go from nothing to a fully deployed solution,” Associate Professor Jayaraman said.

“To me, for a university and council collaboration, that was an astounding outcome because you wouldn't hear similar stories often.

“But traditionally we universities are not known to be that agile, I think Swinburne's changing that in terms of where we are and where we want to be, in delivering those tech solutions and bringing innovative technologies to people in a very short and agile way.”

Associate Professor Jayaraman said another challenge was the complexity of the project, which required a team with diverse expertise in technologies from IoT to cloud computing, to Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and operational knowledge of Brimbank City Council.

“So bringing all of us together, coordinating, making everything work together, all of these were actually quite interesting.”

It wasn’t just the execution of course, but the design and technical issues that were also time consuming for the team, such as where to install the camera, how to deploy it on the cloud and what needed to be developed – because there were no stock solutions for this new project.

“We had to develop this as a bespoke solution. But I'm quite happy. I think as a team, overall, we did a great job in pulling it all together and here we are – with a fully live working solution,” Associate Professor Jayaraman said.

Mayor Nguyen said that the research is a great example of incorporating new technology into existing processes and optimising services to the Brimbank community.

“This research project is an example to other councils that even if you are unable to innovate in-house, there are ways to explore new possibilities with industry partners for grant opportunities and new perspectives on service delivery.”

The 5G garbage truck cameras – ready to detect issues in the Brimbank area. Image: Brimbank City Council.

HOW EAM SOLUTIONS HELP LOCAL COUNCILS MANAGE ASSETS

Local councils are constantly seeking more efficient and sustainable ways of operating and maintaining assets. This is why shifting from complex legacy systems that have little integration, to cloud-based solutions and investing in SaaS, is a key priority for many local councils looking to the future.

The expansion of modern enterprise asset management (EAM) solutions is important for local councils for numerous reasons – including improving efficiency and profitability.

Brightly Vice President for Asia Pacific, Shaun Butler, explains how a strategic digital transformation can help local councils.

“There is a global ambition for establishing a better, more sustainable future spanning across industry and government. We are seeing this clearly with the Federal Government’s recent commitment to net zero by 2050, but we know we won’t reach these targets without innovative technology to guide our path,” Mr Butler said.

BOOSTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Adopting enterprise management software can also help to support councils in achieving more sustainable business outcomes.

“Digitalisation is already happening with manufacturing and other heavy industries, and those fields have seen dramatic improvements in workforce efficiency and morale,” Mr Butler said.

“EAM software helps companies monitor millions of business transactions, workflows, and maintenance tasks, which makes it possible to track potential supply chain issues and quickly address them.”

SHORT AND LONG-TERM WINS

Local councils are pushing to improve front-end operations while making it easier to manage tedious back-end tasks.

But how can management teams enhance operational efficacy, yet avoid a possible financial burden?

1. Cost optimisation: EAM solutions aim to reduce these costs while modernising workflow operations and asset management. With growing concerns over rising maintenance budgets, EAM solutions are gaining traction as a means to overhaul their operations and reduce costs.

2. Data capture to assess trends and efficiency: Logging downtime is a crucial part of ensuring assets run smoothly. Management teams don’t want to forfeit productivity or risk losing or damaging assets; so it makes sense that businesses would support a smart strategy to monitor the health of their investments with a capable EAM solution.

3. Ongoing maintenance initiatives: A breakdown in any asset could stop production for days or weeks, which results in unforeseen costs and strain on employee morale and community outcomes.

Effective asset management systems support lean workflow by ensuring employees have the tools and equipment they need to be productive.

MINIMISE COSTS

By enabling real-time tracking of assets, a centralised repository for asset information, and rapid response to alerts and issues, an asset management system can minimise maintenance costs and reduce time spent on corrective action.

Local councils need real-time data from their assets to stay competitive on budget and online, this is why sustainable systems are becoming an essential part of how the world operates on a macro scale.

“Brightly is committed to providing intelligent solutions for local councils to create a more sustainable future. This transition will be vast and all encompassing, we understand the role of technology in supporting councils to streamline processes and achieve positive outcomes,” Mr Butler said.

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NEW TRAIL BRINGS

NATURE-BASED RECREATION TO TOURISTS AND LOCALS ALIKE

The Macedon Ranges, located in Central Victoria, is well-known for its famous tourist attractions and country charm, which will only be enhanced with Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s new $11.24 million Woodend to Riddells Creek Shared Trail Project. The Shared Trail plans to not only boost tourism, but create a recreation space for the true lifeblood of the region – the locals.

The Shared Trail, which will run for 24km through key towns in the region, is anticipated to deliver an increase in visitors while also providing locals with a fantastic nature-based activity right on their doorstep.

The Shared Trail will provide a space for walking, running, low-volume cycling, and commuting; as well as linking rural landscapes, towns, heritage and the community.

The trail will meander its way through the scenic towns of Woodend, Macedon, New Gisborne and Riddells Creek, with minimal vehicle interaction.

Creating this space that is without heavy traffic gives locals and visitors a safe and convenient way to take in the natural beauty of the region, and experience the local hospitality and produce on offer in each of the townships.

Visitors may opt to complete the trail in one day or break it up into sections, enjoy some hospitality in local accommodation, and experience what else the region has on offer.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council Mayor, Cr Jennifer Anderson, said the shared trail will provide the perfect opportunity for local residents to get out and enjoy what is on offer in their own backyard, as well as providing a major drawcard for visitors from near and far.

“The Macedon Ranges is only around 50 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, either a short drive up the Calder Highway or a convenient train ride straight to Woodend or Riddells Creek train stations where you can connect with the trail,” Mayor Anderson said.

Image: Hubert Weisrock.

“Visitors could easily make a day trip to the region to enjoy the trail, or take a short getaway, stay a few nights and really experience all that the Macedon Ranges has to offer.”

PLANNING THE SHARED TRAIL

At the beginning of the Shared Trail journey, a feasibility study was conducted in August 2019 – providing the results of community and stakeholder consultation, analysis of socio-economic benefits, and the development of concepts for the trail.

The study identified that demand for trails is predominantly driven by tourism (nature-based and adventure), physical activity and as a way for people to commute.

Community consultation identified the key priorities of the project were the provision of an enjoyable, safe, recreation, commuting, fitness and social trail experience.

The study identified that the Woodend to Riddells Creek Shared Trail Project should ensure future strong links between towns and services, such as schools and local businesses.

It also highlighted that the trail would aim to provide an opportunity for both locals and visitors to enjoy the local natural environment, unique landscape features and strong heritage of the region.

“The Macedon Ranges lends itself extremely well to a shared trail experience,” Mayor Anderson said.

“With an abundance of natural flora and fauna, iconic landmarks, rich heritage and amazing local produce it makes for a wonderful shared trail experience.”

Mayor Anderson explained that one difficulty in planning for the trail was deciding which areas to take the trail through, because “there are just so many to explore”.

PROGRESS SO FAR

Council awarded the construction contract of the 24km trail to local business Newearth Constructions in May 2022, taking the project a step closer to its realisation and creating further employment opportunities for locals.

As of October 2022, environmental assessments and designs showing the alignment of the trail are close to finalisation, bringing construction of the first phase of the trail closer – which is anticipated for early to mid-2023.

The project is currently scheduled for completion in March 2024.

MORE TO COME: COUNCIL’S POTENTIAL DAYLESFORD TO HANGING ROCK RAIL TRAIL

A proposal is also underway for a Daylesford to Hanging Rock Rail Trail, in partnership with Hepburn Shire Council.

The trail will provide another unique experience to the region, linking rural landscapes, towns and heritage through the Macedon Ranges areas of Hanging Rock, Woodend, Kyneton, Carlsruhe and Tylden, and then on to the neighbouring town of Daylesford in Hepburn Shire.

The section of trail Macedon Ranges Shire Council will be responsible for reaches from Tylden to Carlsruhe; from Carlsruhe to Kyneton; and from Carlsruhe to Woodend and into the iconic Hanging Rock.

It will comprise 37.2km of trail and is estimated to cost $18 million to deliver.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council CEO, Bernie O’Sullivan, said efforts were currently underway to advocate for the funding required to continue planning and pre-construction activities to realise such a significant project for the region.

“When combined with the Woodend to Riddells Creek Shared Trail Project, the Daylesford to Hanging Rock Rail Trail would offer another fantastic attraction for visitors to the region,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“An increase in tourism would provide a welcome boost to our local economy with both day trippers and those taking extended stays enjoying the region’s hospitality and shopping while exploring different areas of the shire.

“We are excited to be able to provide our residents with amazing outdoor nature activities close to home for them and their families to enjoy, providing another positive reason to call the Macedon Ranges home.”

BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL’S DIWALI LIGHTS COMPETITION DAZZLES LOCALS

By Kate Lockley, Blacktown City Council

Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is India’s biggest day of the year, celebrating good triumphing over evil, storytelling and practising religious rituals. The festival title derived from the name of clay lamps lit outside the home, symbolising an inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. Embracing this cultural holiday, Blacktown City Council, known for its diverse community and large Hindu population, has held its annual Diwali Light Competition for 2022 –with the entries not disappointing.

Hosted by Blacktown City Council, the 2022 Diwali Lights Competition – an event that has grown in popularity since its inception in 2017 – has attracted scores of stunning entries.

The competition encourages residents to decorate their homes with lights embracing the ancient festival of Diwali – a five day festival marked by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, celebrating the victory of light over darkness.

Home to a vibrant and multicultural community, Blacktown City has a large Hindu population, with more than 51,000 adherents.

Residents from India comprise the top country of birth in Blacktown City, following Australia, and now make up the fastest-growing migrant community. Blacktown City Mayor, Tony Bleasdale OAM, said the Diwali Lights Competition provided a fun way for residents of

all cultures and faiths to celebrate the festival, which has become an increasingly significant celebration in recent years, alongside the growth in the Indian-Australian population.

“As Mayor, I am extremely proud of our diverse community in Blacktown City, and the Diwali Lights Competition is just one way Council encourages the wider community to come together and connect during this festive occasion,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“It is wonderful to speak to our residents from the subcontinent and hear their delight at the growing community interest in this special festival.

“These residents have told me of the importance of this competition in fostering a sense of ‘home’, and reminding them of celebrations in their home country.

“With our growing multicultural population, it is so important that we encourage participation in events that are important to our diverse communities and celebrate these occasions as a united City.”

THE WINNERS REVEALED

The 2022 competition saw two properties awarded the prestigious Overall City prize, with judges faced with a high standard of entries across Blacktown City.

Best Street was awarded to Phantom Street in Nirimba Fields, where eight properties decorated their homes.

Best Rangoli – colourful artworks made from sand, flower petals, flour or rice – was awarded to 5 Starling Street, Marsden Park, which also received second place in the Overall City prize.

This year’s top honours were awarded to Jitesh Kumar of Marsden Park and

Diwali lights in Marsden Park.

Ward Winners

Ward 1 – 5 Morell Crescent, Quakers Hill

Ward 2 – 1 Haddon Close, Glenwood

Ward 3 – 57 Hampton Crescent, Prospect

Ward 4 – 5 Marin Place, Glendenning

Ward 5 – 28 Wilcox Street, Marsden Park

Best Street

Phantom Street, Nirimba Fields

Roneel Kumar of Prospect, who were selected from more than 40 entries.

Joint winner Jitesh Kumar said he was thrilled to win, given it was only his second year taking part in the competition.

“I decided to go bigger this year after being named a finalist in last year’s competition,” he said.

“Last year there were only a few houses in our street that would decorate, but this year, we have about 15 homes with lights, and many of them have reached out to me and said I had encouraged them to take part.

“People told me I had the best lights in Elara (Marsden Park), but I never thought I would be number one in Blacktown.”

Jitesh said his stunning display attracted up to 200 visitors every night, with people travelling across Sydney to marvel at his work.

“Diwali is one of the great festivals for us of Hindu faith, so that’s why I wanted to get involved and let everyone know about our festival,” he said.

“People of all religions and cultures come to visit, so it is a great way for people to come together and connect.”

Roneel Kumar’s inspiration for his winning light display was sourced from

Overall City Winners

1st place - 28 Wilcox Street, Marsden Park

1st place - 57 Hampton Crescent, Prospect

2nd place - 5 Starling Street, Marsden Park

3rd place - 5 Morrell Crescent, Quakers Hill

Best Rangoli

5 Starling Street, Marsden Park

around the globe, with dazzling lights custom-made during his travels to India and China.

Unlike Christmas lights, Diwali lights are not mass produced, so Roneel took it upon himself to design light motifs featuring the Om, lotus flower and oil lamp symbols.

