LG Focus - September 2021

VOLUME 37, NUMBER 9, SEPTEMBER 2021

REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST PRINT POST APPROVED PP 100001964 ISSN 0819–470X

Driving EVs Australian capital cities and large regional centres along the east coast will be the big winners from last month’s allocation of $24.55 million in Round 1 of the Federal Government’s Future Fuels Fund, which will see 403 new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations built in an effort to stimulate confidence in the emerging zero emissions vehicle market.

The new stations, all powered by renewable energy and capable of charging at least two vehicles concurrently at 50kW or above, represent a sevenfold increase in the number of public fast charging stations across Australia’s most populated cities and regions.

In addition to networks in the capital city in every state and territory, regional centres including Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong and Queensland’s Gold and Sunshine Coasts will each receive a minimum of eight new fast charging stations.

Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said the Government was funding the infrastructure needed to help motorists embrace the increasing range of technologies available.

“The Government is focused on ensuring Australians can drive their preferred choice of vehicle – be that petrol, diesel, hydrogen or electric-powered.

“Projects funded under the Future Fuels Fund will significantly expand Australia’s fast charging network, providing broader coverage, reducing range anxiety and minimising blackspots.

“As industry works to make electric vehicle technology more affordable, it is important we have the infrastructure in place that empowers consumers to switch to new fuel technologies with confidence.”

While Round 1 of the $71.9 million Future Fuels Fund aims to support the growing number of Australian motorists with EVs with a charging network across regional

Central Coast Council’s electric tipper. Council fleet vehicles are being replaced with EVs and hybrids.

and capital cities, subsequent rounds will focus on increasing EV charging capacity in regional areas, reducing barriers to transitioning business fleets and increasing the use of hydrogen and biofuels in the transport sector.

The funding was awarded to: • Evie Networks: $8.85 million for 158 stations across eight regions • Ampol: $7.05 million for 121 stations across four regions • Engie: $6.85 million for 103 stations across four regions • Chargefox: $1.4 million for 16 stations across two regions and • Electric Highways Tasmania: $400,000 for five stations in one region.

Removing barriers The funding builds on Chargefox and Evie’s networks of intercity charging

points, which have been positioned to link capital cities on highly trafficked routes.

Chargefox recently announced that construction had been finished on their 22 station network, which set out to make EV charging available to 75 percent of the Australian population.

The network includes dynamic charging capability which allows electrical output to be throttled back to minimise load on the grid during periods when demand is high.

Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Chief Executive Officer, Darren Miller, said the Round 1 allocated funding was increased from the original $16.5 million.

“As the costs of electric vehicles come down, more consumers and fleet users are looking to go electric.

Expanding the fast charging network will make it easier

than ever to drive an EV in Australia.”

Concerns about access to charging points is commonly cited as a reason for EV uptake hesitancy and access to chargers is a particular challenge for motorists without access to off-street parking. The limited range of models available in Australia and high upfront costs are also contributing to the slow uptake.

Interest is growing EV sales are accelerating in Australia, after a slow start.

The Electric Vehicle Council’s 2020 annual report shows sales tripled in 2019, but still made up just 0.6 per cent of all new vehicle sales.

Central Coast Council, New South Wales, is making the switch by replacing full fossil-fuelled vehicles with a growing fleet of battery and hybrid electric vehicles, as they reach their end of service life.

The focus is in line with the recent $500 million budget announcement by the New South Wales government to support councils in their efforts to increase electric vehicle use.

Council’s Director Corporate Affairs and Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Cowley, said, “In 2019 we introduced the first 100 percent electric vehicle into our fleet vehicles in addition to a number of hybrid passenger vehicles already in the fleet. We commenced design on our first electric truck and were expecting delivery of our first hybrid 20 tonne excavator.

“Since then, our electric fleet has expanded to include the first in New South Wales, full battery electric tipper truck which we currently use at our Buttondery Waste Management Facility. We are also considering potential options to utilise electricity generated from the onsite solar or landfill methane gas extracted from the landfi ll to recharge this and other vehicles.

“In addition to our hybrid 20 tonne excavator, we have six hybrid electric trucks, nine full battery electric passenger vehicles and 112 hybrid electric passenger vehicles. This makes up one third of our passenger fleet and means we have one of the largest local government fleets in New South Wales.

“Each hybrid or electric vehicle has displaced a full fossil-fuelled vehicle that had reached its end of service life and this means that not only are we being

environmentally conscious, but we are also ensuring our equipment is as cost-effective as possible.”

Northern Beaches Council, New South Wales, plans to install more EV charging station sacross the local government area.

Chief Executive Officer, Ray Brownlee said electric vehicles were the way of the future and it was important to support their use.