“All the lights are of Hindu cultural significance. I would see things when I would travel overseas for work, and when I went to India and China, I would put my ideas to paper, but it took many iterations to get it right,” he said.

With the help of his father-in-law, Roneel spent countless weekends decorating the Prospect property, using a large steel structure to erect the lights from.

Roneel, a regular and successful competition entrant, said his light decorations began as a small affair more than a decade ago, when he wanted to recreate Fijian Diwali celebrations for his wife.

“When we migrated to Australia 11 years ago, I started small with the lights as my wife would miss the Diwali lights and celebrations we had back home,” he said.

“Now it’s amazing to see Diwali celebrations across Blacktown and Parramatta.

“We have lots of non-Hindus come to appreciate our lights and we have cars queuing with people wanting to take photos of our lights.

“There’s definitely a lot more awareness of Diwali now and Blacktown City is a really multicultural Council, so it’s great to be a part of this. I’m proud to be from Blacktown.”

HIGH STAKES: JUDGING THE COMPETITION

First-time judge Charu Vij, from Indian Link News, said it was amazing to see the commitment of the entrants to decorating their homes.

“The standard of the houses is extremely high, and the joint winners in particular put on an amazing show,” Ms Charu said.

“As a judge, I looked for properties that had a theme, told a story or featured a unique or custom idea.

“One of the winners, for example, had small children who dressed up as gods and goddesses and greeted us on the night, so this was a real stand out and helped set them apart from the competition.”

Ms Charu said it was heartening to see how Diwali had been accepted and adopted by the broader community.

“Diwali is very important for all Indian families and is the biggest festival of the year for us, like Christmas,” Ms Charu said.

“It’s lovely to know Diwali is no longer just an Indian festival and everyone is coming together and celebrating it together.”

Diwali lights in Prospect.

DIGITAL TWINS: FAST-TRACKING URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE SMART WAY

As urban development skyrockets to keep up with rising populations, councils must ensure construction works are as streamlined as possible. Project delays often stem from councils not having an all encompassing overview of the site’s subsurface utility information; but this issue can be remedied with a smart innovative solution – commissioning a digital twin to model the subsurface.

Councils risk wasting millions of dollars and delaying critical infrastructure projects if they begin construction without properly collecting subsurface utility information early in the design phase.

This is why Wellington City Council, located in New Zealand, have commissioned a world-first subsurface digital twin to model its city’s underground utilities.

UP-TO-DATE DATA IS CRUCIAL

Most local governments have poor visibility into the state of their subsurface infrastructure.

Network and utility owners are reluctant to share accurate, up-to-date data on their subsurface assets, and unlike the above-ground environment, information on the subsurface is difficult and costly to acquire.

Inaccurate information about the subsurface is linked to project cost overruns and timeframe blowouts across the world.

In New Zealand, a recent cycleway project lost 194 working days due to the discovery of buried power, gas and telecommunications lines that were previously undocumented.

Closer to home, a post-mortem report on the Sydney Light Rail scheme found the project could have been built 1.5 years quicker if reliable underground utility information had been available.

LOOKING UNDERGROUND TO BUILD THE FUTURE

Wellington City Council’s subsurface digital twin pilot aims to solve this problem.

Wellington City Council commissioned Reveal, experts in geophysics, utility surveying, project management, engineering, and 3D modelling, to proactively map the underground of the city’s CBD and combine the resulting rich information into a digital twin.

The digital twin is shared with Council’s stakeholders across a range of planning, design and construction functions.

Wellington City Council Network Activity Manager, Denise Beazely, said, “We have a burning platform to enable our capital city to grow, be more resilient and meet our climate goals.

“Having more reliable information on the location of underground assets is a critical part of enabling our capital city to grow faster, safer, more efficiently and cost effectively.”

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

This proactive mapping effort has already delivered positive results, with Reveal able to find several voids below the road surface of Jervois Quay that posed a danger to traffic, as well as to critical infrastructure.

Wellington City Council engineers were able to quickly respond and repair the damage, while minimising the impact on the community and businesses.

LONG-TERM COST SAVING

In a global survey of infrastructure projects by Geo.works, the availability of subsurface information produced unprecedented cost and time savings: bid reductions of ten per cent, schedule reductions of 30 per cent, and labour reductions of 50 per cent, along with zero delays, damages, or change orders.

“Based on a proof-of-concept trial in London conducted by Les Guest Associates, it was estimated that construction costs could be reduced by ten per cent to 25 per cent if the location of all underground infrastructure and subsurface conditions were known in advance of construction,” Geo.works said.

With the price tag on major infrastructure projects often running into the hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s clear that accurate subsurface information can be a massive cost and time saver for city operators.

Especially as local governments have been tasked with undertaking major infrastructure upgrades to adapt to climate change, reduce carbon emissions and deal with urban intensification over the coming decades.

Proactive subsurface risk management can yield massive savings if undertaken early, and can deliver savings to ratepayers, reduce the impact on citizens, and deliver prosperous, sustainable development outcomes.

REVEAL IS BUILDING AUSTRALIA’S SUBSURFACE UTILITY DIGITAL TWIN.

With Reveal, you can eliminate subsurface risks, deliver infrastructure projects faster and minimise disruption to ratepayers and businesses.

If you need to understand your underground, get in touch with the world’s leading subsurface experts.

BRINGING THE LAB TO LIFE: TRIALLING NEW SMART TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMMUNITY

By Stephanie Nestor, Journalist, Council Magazine

In early 2022 the City of Casey launched its Digital Equity Living Lab in Doveton, aiming to improve digital inclusion and accessibility in the community.

Located in Melbourne’s outer south-east suburbs, Council soon knew that addressing such a complex issue, and reaching digitally-excluded residents, required collaboration and insight from both partners and the community.

The Casey suburb of Doveton has a considerable number of residents without internet access, which can lead to isolation and limit work and schooling opportunities.

To improve these resident’s quality of life, Council introduced the Digital Equity Living Lab, planning a series of trials in the Doveton area to make it easier for residents to access the internet and learn how to use technology.

The Living Lab involves various trials, with Council to collaborate with other partners to help deliver the projects, garner feedback from the community and inform future plans.

But digital equity cannot be solved by simply installing free WiFi spots around Doveton. It is a complex issue that requires multiple solutions to account for the various language, information and accessibility challenges that impact the community, which can only be done through collaboration.

TECHNOLOGICAL ACCESS AND INFORMATION

Council devised the Living Lab to learn about, and account for, varying accessibility and affordability problems which prevent residents from getting online or having the skills needed to be confidently digitally connected.

City of Casey Manager of Strategy, Innovation and Transformation, Marion Greig, said the Living Lab is like a community-centered test environment, structured around a physical space for co-design, experimentation of smart technologies and innovative solutions to address complex challenges.

“We’re providing a space where we can work with and engage the community through different trials to try and solve a complex problem, and there’s a big focus on bringing in partners with the right expertise to help us,” Ms Greig said.

Doveton was selected for the trials because of its high rate of digital exclusion, with 2016 Census data reporting that 22 per cent of households don’t use the internet at home.

Additionally, there are many residents who are elderly or come from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds who find it difficult to master new technology and education surrounding this.

The Digital Equity Living Lab was launched in-person in early June 2022 at the Digital Doveton Festival, held at the Autumn Place Community Hub – which has come to serve as the main physical location for the Digital Equity Living Lab.

Ms Greig said the festival gave Council a chance to inform residents about the trials rolling out in Doveton, to give them a chance to provide feedback and to hear from them about the kinds of programs and support needed.

“We knew that if we wanted to reach the community, we needed to get them together and down to Autumn Place,” Ms Greig said.

DELIVERING NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT

As part of the project, Council partnered with three organisations to deliver trials that addressed digital inequity, through providing the necessary tools and knowledge to use the internet.

Casey Cardinia Libraries, in collaboration with Council, held Doveton’s Digital Day Out, a free technology expo. The event showcased new technology, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and robotics, and online tools for jobs, training, and government assistance.

City of Casey also partnered with Eco Renewable Energy to install two solarpowered smart benches at the local Neighbourhood Learning Centre and outside Doveton Pool, with a third bench due to be installed at the Linden Place shops in November.

The benches offer free WiFi, device charging and environmental sensors for temperature, humidity, air pressure, gas sensors, particle sensors, people counting and noise levels.

Another trial involves upgrades to three bus shelters to include free WiFi, device charging, environmental sensors and advertising for local businesses in a partnership with yStop.

Digital Doveton helping senior residents become technologically active. Image: City of Casey.

Ms Greig said collaboration is crucial to the success of these trials, with experts offering solutions Council could not have come up with on its own.

“Without partners and without collaboration, we probably wouldn’t be able to solve these problems,” Ms Greig said.

“When these experts bring in their thinking and their experiences, it helps us understand what solutions there are and different ways we might approach and solve things.”

REACHING THE COMMUNITY

Being a complex issue, digital equity comes with various challenges for the City of Casey community, which made it all the more important for Council to work with residents to ensure these trials were actually what the community needed.

Council’s Team Leader of Community Engagement, Michelle Welsby, highlighted that digital equity is not just about access, but also affordability and building digital abilities and literacy.

“With this community in Doveton there’s a very high non-English speaking community, so there’s been some challenges around engaging in languages other than English,” Ms Welsby said.

But aside from digital literacy and language challenges, to reach digitallyexcluded residents Council could not rely solely on spreading the word digitally; they had to prioritise a physical information campaign.

Ms Welsby said the City of Casey knew it had to shift its communication mindset from social media to door-to-door.

“We’ve got to assume that the people aren’t online or are considered digitally excluded, so they might not be seeing the stuff that goes online,” Ms Welsby said.

“We’ve definitely done our social media posts and our online messaging, like the webpage, but we’ve also handed out a lot of physical flyers and handouts.

“We had this map developed, which when you unfold it, opens up into a big WiFi map and shows very clearly where all the new smart benches and smart bus shelters are going.

“We’ve also been going to businesses across the road in Autumn Place, such as the local takeaway shop, cafe, and others to give them flyers to hand out.”

When it came to gathering feedback, a physical or in-person campaign enabled

Council to interact with, and learn from, the residents it wanted to reach.

At a local community hall, Council ran a paper survey for members of the senior groups and clubs, and received over 170 responses, with non-English speaking residents able to fill out the survey with help from interpreters.

“What we’ve found is we got a lot through just conversations with people as opposed to actual engagement points or data points,” Ms Welsby said.

Community consultation to gather feedback has been integral to the digital trials, with Council meeting with a community reference group quarterly to discuss what smart city initiatives to roll out.

City of Casey’s Smart City Project Officer, Mandy O’Toole, outlined the importance of broad collaboration.

“Collaboration with the community is absolutely crucial. It should never be just rolling out technology for the sake of it,”

City of Casey’s Smart City Project Officer, Mandy O’Toole.

“We’ve got to make sure it’s something that they want, something that the community will find benefit from.”

HEADING INTO THE FUTURE

With the Digital Equity Living Lab launched and trials underway, Council is already developing more projects to address digital exclusion in Doveton and build the lab into a worthwhile resource.

Aside from the three technology trials, Council has procured more laptops for the library device loan program for Doveton community members with Enable Social Enterprises, to allow more residents to have devices at home to access the internet.

Additionally, non-profit organisation, Lively, has partnered with Council to train up young job seekers to deliver technology information sessions and support for senior citizens.

But the Digital Equity Living Lab has also been a valuable smart city resource, with Council learning from the implementation process for the Digital

Equity Living Lab to develop a Circular Economy Living Lab.

Ms Greig said there’s a more robust process for the Circular Economy Living Lab, using Council’s knowledge and experiences from launching the Digital Equity Living Lab.

“This time round, we’ve gone all out. We want to reach every corner of the world where there might possibly be solutions that can come forward and be proposed for the Circular Economy Living Lab,” Ms Greig said.

With positive feedback from the Digital Equity Living Lab and the events, Ms O’Toole said residents and community groups are eager to get involved and take advantage of the support.

“We had these seniors come along who turned up with iPads and just said,

‘Here I am, I’ve got my iPad. Can you help me download some apps and some games?’, because they don’t necessarily have family around to help them,” Ms O’Toole said.

“Some of our seniors groups are not that technological or don’t want to become technological, but the ones who do turn up are taking on what we provide for them.

“Just hearing that people have gotten value out of coming along to these things has been really great.”

Partnering with digital experts and engaging with the community every step of the way have been critical elements to bringing the Digital Equity Living Lab to life, and making it successful and beneficial to the community.

Ms O’Toole said that City of Casey’s future living lab projects will rely on understanding what residents need and discovering new approaches to tackle complex issues through  collaboration.

In-person digital support for Doveton residents. Image: City of Casey.

THE POWER OF IDIS:

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE COUNCILS CAN TRUST

In both commercial and residential settings, video surveillance is a prevalent measure of security – with councils taking advantage of new innovations in this sector to create smarter and safer communities.

As a safeguard for community members and public property, councils often turn to video surveillance tailored to location and community, amongst other elements.

The systems local councils deploy must constantly incorporate innovative software, platforms, and other technological advancements to deliver precise and reliable footage.

Councils ultimately need a system they can trust, to build a safer community in the long term.

IDIS

IDIS is South Korea’s largest video surveillance manufacturer and is currently available in 50 countries.

With over 18 million cameras, IoT product installations worldwide and recognition as a top ten global manufacturer for surveillance recorders, IDIS solutions reflect the company’s global success.

All-in-one integration capabilities, a devotion to innovation, and low total cost of ownership are key qualities that shape IDIS solutions – which have had a successful presence in Australia since 1998.

ALL ENCOMPASSING SAFETY

The IDIS Solution Suite is an ideal Video Management System (VMS) for councils to utilise for scalability and affordability – featuring a one-off payment and no ongoing service or maintenance costs.

The unified platform provides open access to a wide variety of camera and NVR systems that collectively carry out multiple functions. This includes viewing council CCTV infrastructure, role-based security segmentation to ensure compliance with a council’s CCTV governance framework and the ability to configure, monitor or enhance the solution over time.

IDIS’ NDAA compliant DirectIP range offers plug-n-play operation with industry leading cyber security standards, easy management, and optimised video traffic flow on council wide networks.

Councils can also leverage remote management and health reporting features to add efficiency while protecting council assets.

SMARTER CITIES POWERED BY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

For many New South Wales councils, their jurisdiction encompasses large amounts of land and properties –meaning these local governments

require a high performing surveillance system as an end-to-end solution.

IDIS offers the right technology to achieve this and reaffirm the community’s sense of safety and wellbeing.

Randwick City Council (RCC), located in New South Wales, has deployed IDIS systems for its video surveillance requirements. Upgrading its VMS solution to the IDIS Solution Suite answered Council’s need for a solution that is cost effective, requires minimal training to operate, and has the capacity to scale out a larger CCTV footprint – including public domain CCTV systems without complex governance arrangements.

THE RESULT

IDIS delivered a centralised and intuitive surveillance solution that RCC and New South Wales Police can rely on when scoping numerous CCTV devices across 26 locations.

RCC decided to move forward with the IDIS solution as it provided an enterprise grade solution at a cost-effective price point, as well as being open to other providers rather than being a closed, proprietary system domain.

DAS is proud to be the exclusive distributor of IDIS in Australia. For more information visit  www.dickerdata.com.au/das

PARRAMATTA’S NEW COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY HUB

By April Shepherd, Editor, Council Magazine

In the heart of Sydney, Parramatta is consistently growing – building a bustling, diverse community that has become Sydney’s dual CBD. To match this expansion, City of Parramatta has brought PHIVE to life; a $136 million cultural, civic and community hub. Boasting a bright red roof jutting into the skyline and unique architecture, the community hub is the new icon of the City, featuring everything the community needs for the future, from a new library and Council Chambers, to tech labs and sound studios.

The new PHIVE building is much more than a piece of new shiny infrastructure for the area, it aims to be a community space to gather, work, play and collaborate.

The eye-catching space, which opened on 23 September 2022, was constructed by the Australian group Built, connecting the new spaces with the original heritage-listed Parramatta Town Hall and mixing past, present and future.

The title PHIVE is short for Parramatta Hive, and also plays homage to the number five – the building's location in Parramatta Square.

The six-level building was designed by a team led by award-winning French architect, Manuelle Gautrand, in partnership with Ms Gautrand’s French firm and Australian architecture firms Lacoste+Stevenson and Design Inc, represented by Richard Does and Thierry Lacoste.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Cr Donna Davis, said,“The City of Parramatta’s state-of-the-art new community, cultural and civic centre, PHIVE, is a space for our communities to learn, be inspired and explore something new.”

THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY

Cr Davis said that PHIVE is a project years in the making, with its inception going as far back as the mid-1990s as part of Council’s vision to develop Parramatta Square.

The project began to whole-heartley come to life in 2015 when “Council began exploring options for an ambitious new civic building, community and cultural facilities, visitor services and library located in the centre of Parramatta Square,

incorporating the existing, heritage-listed Town Hall”, Cr Davis said.

“Following an international design competition, Council appointed Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, DesignInc and Lacoste + Stevenson for the design.

“Ms Gautrand is internationally recognised for her exceptional designs and bold, eye-catching use of colour.

“Now we have a community space that is a landmark addition to Parramatta, placing our City firmly on the world stage.”

NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE: PHIVE’S SMART DESIGN

The new cultural hub is built with the future in mind, featuring a smart design with a plethora of amenities, such as new Council chambers, community meeting rooms, visitor services, children’s area, tech labs, a wellness studio and meeting rooms.

A large part of the building's smart design is its ventilation system that responds to weather conditions, allowing the building to save power.

Cr Davis said, “Our state-of-the-art new building has been designed with world-class facilities to stand the test of time.

“It’s a truly smart building, with sustainability credentials allowing it to be net zero carbon from day one.

“It’s vibrant, it’s colourful, it’s on a completely different level to any other council building you will see anywhere else in Australia. This building is one of a kind. This is a building current and future generations will continue to explore and enjoy in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD.”

BUILDING PARRAMATTA’S NEW LIVING ROOM

Construction of PHIVE began in early 2020 right before the pandemic hit Australia, and has faced its fair share of challenges.

“As with all construction sites, there are challenges along the way – including the pandemic and multiple lockdowns – but Council worked hard alongside our construction partners, Built, to keep any delays to a minimum,” Cr Davis said.

The site was also unique as the team wasn’t working from a blank slate, but a site of historical significance, which presented some hurdles.

“While the archaeological significance of the site presented some limitations, the stunning and bold design we chose maximises the space we had to work with. It creates a modern interface with Parramatta’s rich heritage,” Cr Davis said.

“PHIVE cantilevers above the Town Hall roof at level three, offering a great view over the historic building, while ensuring minimum impact on the existing heritage elements.

Cr Davis said she is also excited about the work that is going on to modernise and repurpose Town Hall, which aims to be completed by the end of 2023.

WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

For Council, consulting with the community, listening to feedback and ensuring the history of the site was captured and present in the new design was a key priority.

“The City of Parramatta has worked closely with our community for many years to bring this project to life. Back in 2017, we created a citizen’s jury to get a wide snapshot of community feedback about what people wanted to see in this new building,” Cr Davis said.

“The jury comprised of people from different backgrounds and localities to have their say on the design and elements of PHIVE.

“It was important for our communities to have a voice and sense of pride in this important community building. Council is now proud that tens of thousands of people have passed through PHIVE’s doors to enjoy our fantastic new community, cultural and civic hub.”

Cr Davis explained that an important part of the project was ensuring the site’s rich history was preserved and acknowledged, including its 60,000-plus years of First Nations stories, to its more recent European history.

“Through the ages, Parramatta Square has been a marketplace, a meeting place, a city centre and civic hub. Archaeological digs at the site found significant remnants of heritage from both Parramatta’s First Australians and European settlers,” Cr Davis said.

Cr Davis said that the archaeological finds have been captured through a variety of displays throughout Parramatta Square, aiming to highlight the important role the site has played over thousands of years.

“Extensive consultation was carried out with the Dharug Reference Panel,

Council’s Heritage and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committees, which was key to ensure this important, rich history was preserved,” Cr Davis said.

HELPING TO BUILD A COHESIVE CITY

Council designed PHIVE with the goal of creating a second home for the community and promoting social cohesion – with the new hub offering accessible and modern amenities.

“The building’s bright warm colours are inspired by the

“PHIVE is Parramatta’s new living room. This building has been designed for everyone of all ages and backgrounds – a space to connect, collaborate, get creative, or simply meet for coffee,”

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Cr Donna Davis.

Australian landscape, inspiring and inviting communities to enjoy the spaces and stay a while. Locals and visitors of all ages and backgrounds will be able to come together to connect, collaborate or get creative.”

Cr Davis also said that PHIVE is open seven days a week until late, offering a fantastic range of workshops, book clubs, classes, exhibitions and talks.

“There’s something for everyone at PHIVE – whether it’s recording a podcast in the state-of-the-art sound studios, making new friends at the senior’s group or enjoying a yoga class in one of the new active wellness studios.

“We’re so proud of PHIVE – the new heart and soul of our City and the final piece of the puzzle for Parramatta Square’s bold $2.7 billion transformation.”

The hub also fills a gap in the community by providing ample recreation space for locals who live in smaller houses and apartments.

“Many of our City’s residents are apartment-dwellers and PHIVE offers a second living room and learning hub to relax, learn and explore,” Cr Davis said.

“Local HSC students will appreciate our incredible new library and quiet study spaces, offering a place to research and study until late. Families will love visiting our beautiful, new children’s library with regular story time, author talks and kid’s activities and workshops. Our new wellness studios offer beautiful, light-filled spaces to keep fit and active.

“Visitors can also stop to appreciate and learn about Aboriginal cultural materials at the Keeping Place at PHIVE’s discovery centre.”

POSITIVE REACTION FROM LOCALS

To celebrate the opening of PHIVE, Council held an open house with over 100 free activities and a school holiday program that sold out – featuring ample positive community feedback.

“It’s wonderful to see locals and visitors of all ages and backgrounds enjoying their new space,” Cr Davis said.

“Some of our first events in PHIVE have been sell outs and there is so much enthusiasm from all sections of our community about our new civic hub.”

PREPARING FOR FUTURE WEATHER EVENTS WITH BUOYANT BARRIERS

In this day and age of unpredictable weather events, effective risk reduction leverages from hazard isolation, preparation, and, where possible, integrating self-operating solutions.

Many councils are looking to implement smart solutions that integrate into existing properties, proactively protecting people and property without any human intervention.

Much of New South Wales and Victoria have recently experienced water ingress from a variety of sources, including rain events, rising river levels, stormwater backflow, flash flooding and hail storms.

As all levels of government learn more about this age of unpredictable weather they find themselves in, it has become clear that permanent, flood mitigation measures assist in saving lives and assets.

BUOYANT FLOOD BARRIERS

AWMA Water Control Solutions’ latest range of modern, Australian-made flood barriers have been designed to be buoyant.

This allows them to self-deploy and protect critical infrastructure from groundwater ingress 24/7, without the need for human intervention.

The barriers can be integrated into a Building Management System (BMS) to identify when potential flooding is

occurring, triggering an alarm system and alerting users when the water has activated and then deactivated the barrier.

The implementation of a Flood Mitigation Response Plan often follows a weather event, when local flood risks have been identified and the unique dangers to the community are witnessed first-hand.

Flood mitigation plans often mention the immediate protection of critical infrastructure – aiming to ensure public spaces such as medical facilities, power sources and shopping centres can remain operational during, or immediately following, weather events and power outages.

Allowing facilities to reopen as soon as accessible, with minimal downtime or damage, is vital for community safety.

CASE STUDY: SET AND FORGET FLOOD PROTECTION

Melbourne’s Karingal Hub Shopping Centre recently identified the lowest level of its multi-level basement car park as prone to water inundation.

AWMA’s FloodFree Passive Tilting Flood Barriers were selected to be retrofitted into existing entrances.

For

The tilting barriers are easily retrofitted as they require minimal depth to be concealed within entrances or driveways, and are low maintenance.

The passive titling flood barriers are buoyant and self-operating – designed to automatically deploy once water goes into the barrier drain, causing the barrier to rise and isolate flood waters.

The passive tilting flood barrier (pictured), is 2700mm wide x 500mm high and situated in an area of high foot traffic.

It has been custom designed to include features such as non-slip surface coatings.

Other barriers on-site include a 6340mm wide x 500mm high passive tilting flood barrier which protects the escalator lobby.

Karingal Hub management have since ordered additional barriers for other areas of the precinct.

All AWMA’s FloodFree barriers are tailor-made to suit site and operational requirements including manual and automated options.

Product extras include alarm systems, colours and surface finishes, allowing the barriers to integrate seamlessly into surrounding infrastructure and aesthetics.

The Passive Tilting Flood Barriers deployed when flood waters entered the The Karingal Hub Shopping Centre.

The Karingal Hub Shopping Centre basement car park before the flooding triggered the barrier.

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INNOVATIVE PUMP STATIONS PAVE THE WAY FOR WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Wastewater management is an enormous responsibility for utilities and councils, and can be excessively expensive due to aging or faulty pumping equipment. By stepping away from traditional pump station design, councils can save in operational, onsite and engineering costs.

Clogging in pumping equipment is a pump station’s largest operational expense after power, due to the large cost involved in clearing blocked pumps.

To reduce these costs, Xylem, an industry leader in wastewater pumping applications, has developed a new product to help propel water management into the future.

IMPROVED EFFICIENCIES, REDUCED COSTS

Through its development of the new Flygt N-Impeller, Xylem has paved the way for how wastewater engineers design and operate their future pump station assets.

Xylem developed the Flygt TOP (The Optimum Pumpstation) through constant product development and construction, designed to further increase the reliability and efficiency of Flygt pumps.

Xylem moved away from traditional pump station design by strategic placement of the pump pedestals incorporated within the station benching – leading to optimised positioning for the Flygt pumps to improve flow throughout the station sump during operation.

The Flygt TOP base increases turbulence and causes resuspension of solids and entrainment of floating debris.

Xylem offers a turnkey Flygt TOP based pump station solution – offering assistance with dimensioning, pump selection and project management – which reduces the costs associated with project planning and installation.

INSTALLATION IS A BREEZE

Flygt TOP pump stations are renowned for reducing installation time and effort when compared to a traditional cast-in situ models, with installations typically taking a fifth of the time and reducing onsite, dewatering and engineering costs, and environmental impacts.

When coupled with the Flygt N-Impeller, Flygt TOP prefabricated pump stations (which come in a range of sizes), excel at delivering sustained efficiencies in wastewater removal by minimising blocked pump callouts.

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NEWCASTLE’S VISION FOR A sustainable waste future

Since 2015, the City of Newcastle has invested $54 million into the region’s waste and recycling facilities and the growth of a circular economy –building a sustainable future for the region. In the spirit of recycling, the City is transforming its existing Summerhill Waste Management Centre into a regional resource recovery hub, making way for a growing population through increased landfill capacity and employment.

The City of Newcastle has unveiled its 20-year vision to create a sustainable waste future, and embrace a circular economy, by reducing waste, increasing recycling rates, strengthening the economy and creating new jobs.

As the second largest and most regionally significant waste management facility in New South Wales, Summerhill Waste Management Centre (SWMC) lies at the heart of this vision.

SWMC is strategically positioned to support the waste processing needs of the Hunter's growing population, with over 100 years of landfill capacity.

City of Newcastle's Our Sustainable Waste Strategy outlines the

transformation of the SWMC site to a regional resource recovery hub.

The Strategy underpins a strong desire from the community for responsible, environmentally sustainable, and commercially feasible waste and recycling operations, to effectively manage Newcastle’s current and future waste streams.

INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT CIRCULAR ECONOMY

City of Newcastle's adopted Climate Action Plan and Economic Development Strategy also identifies SWMC as a key precinct and pillar of the economic development of the region.

The Economic Development Strategy showcases considerable investment

from the City of Newcastle into critical infrastructure, allowing SWMC to play a key role in the region's move towards a circular economy.

It also shows the facility's ability to address future New South Wales and Federal Government targets on waste diversion and recycling.

City of Newcastle's Our Sustainable Waste Strategy aims to deliver on waste improvement programs and infrastructure for the City's residents, ratepayers and environment. Recent investments include $9.4 million to begin construction of an organics processing facility and $5 million towards planning a material recovery facility as part of the 2022/2023 capital works program,

on top of the recurrent $80 million operational budget.

City of Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said developing a sustainable solution for waste was crucial for the future of the planet, people and prosperity.

“During the next 20 years, Newcastle's population is expected to grow by more than 15 per cent, which in turn will lead to an increase of almost 18 per cent in waste generation,” Mayor Nelmes said.

Our Sustainable Waste Strategy focuses on reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and changing the way we return, reuse, repair and recycle resources. With the Summerhill Waste Management Centre at its heart, the Strategy will provide a model of best practice for waste, recycling and resource recovery.

"Our Strategy will deliver significant benefits to the planet by preserving our finite resources and reducing emissions, while also protecting and creating new jobs in Newcastle and unlocking economic opportunities for local businesses and industry through the circular economy."

RECOVER AND REUSE

Key projects for SWMC include the construction of a new material recovery facility (MRF), which will allow plastics, paper, cardboard, glass and metals collected from kerbside recycling bins to be recovered at the site.

As there is no MRF operating in the Hunter region, SWMC is an optimal location for a regional solution as it has close access to the M1, with concept designs prepared by City of Newcastle ensuring the MRF is scalable and able to process up to 85,000t of recyclables per annum.

Concept designs prepared City of Newcastle has prepared concept designs in conjunction with site master planning to ensure the optimal location of the facility alongside other waste diversion projects, with the proposed design featuring state-ofthe-art sorting technology to produce clean and well-sorted recyclable streams of materials.

Up to 28 full-time equivalent jobs will be created at the facility alone, with additional employment generated through the emergence of downstream business incentivised by the local supply of recycled materials.

FROM LANDFILL TO COMPOST

City of Newcastle is also investing $40 million in a fully enclosed, 50,000t food and garden organics processing facility at Summerhill.

Once complete, the facility will use new technology to process the waste into compost for reuse and deliver a more sustainable approach to organic waste and resource recovery in line with community expectations.

The City receives around 23,000t of garden organic waste at Summerhill each year, which is then transported more than 90km to Ravensworth for further processing. The planned facility at SWMC will process more than double the organic waste SWMC currently receives, transforming the waste into compost for reuse instead of sending it all to landfill.

The facility ensures City of Newcastle fulfils the requirements of the New South Wales Government’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041, which necessitates local councils deliver food and garden organics collection by 2030, with major commercial generators required to have food diversion by 2025.

City of Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor, Declan Clausen, said the Sustainable Waste Strategy includes a mix of infrastructure and service provision supported by educational campaigns.

"We're committed to increasing our capabilities for the recycling and reuse of products in order to meet the state and federal targets of diverting 80 per cent of waste from landfill to recycling, and 50 per cent of food waste from landfill," Cr Clausen said.

"This includes investing in the infrastructure needed at Summerhill to allow residents to easily increase their recycling rates, with a recent kerbside waste audit showing that more than half of the waste in our red-lidded bins has the potential to be recovered in an organics processing facility, which can then be processed into compost for reuse in agriculture, landscaping and home gardens.

"By capturing more of the value from more of our waste, we’re localising a new resource stream, which may have significant benefits to local businesses and industry, kick-starting a local circular economy.”

A recent survey undertaken shows the community are overwhelmingly supportive of City of Newcastle’s plans to build the MRF and organics processing facility.

"The community has told us very clearly that they support measures to sustainably divert waste from landfill,” Cr Nelmes said.

"Construction of the Material Recovery Facility at Summerhill, in addition to the planned garden and food organics facility, meets the expectations of our community and will help achieve our vision for a circular economy where recyclables can be processed and remanufactured into new products locally.

"As we move forward, the views of the community will continue to inform our approach for these important projects and our broader strategy."

NEW ROADS WITH END-OF-LIFE TYRES

Using end-of-life tyres in roads is not new, it has been tried and tested since the 1960s and proven to increase performance and durability. What is new is the 422 asphalt specification, tested on roads in Bendigo, Victoria – which improves performance at a cheaper price.

In Australia, 450,000t of tyres reach their end of life each year, yet only 14 per cent of these materials are recovered and used locally. Some of which are recovered into roads, providing increased performance qualities, creating longer road pavement life and reducing maintenance compared to neat bitumen roads.

The higher road performance is owing to the rubber from used tyres in the bitumen, creating a stiffer binder with elastic characteristics. Roads built with rubber crack less, have improved skid resistance, less road rutting, perform better in high temperatures and have reduced shape loss.

ROAD PERFORMANCE IS IMPORTANT, AND SO IS COST

Looking for ways to reduce road construction costs, while still getting the performance benefits of rubber in roads, Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), Boral, the City of Bendigo and the Department of Transport Victoria (DoTV) have partnered to test the new, and more cost-effective, 422 asphalt specification.

Boral’s National Technology Manager, Ryan Jansz, said, “The use of crumb rubber has been part of asphalt road specifications in Victoria, and even internationally, for many years.

“But what is unique about the new 422 asphalt specification is that it allows a more affordable product to be developed for local councils and road owners with modest budgets, while still achieving a performance benefit often exceeding that of originally intended treatment.”

Boral has produced two mixes of the new 422 asphalt specification, tested on roads of Heyington Place, Kooyong Close and Sunrise Courts in the City of Bendigo in early 2021.

One year on, inspections have confirmed the demonstration roads are performing well.

Lina Goodman, CEO of Tyre Stewardship Australia, said, “It’s just another reason local councils across Australia should get on board. Getting the valuable resources out of used tyres and creating better-performing roads is now more affordable too.”

DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND

Now with the new, cheaper 422 asphalt specification, using crumb rubber in roads is more accessible for councils.

It is also recovering the materials from an end-of-life product and turning it into a new value-added solution, delivering circular economy principles.

“We are seeing an emerging movement of local councils using tyre-derived material in their roads and infrastructure, and by doing so, saving on greenhouse gas emissions. Why wouldn’t every council jump on board?,” Ms Goodman said.

TSA is working with local councils, connecting them to the various uses of crumb rubber already being utilised across the country.

Email an expert at TSA about harnessing the benefits of using crumb rubber in road and infrastructure projects: getonboard@tyrestewardshipaustralia.org.au

City of Bendigo using the new recycled asphalt.

Local Councils are pivotal in leading Australia’s sustainable future for used tyres.

TOGETHER, WE ARE REINVENTING THE WHEEL

Choose TSA Accredited tyre brands and retailers when replacing tyres on Council vehicles

Choose a fleet that is TSA Accredited

Use TSA Accredited recyclers for end-of-life tyre management at transfer stations

Ready to be a local leader? Get in touch and find out how:

Procure products from companies that use Australian tyre-derived materials

Ensure road / asphalt specifications allow the use of Australian tyre-derived materials

Be creative - think about how tyrederived products could be used across your municipality

getonboard@tyrestewardship.org.au

DEPENDABLE AND INNOVATIVE SITE-SPECIFIC WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS

The vast majority of Australia’s wastewater infrastructure, constructed in the 1970s, is approaching the end of its 50-year lifecycle and experiencing increasing pressure from population growth.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that 70,900 people moved to regional areas in 2020-21; a populace surge not seen in 30 years. This means that 8.2 million people (a third of residents) now live outside the country’s eight metropolitan cities, which are more inhabited than ever before.

If these ratios continue, the national population is estimated to reach 40 million by 2055 – when approximately 13 million people will live regionally – a projection that will create future urban-planning mayhem if the complexities of aging rural wastewater infrastructure isn’t appropriately provisioned.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Now is the time for industry, government, and regulators to advocate for proven wastewater technologies.

True Water works with key stakeholders to deliver sitespecific sewage and wastewater solutions that improve environmental outcomes, meet budgetary requirements, enhance community lifestyle and deliver favourable operational outcomes.

For example, True Water recently provided specialist design and consultancy services to Stratford Gardens Lifestyle Village – an over 50s estate situated in Tahmoor, New South Wales.

TRUE WATER IN ACTION

The 13.7ha site had development approval for 220 dwellings, a clubhouse, café, and community recreation facilities –however, the property was not serviced by the municipal sewerage network and future connection was uncertain.

The developers engaged a well-known consultancy firm to design the sewage treatment plant to service the site. The consultants could only achieve approval for project Stage 1 and 2 – a situation that meant the remaining stages would have been put on hold until municipal sewer connection was achieved.

This uncertainty informed the developers to increase capital investment and deliver a higher-quality wastewater management system.

True Water was engaged to revise the design and deliver a solution with the capability to service the entire site; this included the amendment of the Section 68 approval for onsite wastewater treatment.

The improved amenity includes a wastewater treatment system (WWTS) that will consist of a Kubota Wastewater Treatment Plan (WWTP) complete with a treatment capacity of 110,000kL daily, and an engineered effluent dispersal system that will provide tertiary treatment, disinfection, and nutrient reduction.

Scalability of the design allows for the staged delivery of the infrastructure in line with the growth of the development.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

The Kubota WWTP has a 50-year lifecycle and is installed with a subsurface which eliminates noise and odour impact. Additional benefits include minimal operating costs, improved environmental sustainability, and reliable effluent quality that will exceed regulatory requirements.

True Water is ISO accredited to provide advanced wastewater technologies throughout Australia and the Pacific – acquiring over 2,000 government approvals for site-specific WWTPs across the region and specialising in designing and installing high-quality and small-scale treatment plants to service small communities, satellite communities, and the urban fringe (500-5000 equivalent persons).

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR:

• Municipal Sewage Treatment

• Commercial & Industrial Estates

• Government Projects

• Residential Developments

• Urban Subdivisions

• Resorts & Caravan Parks

• Mining Accommodation

• Airports & Infrastructure

• Service Stations

• Defence Assets

WESTINVEST: WHAT YOU

By Rebecca Todesco, Journalist, Council Magazine

Western Sydney is home to one of the most diverse and fastest growing populations in Australia, so it is critical that infrastructure in these areas can keep up with this growth. To combat the demand of a booming population, the New South Wales Government has introduced the $5 billion WestInvest Program, with the intention of funding transformational infrastructure projects to boost community amenity and liveability.

Western Sydney is known as a vibrant and diverse part of Australia, and according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2021 census, it has the highest proportion of overseas-born population in Australia – with the 2021 results indicating more than 61 per cent of the population is born overseas.

Western Sydney University (WSU) also welcomes a stream of international students, with one-third of WSU’s students coming from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and one-fifth of students born overseas.

As this diverse area grows, the New South Wales Government has introduced the WestInvest Program; a suite of projects aimed at helping the fastest growing council areas in Western Sydney to flourish and prepare for the future.

The funding for WestInvest is sourced from the New South Wales Generations (Community Services and Facilities) Fund, which was established under the NSW Generation Fund Act 2018

The $5 billion WestInvest Program funding is as follows:

∞ $3 billion for New South Wales Government agencies to deliver transformational projects of benefit to local communities

∞ $2 billion for Community Project Grants:

∞ Local Government Allocation: approximately $400 million directly allocated to 15 eligible local councils in Western Sydney

– between $20 million and $35 million, depending on population

∞ Competitive Round: approximately $1.6 billion in a competitive community grants program WestInvest projects will be drawn from proposal applications from New South Wales Government agencies, local government and community organisations. Proposals must prove the project will significantly improve community liveability and projects will be selected based on their potential to make Western Sydney a better place to live, play, work, raise a family and connect with nature – both now and for years to come.

SERVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS: THE ELIGIBLE AREAS

Approximately $400 million has been allocated to improving the liveability of communities and supporting economic recovery in 15 eligible Local Government Areas (LGA) in the Western Sydney area.

The eligible LGAs are:

∞ Blacktown

∞ Blue Mountains

∞ Burwood

∞ Camden

∞ Campbelltown

∞ Canterbury-Bankstown

∞ Cumberland

∞ Fairfield

∞ Hawkesbury

∞ Liverpool

∞ Parramatta

∞ Penrith

∞ Strathfield

∞ The Hills

∞ Wollondilly

These LGAs have been determined to be among New South Wales’ fastest growing council areas and are experiencing significant population growth. The WestInvest Program will support this growth by funding local projects that support community amenity and liveability within these areas.

Individually, the 15 eligible councils can apply for between $21 million and $35 million – consisting of a base allocation plus $38 per head of population based on ABS 2020 data.

There is no cap on the amount of funding that can be applied for, as long as the project meets the criteria, and the minimum amount that can be applied for is $250,000.

In order to be considered eligible, applications are assessed to ensure they meet at least one of the following  criteria:

∞ Liveability – how the project will enhance and boost liveability for the community

∞ Value for money – the project’s costeffectiveness and how it will benefit the community

∞ Transformational – how the project’s liveability outcomes will endure over time, augment community benefits with other initiatives and capitalise on a time-limited opportunity

YOU NEED TO KNOW

∞ Deliverability – the applicant’s capacity and expertise to deliver the project, adhering to budget and timeframes, and has/can acquire necessary consents and approvals

∞ Viability – proof the owner of the infrastructure can manage and maintain it

Councils are also eligible to apply for funding through the competitive round of the WestInvest Community Project Grants, which has separate guidelines to assist applicants.

WORKING TOWARDS A MORE LIVEABLE COMMUNITY: THE PROJECTS

WestInvest is set to deliver transformational infrastructure projects, focusing on the following six areas:

∞ Quality green and open spaces: encouraging active lifestyles, restoring biodiversity and improving the community’s overall access to the environment through the increase of parks and open spaces, healthier natural environments and cleaner natural waterways with improved recreational access

∞ Community infrastructure: improving access to quality sport, recreation and other community facilities that unite people and enable a diverse range of activities

∞ School modernisation: providing students with infrastructure that prepares them for an increasingly digital world, including state-of-theart, accessible education facilities that can adapt to evolving learning standards and student needs

∞ Arts and cultural facilities: introducing a broader range of arts and culture venues that reflect Western Sydney’s diversity, and encourages inclusive and regular community participation

∞ High street activation: boosting the vibrancy of precincts to increase

foot traffic for businesses, as well as targeted improvements to public amenities and allowing easier access (within walking distance) to essential goods and services

∞ Local traffic programs: designing local streets that are comfortable, accessible and safe places for people with diverse use needs, including walking, wheeling and cycling

FROM THEN TO NOW: THE PROGRAM TIMELINE

The WestInvest Program was launched at the beginning of 2022, upon which New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, along with New South Wales Treasurer, Matt Kean, and Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, called for residents of Western Sydney to nominate ideas for communityenhancing projects ahead of the official WestInvest Program launch.

From 23 February to 31 March 2022 the ‘Have Your Say’ survey on the New South Wales Government website remained open and residents were invited to submit their ideas – with the aim of collecting ideas and feedback from Western Sydney residents on the infrastructure projects they thought would improve the local communities.

More than 5,400 people submitted surveys and around 11,336 ideas were generated; everything from indoor sports facilities, tree planting and swimming pools to multicultural food precincts, boat ramps and playgrounds.

Throughout the month, feedback and ideas from residents were analysed using the WestInvest Program Guidelines.

Although not all of the ideas and suggestions met the WestInvest Guidelines, they provided a valuable insight into the projects important to local residents – information which can be collated and shared with relevant local councils and New

South Wales Government agencies for future planning.

Following the execution of funding deeds, works kicked off from mid-2022, with the program and expenditure’s projected end date the end of 2026. However, despite this end date, projects requiring a longer delivery timeframe will also be considered.

MEETING

SELECTION CRITERIA: THE PROPOSAL CHALLENGES SO FAR

As a result of the strict criteria for proposal applications, there are certain instances where projects will be ineligible for WestInvest funding, including services for the day-to-day delivery of essential local government services already receiving funding, and projects whose primary purpose is to deliver a private or commercial benefit.

Another challenge councils can face is in the acquisition of land permits and approval. For example, if the council does not own the land on which the proposed infrastructure will be built, it must demonstrate that it has, or is in the process of obtaining, the necessary consent from the landowner.

Some councils have already benefited from WestInvest Program funding, including $21 million to Wollondilly Shire Council for nine transformational projects, and $24 million to CanterburyBankstown for new community facilities, parks and priority pedestrian links for residents.

Additionally, Penrith City Council has proposed 37 projects, valued at $397 million combined, to realise the City’s long-term vision, including an indoor multi-sports stadium, a city park, entertainment precinct, and a rowing and paddle sports precinct.

It is expected that more councils will submit project proposals in the future as LGAs work to deliver transformational liveability improvements for the people and communities of Western Sydney.

BOOST SITE SAFETY WITH VACUUM LIFTING EQUIPMENT

In the pipeline industry, few elements of a job are more important than ensuring the team’s safety, with vacuum pipe handling equipment eliminating the majority of hands-on labour for workers.

Over recent years, there have been few innovations that have contributed to the improvement of safety and construction productivity in the pipeline industry as much as the handling of pipe using vacuum lifting equipment.

Global Equipment Services, in partnership with Pipeline Plant Hire, formed Global Pipeline Equipment –designing, building and supplying worldclass vacuum pipe handling solutions incorporating many patented features.

THE INDUSTRY’S CHALLENGES

For the pipeline industry, the process of moving the product during the manufacture, shipping, distribution, stringing and laying presents a number of challenges.

This is because the industry requires moving a typically heavy product between locations, which can not only be dangerous for workers if an incident unfolds, but damage to the product can also easily occur.

The process traditionally involves a number of workers attaching and detaching slings, pipe clamps and chains on and off the pipe to move it.

However, these challenges can be curbed through the adoption of vacuum pipe handling equipment, eliminating the need for hands-on work, working at height, climbing trucks and rigging loads.

Vacuum lifts also work extremely well during inclement weather, where ground crew fatigue can become a problem, and feature a plethora of new safety features, such as ‘ground only release’ in the quick hitch model.

EMBRACING SAFE SOLUTIONS

Global Pipeline Equipment’s key ethos and features are safety and productivity, this is due to vacuum pipe handling equipment removing personnel away from the pipe – reducing the risk of injury and dramatically reducing the cycle time for each pipe movement from minutes to seconds.

Pipeline Plant Hire has the largest range of vacuum lifting equipment in the Australian market, from small units used to feed poly pipe, to fusion welding machines lifting hundreds of

kilograms and large units capable of lifting large diameter, high-pressure pipe weighing over 12t.

Global Pipeline Equipment can provide fully integrated solutions, such as an excavator fitted with a VacLift unit –mounted on the counterweight of the excavator to give maximum lift capacity.

The VacLift also has an attachment that can be used on a customer’s own machine using auxiliary hydraulics to power and control the machinery.

In addition, Pipeline Plant Hire has a large range of pipe diameter and material adaptors, beams, and shoes to cater for all project needs.

AUSTRALIAN-BASED

Global Pipeline Equipment’s vacuum lifts are designed by experts in the field who boast many years of first-hand experience in the industry.

With a combined 50 years’ experience in the pipeline and construction industry and a proven track record in Australia, Global Pipeline Equipment has a unique understanding of safety and reliability. It also has a fleet located in Australia and equipment designed and manufactured in house, making it easy to provide custom solutions if required.

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WE CAN ENGINEER A SOLUTION TO SUIT YOUR PROJECT NEEDS

Not just a hire company, our extensive industry experience will match the best equipment to your project needs. We are continually adding new machines to our fleet broadening the type, range and quantity.

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TRANSPORTING TO THE FUTURE:

ONE COUNCIL’S PLAN FOR TWO DECADES OF GROWTH

By Rebecca Todesco, Journalist, Council Magazine

Future planning is a key responsibility of councils around Australia, as the population steadily rises and more transport infrastructure is needed to support this immense growth. City of Ryde has tackled this head on, with the release of its award-winning Integrated Transport Strategy 2041, working to establish the vision, policy, directions and strategies required to achieve a sustainable, accessible, attractive and convenient transport system.

Transport infrastructure is crucial to the success of a city and allows for the creation of sustainable and liveable areas, in inner and outer suburbs alike.

Where other strategies may run the risk of being forgotten, City of Ryde’s Integrated Transport Strategy 2041 offers a clear action plan that resonates with responsible parties – eliminating the possibility of being a document that ‘sits on the shelf’.

The strategy analyses City of Ryde’s future and examines the impacts of a growing population and expanding economy, exploring opportunities to use technology to influence the way the community travels.

Through the strategy, Council seeks to improve alternative options to private cars – including public and active transport (cycling and walking) – and encourage more people to consider adopting new travel behaviours for all types of trips.

Developed in-house and through collaboration with industry, State Government agencies, local politicians, neighbouring councils, business groups, bicycle advocates and the local community, the strategy recommends a ‘balanced mix’ of 58 priority transport projects across all modes of transport, including 21 active transport projects, 15 public transport projects, four active/public transport projects, three active/road transport projects and 15 road-related projects.

The 20-year plan builds on Council’s previously adopted transport and land use strategies by identifying and prioritising major transport infrastructure and services that will improve customer experience and sustainably accommodate future demand.

City of Ryde Senior Coordinator of Transport Planning, David Anderson, said Ryde’s strategy is unique and innovative not only in the way it was developed, but also in terms of its content.

“Ryde’s strategy outlines a specific list of infrastructure projects to be considered in the short, medium and long term.

“The strategy clearly outlines roles and responsibilities down to the department level if Council is responsible, or agency level if the State Government is responsible, as well as identifying projects where multiple stakeholders have

a primary role and need to work together to achieve an outcome, while also identifying the first or next steps to be taken for each project.”

Mr Anderson said one of the benefits of identifying projects Council isn’t responsible for is forcing further dialogue between state and local government.

“This also encourages greater transparency around state transport plans, why some large-scale infrastructure projects are chosen over others and why some projects are identified for the short term and others are not,” Mr Anderson said.

The strategy’s uniqueness and originality has also been acknowledged on a national level, recently receiving a prestigious award.

AN AWARD-WINNING TRANSPORT STRATEGY

The Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management (AITPM) Excellence Award seeks to recognise and promote excellence in policymaking, industry practice and practitioners in the transport industry.

The award recognises professional excellence and encourages innovation and practices that challenge the standard way that industry approaches their services.

Ryde’s strategy was nominated for the prestigious award by the project team, who later announced that the strategy was shortlisted as a finalist.

The project team was asked to make a comprehensive presentation to the judging panel, with the winners eventually announced at the 2022 AITPM National Conference.

Mr Anderson said it was both a surprise and an honour to win the award, especially when all of the 2022 finalists were from local government.

“Winning the AITPM award has certainly raised awareness of the strategy, leading to further interest, media interest and requests to address other industry groups,” Mr Anderson said.

“It has been very satisfying for the small internal project team that produced the document to receive such attention and recognition for its efforts.”

THE INCEPTION OF THE STRATEGY

“City of Ryde was an early adopter in terms of developing an integrated transport strategy, releasing previous strategies in both 2008 and 2016,” Mr Anderson said.

The former strategy focused on achieving improvement to local air quality, with the latter honing in on identifying the many ‘missing links’ in existing transport networks and improvement of network efficiency.

City of Ryde’s latest strategy looks for the best ways of accommodating the future transport needs of a growing population, increasing levels of development and considering current trends such as the benefits of new technology and the working from home revolution, particularly in terms of how they impact the transport system.

“The strategy acknowledges that the existing road network will be unable to cope during peak periods, particularly if the local population were to almost double during the next 20 years,” Mr Anderson said.

A draft of the plan was placed on public exhibition for an extended eight-week period, with the local community invited to share opinions and concerns.

Community consultations took place via materials in Council’s libraries and online, including a Council-run social pinpoint map, which enabled members of the public to find out more about priority initiatives relating to their location.

It was important to Council that community members were provided multiple avenues to give their feedback, with locals invited to have their say via an online form, email, phone or mail.

According to Mr Anderson, while residents are interested in nearby projects, a significant amount of feedback received was quite supportive of the new directions being proposed.

“Feedback received from the local community and their elected representatives, as well as officers of neighbouring councils, was overwhelmingly positive.”

Mr Anderson said that integration is needed, not only between the various forms of transport but between land use planning and the various parties responsible for the delivery of future transport infrastructure.

“The strategy explores all of these aspects,” Mr Anderson said.

“As well as playing an educational role and being a resource for planning, the strategy seeks to have many of the ‘visionary’ long-term transport projects proposed by the State Government built sooner than would otherwise be the case.

“The strategy is considered a living document that will be updated as required, including when new Census data becomes available.”

SHORT AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY BENEFITS

The 20-year plan outlines a range of benefits the strategy hopes to deliver in the short term, as well as outcomes Council hopes to achieve over a longer period of time.

Mr Anderson explains that through the strategy the community can expect to see better ‘place’ outcomes, focused on making centres more attractive places to be, with an additional emphasis placed on accommodating users such as pedestrians and cyclists in key centres.

He said it is hoped that this focus – when combined with plazas and slower speed limits – can bring new vibrancy to an urban centre.

Additionally, enabling easier use of major transport corridors assists in the preservation of residential areas, ensuring the unique character of such areas is maintained.

“The strategy goes beyond smallerscale Council initiatives and identifies large visionary transport projects that will be needed, or fast tracked (if already identified in Future Transport 2056) to encourage the use of sustainable transport modes,” City of Ryde Senior Coordinator Transport Planning, David Anderson.

RIPPLE EFFECTS FOR THE WIDER COMMUNITY

City of Ryde’s plan aligns with the state’s transport planning framework, and the clear action plan for identified improvement projects – including infrastructure, services and policy initiatives – and encourages further dialogue and cooperation between state and local government representatives.

The strategy examines the need to make public transport far more efficient than it is – therefore making it more competitive with private vehicles.

Council has contemplated the latest best practice in transport planning philosophies and innovative technologies, including further access to real-time transport data and on-demand driverless electric bus services.

“We can no longer ‘build our way out of trouble’ and the strategy discusses the need to make public transport far more efficient and therefore competitive with private vehicles,” Mr Anderson said.

“Various public transport infrastructure and service improvements are recommended to support this need.”

REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION WITH IMPROVED SIGNAGE CAPABILITY

Traffic congestion is a universal issue with a complicated remedy, with up to 30 per cent of traffic congestion caused by people looking for parking spaces and city dwellers feeling the pain of long bumper-to-bumper commutes. This is why precinct signage that displays parking wayfinding information has become increasingly relevant for local councils.

Improving signage capability to reduce traffic congestion has never been more crucial as populations rise, and to encourage drivers to leave their phones alone whilst driving*.

Councils, asset owners and organisations are also looking to take advantage of the masses of data collected by access control systems and parking guidance sensors and use it to address parking pain points in busy areas, enhance the customer experience and help to reduce emissions.

Signage capability is evolving fast, and as leaders in this space, Park Agility offer a range of accurate and reliable technologies and solutions to suit varying needs and locations, including:

Solar signage: creating greener, smarter cities is a priority and utilising solar powered signage to drive down traffic congestion and circling is a smart approach. This renewable, clean source of electricity helps to reduce emissions in a second manner and offers lower installation and operating costs.

Utilise existing assets: when implementing new signage, time delays associated with connecting to the grid is always a consideration. Attaching wayfinding signs to existing light poles is cost efficient and minimises disruption to what are typically busy areas, as well as avoiding the risk of project implementation timelines being blown out. Signs can also be relocated without disturbing the surrounding environment.

Cloud based with 4G or LoRa Supplied Data: it’s not unusual for councils to own and manage multiple parking facilities, each diverse in character and requirements, and operating each one in its own silo is not optimal. Park Agility’s cloud-based solutions, integration capabilities and communications options allow data from multiple car park sites and systems to be collected, analysed, reported on and shared to precinct signage located at major decision points across wide areas. Consolidated data being sent to wayfinding signs assists motorists to drive directly to any available parking option in the area, thus saving them time and helping to reduce congestion and slow traffic in busy areas. Flexible messaging: the days of static signage as the only option are gone, with the future belonging to closer pitched, more capable signs that can serve multiple purposes, optimising taxpayer spend. Combining wayfinding information with community messaging, localised news, or marketing communications via ticker tape-style text streams or dynamic messaging shares information to the community on time and as required.

The future of signage is highly configurable and dependable, and flexibility makes it future proof, as smart city planners respond to evolving environments by making commercial decisions that provide efficiency and effectiveness for their customers and end users.

Flexible messaging

Solar powered wayfinding signage

Loading dock solutions with flexible messaging

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BETTER TRANSPORT CONNECTIONS

FOR BRISBANE’S SOON-TO-BE BIGGEST PARKLAND

Metropolitan councils know that liveable cities are made through accessible and safe public transport and corridors, which is why Brisbane City Council outlined the creation of better connections to its largest parkland – to be located in the inner-city suburbs of the iconic Australian city – as a key priority in the innovative Victoria Park / Barrambin Draft Master Plan

For Brisbane City Council, creating a lush greenspace for residents to relax, socialise and exercise in is just the beginning of its enormous new urban greenspace Victoria Park, with the City not just planning the space itself, but how to ensure it is accessible for locals.

Creating better connections to Brisbane’s largest inner-city parkland is a key priority for Brisbane City Council, as outlined in the Victoria Park / Barrambin Draft Master Plan, which was released in mid-2022.

The 64ha Victoria Park is currently the largest inner-urban parkland being planned in Australia, coming with the potential to create a globally significant destination.

Located within Brisbane’s inner city, it represents a once-ina-generation opportunity to shape Brisbane’s future liveability, accessibility, inclusiveness and economic prosperity.

The transformation of the greenspace began with more than 51,000 ideas and feedback received from the community during the Vision phase of the project in 2019 and 2020.

In 2021, the northern part of the park was officially reopened as public parkland for visitors to explore and enjoy.

CREATING AN ACCESSIBLE SPACE

Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, said connectivity and ease of navigation is essential to the longterm success and performance of the park, with a roadmap to achieve this outlined in the Draft Master Plan.

“In a significant city-shaping move, two new bridges have been proposed in the Draft Master Plan to create improved

pedestrian and bicycle access between inner-urban precincts and key public transport areas, while also promoting safe and active travel over the Inner City Bypass and rail line,” Mayor Schrinner said.

“Connecting the inner-city pedestrian and cycle bridge to the east of the park was an important step in creating a muchneeded link between the south and north of Brisbane and will mean areas like Fortitude Valley, RNA and Exhibition rail stations are easily accessible from Herston Quarter.

“An upgraded western pedestrian and bikeway bridge would enhance connections between the city centre, Roma Street Parklands and the Grammar schools located on the south to the suburbs and bikeway network to the north.”

Mayor Schrinner said sustainable travel options are already being created, with a brand-new direct access point to the park from the Herston busway having opened in late August 20022.

“With high-frequency turn-up-and-go public transport services planned as part of the Brisbane Metro and highquality walking and cycling paths available, public and active transport will be an attractive choice for many visitors,” Mayor Schrinner said.

“Council has addressed the strong community support for more direct cycle routes through the park that connect to existing cycle networks, in a move that should improve the park’s connectivity between the city centre and suburbs.

“Electric scooters and bikes are another travel option for visitors, with e-mobility hubs planned for the Busway, Brisbane Metro stations and other key locations.”

NATURE INSPIRED LINKS

The park also features a parkway loop and boardwalks, for locals looking to travel at a more leisurely pace.

Mayor Schrinner said the 2km-long and 7m-wide parkway loop will have a gentle slope, making it accessible and easy to use for people with all abilities.

“Weaving its way through important attractions like the Visitor Centre and the Tree House lookout and café, the parkway loop has been designed to mimic the pattern found on the trunk and bark of the native paperbark tree,” Mayor Schrinner said.

“In essence, the parkway loop and key destinations such as the Tree House lookout provides an opportunity for visitors to stop and take in the beautiful views of the surrounding landscape including the Brisbane CBD and Mount Coot-tha.”

Mayor Schrinner said investigations into travel demand and patterns has shown upgraded parking facilities will be important, particularly in the early establishment of the park.

“Our research has shown that not everyone has access to public or active transport options, so it’s important to have a suitable plan for car access and parking in the future,” he said.

“Our proposed strategy to meet future needs focuses on the main car park with additional small car parks and an enhanced car park at Centenary Pool, providing an additional 31 per cent capacity and a maximum of 990 spaces that will be staged over time.

“Importantly, this strategy provides greater access and options for people with a disability and addresses local

residents who have raised concerns about increased pressure placed on on-street parking.”

INTERCONNECTING GREENSPACES

Victoria Park doesn’t stand alone, but instead, complements Brisbane’s strategic network of more than 2,100 parks, recreational spaces and ecological systems.

Mayor Schrinner said this network provides a diverse range of recreation and entertainment functions, with Victoria Park recently hosting the Green Heart Fair which drew more than 15,000 people, and the Brisbane Festival Voices in Vic Park event, which was enjoyed by around 2,500 people.

“Victoria Park will establish a rewilded landscape by increasing tree canopy cover from ten to 60 per cent with more than 10,000 trees and shrubs already planted including 80 native species,” he said.

“New experiences in the heart of the park have been proposed including high ropes courses, edible gardens, water play areas, visitor centre and a new adventure playground.

“The park is also an important greenspace for inner-city residents and surrounding suburbs, contributing to the green lungs of the city.”

Mayor Schrinner said that the parkland will also host temporary venues for the equestrian cross country and BMX freestyle events, strengthening Brisbane’s reputation on the world stage as a city where big ideas and opportunities come alive.

The community’s feedback will help to finalise the Master Plan, which will be released and implemented in early 2023.

Artist impression of the Victoria Park parkway loop. Image: Brisbane City Council.

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS DRIVING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

WBy Michéle Pirozzi, National Commercial Director, oOh!media

The last three years has seen a drive towards a more pluralistic approach to positive placemaking, where innovative solutions to address sustainability concerns is a responsibility shared by all.

hile the pandemic reinforced the notion of hard geographical borders both at home and abroad, we inversely saw the delineation of the traditional boundaries between government, the corporate sector and community organisations when it comes to creating more conscious and sustainable places for people to live, work and play. Learning that meaningful change can be found in successful partnerships, drawing on the strengths each group brings to the table.

THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE OF OUR TIME

Addressing the needs and concerns of the communities in which we operate has been a key focus for oOh! for over 30 years, and there is no more pressing issue than the impact of climate change.

A recent research report by the Reserve Bank of Australia found that over 1.6 million homes across the country are at moderate or high risk, right now, from climate change-related extreme weather, with that number forecast to increase by more than 60 per cent by 2050.

These numbers mean that for one in six people across Australia today reducing emissions and mitigating the deleterious impacts of a changing climate is essential in order to preserve their current residence.

HELPING TO BUILD RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

Australian suburbs are both contributors to, and at risk from, climate change hazards, and so local councils are necessarily invested in the development of adaptive capacity and increasing the resilience of their communities.

A key pathway to achieving this is building a public transport network that will substitute for a sizeable share of car journeys; removing cars from our roads will go a long way to addressing the source of the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

But Councils cannot be expected to go it alone, and that is where industry comes into play – partnering with local governments to provide innovative solutions for communities.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR THE FUTURE

In September 2022, oOh! launched the first of its Living Roof bus shelters – a scalable project that directly contributes to a healthy urban environment by capturing particulates and absorbing gaseous contaminants, storing rainwater and reducing the peak flow of water into suburban waterways, providing cooling and promoting urban biodiversity.

The Living Roof shelters have been developed and tested with the variable Australian climate in mind and can be customised to feature plants endemic to an area to ensure their success.

Internationally, where ‘green roofs’ on public infrastructure have been used for several years, studies have consistently shown that in addition to the environmental benefits, these installations greatly contribute to a sense of happiness and wellbeing amongst local commuters – a serene piece of the natural world in the urban environment.

More locally, the University of Melbourne has found that looking at a green roof for a mere 40 seconds improved concentration and provided a strong restorative sense of calm.

oOh!’s commitment to partnering with councils to address community needs extends across our operations; our maintenance vehicles use a specialised software system which optimises their time on the road, keeping emissions low, and all vehicles use iconic water to clean bus shelters, which means the shelters remain cleaner longer without the need for detergents.

There is no magic bullet for addressing the impact of climate change on our communities. The path forward, however, is clear – listening, learning, being committed to change, and building trust by partnering together.

Making public spaces better

Informing, connecting, and engaging people across our Out of Home network.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:

HOW COUNCILS CAN BUILD A JUST COMMUNITY

By Haydie Gooder and Skye Davey from the Centre for Just Places, Jesuit Social Services

Although climate change is affecting people across the globe, it is clear that marginalised and disadvantaged people and communities are often first and worst impacted. Councils already play a role in responding to the more frequent and intense extreme weather events, however the current magnitude of climate impacts require all levels of government to go beyond emergency management to deepen their understanding of what needs to be done to build climate resilient communities for all. The Centre for Just Places is supporting councils to do this work.

Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places was established with seed funding from the Gandel Foundation and the Victorian Government, to support and enable place-based approaches to social and ecological justice through research, collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Executive Director, Dr Susie Moloney, said the Centre works at the intersection of social and ecological justice, in recognition that highly disadvantaged and marginalised communities are often first, worst, and hardest hit by the environmental risks and harms such as climate change, with fewer resources to cope and adapt.

“If you’re already experiencing a range of social inequities, climate change will compound those problems. During heatwaves, people in low-income housing and poor quality, uninsulated rentals are more likely to suffer heat stress, anxiety and disrupted sleep, which can have a detrimental impact on overall health and wellbeing,” Dr Moloney said.

“We know that social and environmental injustice are linked. We weren’t surprised to see that Jesuit Social Services’ 2021 Dropping Off the Edge1 research into locational disadvantage across the country, found that communities experiencing

high levels of social injustice were also experiencing disproportionately high levels of environmental injustice such as heat stress, air pollution and lack of green canopy.”

ENABLING CLIMATE JUST AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

The changing climate, including the compounding impacts of bushfires, heatwaves, increased storms and flooding, is forcing communities across Australia to find new ways to adapt. The Centre is working with communities, community service organisations and local governments to increase capacity, co-design responses and build community resilience2.

Dr Moloney said she believes place-based, community-led approaches to building climate resilience are crucial, because residents and community organisations have lived experience and deep knowledge of the needs, vulnerabilities, strengths and opportunities within their own regions.

“Having local people and organisations that support communities involved in program design and implementation can increase the effectiveness of an initiative, achieving higher levels of community trust and greater flexibility and responsiveness to the real and changing needs of the community,” Dr Moloney said.

WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES

In recognising the urgent need to adapt, between 20212022 the Centre delivered a series of climate adaptation and resilience workshops across metropolitan Melbourne.

The workshops aim to strengthen collaboration between community service organisations and local governments, to build resilience to extreme weather and protect the health and wellbeing of those most at risk.

Serving as a critical conversation starter, the workshops built common understandings of climate vulnerability and community needs in each local government area and catalysed future collaborations.

In Darebin – an area of Melbourne with high heat vulnerability – relationships developed through the workshops enabled deep engagement with at-risk community members and their lived experience of climate change.

The Centre worked with the City of Darebin to hear what a diverse range of residents needed to stay safe and well during heatwaves and other extreme weather. This engagement resulted in the identification of a wide range of impacts on health and wellbeing, and how best to respond to remain safe and well during extreme weather, particularly heat wave conditions.2

“We worked with people already vulnerable to climate change through intersecting experiences of marginalisation – finding that while people had a number of solutions already in place to cope with heat, they also felt council had a critical role to play in advocating on behalf of more vulnerable residents and strengthening relationships between council and the community.”

Dr Moloney said the Centre’s engagement with local councils has made it clear that councils must work closely with trusted community leaders and build on community strengths to best address community needs.

THE ROLE OF COUNCILS IN ADAPTATION AND BUILDING RESILIENCE

Communities, and the councils and services that support them, will invariably bear the brunt of climate change impacts, which is why enabling more just and resilient communities requires support from all levels of government.

The recent floods across Australia's east highlight the importance of coordinated and effective responses. Alongside system-wide action, local adaptation plans are crucial to preventing, preparing for, and minimising climate impacts.

This does not mean that responsibility for adapting to climate change rests entirely with councils, but they do play an important role in understanding where, and who, will be most impacted and how best to reduce vulnerability in communities.

This was reinforced in the findings of a recent 12 month initiative undertaken by the Centre in Melbourne's west, funded by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, which identified local government as central to information sharing and leadership on climate justice.3

Managing and mitigating the impacts of climate change is not an easy task and there are some real challenges for

councils, particularly around the resources and capacities needed to develop and implement adaptation plans, how to ensure that diverse communities and sectors are involved in shaping those plans, and how to ensure a whole of council approach to implementation.

Dr Moloney said this also means establishing a shared understanding of climate justice across councils and within communities, focusing on the voices and needs of those most vulnerable.

Councils themselves are also vulnerable to climate change. For example, extreme weather events can disrupt some council services due to factors such as unsafe staff working conditions or damage to physical infrastructure. If councils are unprepared, there will be flow on effects to community members who rely on those services, further exacerbating their vulnerability.

Dr Moloney said research shows that, while there is progress in adaptation planning across local governments, there are implementation gaps in terms of leadership and measures to support adaptation.

There is a need for consistent national and state level commitment backed by adequate resourcing, including legislation, frameworks and guidance to ensure that all councils and communities can reduce vulnerability, adapt and build resilience.

PREPARING AND ADAPTING FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

During the summer season communities are increasingly on high alert.

When it comes to heat, we know that those with preexisting health issues, older populations, those in poorer quality housing or outer urban areas with limited greening are likely to suffer more from heat stress.

For the summer of 2022-23, under La Niña conditions, the projected weather forecast of more rainfall combined with the bushfire season raises the urgent need for communities and councils to be better prepared.

For councils, working with community leaders and organisations to ensure targeted and culturally appropriate messaging around heat stress, and strategies to minimise it, is one way to prepare.

Climate change adaptation is an ongoing responsibility and challenge which requires focusing not only on emergency responses but on building on community strengths, reducing vulnerability, and preventing adverse impacts wherever possible.

“In order to successfully adapt and build resilience, placebased, cross-sectoral coalitions which include the voices of those most affected are important. Councils have a key role to play in these collaborative partnerships,” Dr Moloney said.

For more information, go to jss.org.au/what-we-do/centre-for-just-places/ , or email just.places@jss.org.au

1. Tanton, R., Dare, L., Miranti, R., Vidyattama, Y., Yule, A. and McCabe, M. (2021), Dropping Off the Edge 2021: Persistent and multilayered disadvantage in Australia, Jesuit Social Services: Melbourne.

2. Moloney, S. Dunn, K. Gooder, H. and Piper J. (Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places). (2021), Climate Justice in Practice: Addressing social inequity and climate resilience through place-based capacity building with community service organisations and local governments, State of Australian Cities Conference.

3. Dunn, K., Wolf, A., Moloney, Lansley, D., Hewitt, T., Cigdem-Bayram, M. and Gooder, H. (2022), Mobilising Climate Just and Resilient Communities in Melbourne’s West: Collaborative Action Plan, Jesuit Social Services: Melbourne.

AI IN THE WATER SECTOR: BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITIES

Once considered a threat to people’s jobs, automation is enabling many in the water sector to leave mundane behind and focus on high value work, helping councils to build smarter, safer, faster and more reliable processes and services to communities.

Engineering graduates, and other specialists, are often employed to sit in front of video screens for weeks on end to watch footage from drone mounted cameras being driven through pipes.

These roles exist so councils and utilities can assess where pipe maintenance needs to be carried out and ensure issues are caught easily and before they escalate.

So to save the time of engineers, and hours of tedious work, smart technology is being deployed to create automated solutions using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

WHAT A DIFFERENCE DATA MAKES

Technology fuelled by AI is driving change in the water sector – helping workers do more of what they want to do, while meeting increasingly high expectations.

For example, councils and water authorities have extensive kilometres of underground pipelines for wastewater, stormwater and water.

John Phillips, Business Development Manager at Interflow, a leader in pipeline infrastructure, said, “Many of these pipes are approaching the end of their life and they need to be renewed. Digging them up to replace them all would be extremely expensive and would disrupt communities.”

HOW DO WATER MANAGERS ASSESS WHERE WORK IS NEEDED?

Previously it has been undertaken by sending a camera through the pipes and relying on an operator to conduct an accurate analysis.

“By the time they engage a contractor to do the upgrade work, often the footage is very old,” Mr Phillips said.

“Things could be completely different by the time we go to do the job.”

That’s where a neat, AI-based solution comes to the fore.

THE FUTURE OF WATER MANAGEMENT

A faster and smarter solution is now being utilised by leading councils and authorities to aid in their water asset management.

A solution that removes repetitive and low-value work and liberates engineers and others to do the higher-value tasks that keep communities’ infrastructure running smoothly.

“The analysis of the condition of the pipes can all be done by machine,” John Weaver, Contracts Manager at Interflow, said.

Instead of camera footage being analysed by humans, it is analysed by an AI engine that has been trained on tens of thousands of hours of similar footage.

“It categorises every individual issue found and provides an immediate, real-time report of the entire pipe network,” Mr Weaver said.

“A recommended capital works program, complete with anticipated costs, comes with the analysis. This means the council or water authority can work that program into their budget over the next four or five years.”

The transformative effect of AI is helping to make condition assessment reports and asset maps faster, more objective and more consistent.

This technology removes the often mundane and repetitive work, which in the current environment where the war for talent has become very real, is welcome.

For more information, go to www.interflow.com.au

AI in the water sector: We’re using AI to work safer, faster, better

TRANSFORMING VICTORIA DALY’S WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR A CLEANER FUTURE

By Maggie Coggan, Victoria Daly Regional Council

Designing happy and healthy communities may conjure up images of urban greenery, trees draping over sunny parks, lots of amenities close by – which are all correct. However one of the less aesthetic, but critical, building blocks of a healthy community is disposing of, and recycling where possible – the waste that a community creates. This is why Victoria Daly Regional Council, located in a remote area of the Northern Territory, is looking to the future when designing its community’s waste management.

In the last decade, the amount of waste generated in Australia has increased by around 12 per cent, with the nation’s recycling rate below that of most OECD countries and around 40 per cent of Australian waste being landfilled.

Waste management is an essential service provided by local governments, having implications right across council’s duristrictions, such as the health and safety for residents, tourists, and council staff; annual budget; long-term financial sustainability; and respect of natural and sacred environments.

Across much of the remote Northern Territory, waste and recycling systems are difficult and expensive to implement, which is one of the reasons why traditionally, waste has either been burned or buried in landfill sites across the Victoria Daly Region.

While a landfill site could be seen as a good way to manage waste at a low-budget approach, when looking toward the future of the region, it is not the most responsible approach.

In 2022, Victoria Daly Regional Council (VDRC) began reviewing and rolling out a range of waste management systems that moved on from landfills, to prevent passing on contaminated sites to future generations.

These initiatives include the design and construction of waste transfer stations at the existing Pine Creek and Timber Creek waste management sites.

These new stations will store general waste, green waste, and recyclable items such as cans, bottles, and cardboard.

The new system is also in line with the National Waste Strategy 2018, which is co-authored by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

PROMOTING CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The Strategy and its implementation plan, the National Waste Action Plan (2020), point the way to developing a more circular economy, in which better waste management leads to a greater recovery of valued resources, creates jobs, protects fragile ecosystems and reaps economic rewards.

As per the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Northern Territory guidelines, the facility can’t accept: oil, tyres, batteries, furniture, gas bottles, building waste, soil, commercial waste, animal carcasses and asbestos.

Curbside rubbish collections will continue for residents and businesses, with locals and business owners responsible for sorting their waste into the correct bins.

Council is currently working through options for recycling, as well as companies that collect and pay for the removal of acceptable waste items.

The implementation and building of these new waste transfer stations is especially challenging due to the remoteness of the region, however VDRC Mayor, Brian Pedwell, said it’s a challenge worth overcoming.

“Ensuring the sustainability and viability of our communities is of the utmost importance,” Mayor Pedwell said.

“This is just a small step towards ensuring the health and vitality of not only the people who live in our region, but the land they live on as well.”

PROVIDING A GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Pine Creek Council Operations Manager, Tanya Brown, said that the waste transfer station was about moving the town up to speed with the rest of Australia.

“Knowing what we know about the environmental harms of landfill, there’s no excuse for a community to not recycle anymore,” Ms Brown said.

Ms Brown said that establishing a new system among locals was always going to have its bumps, but it was something worth pursuing.

“Consumers must be responsible for their rubbish. When you buy something, it doesn’t just disappear after you’re finished using it. There are responsibilities attached to what you do with the end-product,” Ms Brown said.

In the Council’s 2021-22 Regional Plan, it was highlighted that the health and wellbeing of communities were directly linked with waste management strategies.

By reducing the amount of waste items going into landfill via the waste transfer station, it will minimise Council’s environmental footprint and maximise recycling opportunities.

GETTING THE COMMUNITY ON BOARD

VDRC has engaged with the community throughout the planning and construction phase of the project, listening to feedback and concerns raised in public forums and information sessions.

For Council, a crucial component in getting locals onside is investing in educating the community on the long-lasting environmental and community benefits of shaking up their waste system.

Possible misinformation around the project is not only damaging to its success but to community members, that’s why it has been vital for Council to listen to concerns and distribute correct information when available.

A BLUEPRINT FOR THE REGION

As part of VDRC’s vision of creating sustainable communities across the entire region, the Pine Creek waste transfer station will be used as a guide and blueprint for how these facilities can be rolled out across the region.

Construction in Timber Creek will soon begin, bringing a recycling and sustainable waste management system to the community for the first time, with the challenges of building and implementing such a system in a remote area significant, but necessary for future generations.

In each edition of Council Magazine we choose one local government from across Australia to shine a spotlight on. Whether it's new infrastructure, an innovative technology project, a leading sustainability initiative or a community connection, we want to highlight the best of our local governments and share some valuable knowledge to other place makers across our nation. This edition, we spoke to Alice Springs Town Council to learn more about this unique outback town and history-rich LGA.

ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL

The Aboriginal Arrernte (pronounced arrunda) people are the Traditional Custodians of Alice Springs and the surrounding region. Mparntwe (pronounced m’barn-twa) is the Arrernte name of Alice Springs.

WHAT IS THE POPULATION SIZE AND LAND AREA OF ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL?

QUICK FACTS

Alice Springs has a population of 26,476 (according to ABS Estimated Population 2021), and the Alice Springs Town Council municipality covers the majority of the town, approximately 328.3km2.

There are more than 2,000 local businesses that trade in Alice Springs and Council manages 73 total parks.

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WORK AT ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL?

There are 227 employees working for Alice Springs Town Council across the Civic Centre, Works Depot, Public Library, Regional Waste Management Facility and Aquatic Centre.

WHO IS THE MAYOR?

Alice Springs Town Council Mayor, Matt Paterson, was elected to the role in 2021 when he was 30 years old, making him the youngest Mayor in Alice Springs history.

Qualified as an electrician, Mayor Paterson is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Vice President of LGANT, and sits on the board of Tourism Central Australia, Chamber of Commerce and Regional Capitals Australia.

Mayor Paterson has an extensive history of working in various communities in Central Australia which has given him an intimate knowledge of the community.

Driven to continually improve the liveability of Alice Springs, Mayor Paterson is focused on delivering better infrastructure for Alice Springs families. He served as a Councillor and Deputy Mayor previous to being elected Mayor and is passionate about providing opportunities for all residents in Alice Springs. Being a father to two young children, Mayor Paterson is focused on delivering better infrastructure for families in Alice Springs and making the community a better place for generations to come.

A decorated sports person, Mayor Paterson has also represented Alice Springs and the Northern Territory on the cricket field and has also dedicated time off the field to growing sport in the community. He has served as a Cricket Australia Community Ambassador, committee member of the Alice Springs Turf Club and a long-time president of his local cricket club.

Mayor Paterson is also heavily involved in the community outside of sport, putting a great deal of effort into connecting meaningfully with community members from all walks of life.

WHO IS THE CEO?

Robert Jennings is the CEO of Alice Springs Town Council and prior to this was the CEO of Katherine Town Council for four and a half years. He has served as an executive officer in local government across three states and territories and is a member of the Northern Territory Planning Commission, as well as a former Commissioner of Tourism NT.

Mr Jennings is registered and qualified as an architect and economist and has an extensive international background. Prior to this time, he worked in the private sector for a national

sustainable development company as a Registered Architect and as a partner in private practice.

Mr Jennings has over 22 years of experience across a wide range of fields including government, infrastructure, project management, sustainability and alternative energy, emergency management, land development, urban planning and architecture, construction and community and economic development.

WHAT IS THE COUNCIL’S ANNUAL BUDGET?

Alice Springs Town Council’s annual expenditure for the 2022/23 financial year is $47.3 million.

CAN YOU GIVE US A BREAKDOWN OF SPENDING FOR THE BUDGET YEAR AHEAD?

Alice Springs Town Council is focused on improving infrastructure for the community throughout the 2022/23 financial year, with more than $1.5 million allocated to the Alice Springs Aquatic and Leisure Centre (ASALC) a highlight. This funding will see an Adventure Playground built to increase amenities for families, along with an outdoor gym to promote health and activity.

Key funding commitments have also been made by Council to support community-focused initiatives, including the development of a Multicultural Action Plan that ensures people from all walks of life feel safe and at home in the region.

DIVING DEEPER

WHAT IS ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL’S VISION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ITS FUTURE?

Alice Springs Town Council prides itself on the traditional role of ‘rates, roads and rubbish’ it plays in the community, but it has also planned beyond that.

Council’s role has developed into a far more holistic one, and with that comes the need for direction that has led the local government to develop a forward-facing plan titled Alice Springs Liveability and Sustainability 2030

This strategic document identifies five key pillars of focus for Council, corresponding to the needs of the community:

∞ Pillar 1: Liveability

∞ Pillar 2: Safety

∞ Pilar 3: Environment

∞ Pillar 4: Economy

∞ Pillar 5: Governance and Civic

The plan aims at improving Alice Springs across those five major pillars, enriching the lives of residents.

A plan of this length is not something Alice Springs Town Council has done before, however Mayor Paterson believes it’s the right approach in the current climate.

“Much like Council’s role in the community, this plan takes a holistic look at Alice Springs and the needs of residents,” Mayor Paterson said.

Alice Springs Town Council’s Night Markets.

“This plan showcases Council’s vision for Alice Springs, a place that empowers and connects residents. It details how Alice Springs Town Council can assist in tackling the challenges our town faces and help the region to prosper.”

WHAT MAKES THE ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL AREA SPECIAL?

Alice Springs is an incredibly special and important part of Australia with a unique history.

Arrernte stories describe how the landscape surrounding Alice, including the MacDonnell Ranges, was created by the actions of their ancestors, the caterpillar beings Ayepe-arenye, Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye.

Creation stories also explain the traditional connection with more distant areas such as Urlatherrke (Mount Zeil) in the West MacDonnell Ranges, to Port Augusta in South Australia.

Arrernte people living in Mparntwe continue to observe traditional law, look after the country, and teach their children Arrernte language and the importance of culture.

Alice Springs has an Aboriginal population of 17.6 per cent and almost 19 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home.

This multiculturalism truly makes Alice Springs a special region with people from all walks of life coming together to live.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THE REGION FACES, AND HOW DOES COUNCIL OVERCOME THESE?

Alice Springs faces a range of unique challenges including being a service hub for remote communities across three states and territories. In addition to the southern half of the Northern Territory, vulnerable people from Western Australia, South Australia and parts of Queensland frequently travel to Alice Springs to utilise essential services such as health care. This puts a tremendous strain on the town’s service industry and leads to negative situations including overcrowding and reduced living conditions in local housing.

HOW IS ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND REACHING SUSTAINABILITY GOALS?

Alice Springs Town Council knows the region provides unique climate challenges, due its location in the heart of the nation.

To help combat climate change, Council recently adopted a new Climate and Environment Policy to help embed climate and environmental objectives in everyday business.

The Climate and Environment Policy has the following objectives:

∞ Reduce Council’s emissions and the use of fossil fuel energy sources and water resources

∞ Preserve and improve the natural ecosystems of Alice Springs

∞ Empower the community’s response to climate change

∞ Advocate and become leaders for climate solutions in Alice Springs and the Northern Territory

∞ Improve waste management and participation in a circular economy in Alice Springs

Council is also wary of the community’s vulnerability to rising temperatures, leading to planning for a greening strategy that encompasses the entire community. This plan is

currently in development and will see Council plant 250 trees across the town to increase shade and improve liveability.

WHAT IS AN EXCITING COMMUNITY PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE COUNCIL HAS COMING UP IN THE FUTURE, OR ALREADY UNDERWAY?

Alice Springs Town Council has recently resolved to build a regional skate park, something that will prove to be a game changer for young families in the community.

Still in the design phase, the new regional skate park will be located at Newland Park after thorough consultation with the Alice Springs community. The park will be a centerpiece for Alice Springs and will include skate elements for people of all ages, but will extend far beyond that.

It will also include all-abilities playground equipment, picnic areas, outdoor learning areas, BMX facilities and much more.

“We know that Alice Springs needs better facilities for families. We need more spaces for young kids and families,” Mayor Paterson said.

“That is why this is such an exciting project that will benefit so many people across our fantastic community. Council are always looking at ways to empower residents and providing a top-class facility we can be proud of certainly helps to achieve that.”

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT AN INTERESTING URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE REGION?

A key project in collaboration with the Northern Territory Government is the development of a National Aboriginal Art Gallery (NAAG is a working title) in Alice Springs. The NAAG will be an iconic initiative that recognises the importance of national reconciliation, truth-telling and Aboriginal leadership, culture and history.

This construction of an iconic gallery in the centre of Alice Springs will be dedicated to the celebration, display and interpretation of Aboriginal art and will be majority governed and curated by Aboriginal people. It will become a vehicle for First Nations people to tell their stories to the world and will chart a new course for connecting with Aboriginal art and culture.

HOW IS ALICE SPRINGS TOWN COUNCIL EMBRACING DIGITISATION AND GROWING ITS TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES?

Alice Springs Town Council is passionate about supporting residents to stay involved and informed about their local government as much as possible.

The media landscape has changed significantly over time, forcing organisations to adapt and think of new ways to reach the community. This has led Council to live stream each Ordinary Council Meeting so as many locals can stay up to date as possible. Each Ordinary and Special Meeting is hosted online so no matter where residents are, they can still capture the conversation of their Elected Officials.

Council is also passionate about helping residents improve their knowledge and skills when it comes to technology. One of Council’s most popular initiatives is the annual Phoney Film Festival. This unique program sees entrants up to the age of 25 capture short films entirely on their phone, with Council hosting workshops to assist in filming and editing content.

These films are then screened at the Alice Springs Cinema for the wider public.

Alice Springs Town Council Mayor, Matt Paterson, during the 2022 Territory Day Citizenship Ceremony.

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