“There is no better time to get this on our radar.

We have been leading the way on electric vehicles and now both federal and state governments are also actively encouraging their take up.

“In the fi rst half of 2021, 8688 battery and plug-in EVs have been sold in Australia, which is more than in any calendar year. And of that number, more than 2100 Full Electric or Hybrid Vehicles are estimated to be on the Northern Beaches alone.

“Council has a vital role to continue to provide more facilities to our community to promote electric vehicle uptake which supports our ambitious target to reduced vehicle emissions by 30% by 2038,” Mr Brownlee said.

All states and territories have or are developing EV strategies with subsidies, rebates and incentives to progress the uptake of zero and low emissions passenger vehicles. Some include a road user charge, touted to be a disincentive, others focus on expanding access to charging stations; all are showing leadership by increasing the size of their own EV fleet.

SEPTEMBER 2021

INSIDE THIS EDITION

EDITORIAL

PRESIDENT’S COMMENT

4

Mayor Christina Holmdahl President Local Government Association of Tasmania

THE GOOD OIL

6

Rod Brown

TENS OF THOUSANDS CONVERGE FOR FESTIVAL

7

COUNCILLOR PROFILES

8

Sarah Stanley President of Shire of Collie Shane Van Styn FCPA Mayor City of Greater Geraldton

SUPPLEMENT

Equal Pay Day was not exactly celebrated on 31 August, more like noted. The date, set by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, marked the additional days from the end of the previous financial year that women had to work, on average, to earn the same amount as men earned that year – 61 extra days this year.

Our Watch, an independent not-for-profit organisation which can boast among its membership the Federal Government as well as the government of every Australian state and territory, has pointed to the growing wages gap, which is up 14.2 percent, as evidence that women have been disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID-19, sounding the alarm that women are at risk of being left behind in the pandemic recovery.

Local government is a large employer of women, many of whom work in professions

such as early childhood education and care, health care and aged care, the industries that have been hit hardest by the pandemic management.

At the same time, women workers across the board have experienced a rise in unpaid carer demands.

Our Watch CEO, Patty Kinnersly said it was vital that decision makers understood the link between gender inequality and violence against women and that the gender pay gap was a clear example of the inequality faced by women.

She has asked for governments to apply a gendered approach to all policies, for example ensuring that economic stimulus packages do not disproportionately benefit male-dominated industries.

“Workplaces also have a critical role to play in improving gender equality. They need to make flexible work arrangements genuinely available for women and men, encourage

my thoughts echo the words of RMIT University’s Associate Director Research, Advocacy and Policy at Centre for Innovative Justice, who said, “We can’t continue to address the issue of women’s safety with budget top-ups and piecemeal announcements.

“System activity shouldn’t be equated with system effectiveness – we have to make sure the way this system operates is not causing further harm or being abused to isolate victim survivors further.”

I hope more comes of the summit than previous efforts have engendered.

The push to have more women elected to local government has gained traction although results are only being achieved in small increments. However, with women making up more than half its workforce, Local Government can and should show leadership by promoting and practicing gender equality.

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DIARY DATES

Gwydir Shire Council

WALGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONVENTION

125TH LGAQ LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE

20-21 September Crown Perth, Burswood, WA ‘Leading the Way: Looking Forward, Looking Back’ walga.asn.au/News,-Events-and-Publications/Events/ 2021-Local-Government-Convention

25-27 October Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre ‘Together’ lgaq.asn.au/events/event/20/the-125th-lgaq-annual-conference

LGA SOUTH AUSTRALIA ROADS & WORKS CONFERENCE

FOCUS ON

women’s career progression and ensure that their policies and processes address discrimination and inequality.”

The Women’s Safety Summit, to be delivered virtually from Canberra 6-7 September, is the final piece in the development of the new National Plan to end violence against women and children which will replace the current plan in 2022.

The summit was agreed on as part of the establishment of the Taskforce on Women’s Safety in December last year.

It offers an opportunity to look comprehensively at the issues surrounding violence against women and include diverse aspects such as online abuse, gender equality, coercive control in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and policing and justice systems.

Although the event will have happened by the time this issue of LG Focus goes to print,

9-16

6-8 October Murray Bridge, South Australia ‘Grounded and Growing’ lga.sa.gov.au/news-and-events/events/roadsandworks

LGA SOUTH AUSTRALIA BEST PRACTICE SHOWCASE, ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AGM 28 and 29 October Adelaide Entertainment Centre ‘Beyond the Horizon’ Any questions please contact Natasha Black on (08) 8224 2013 or events@lga.sa.gov.au

Best practice

REPURPOSED WASTEWATER GETS GREAT RESULTS 10

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Start-up program helps Fresh new look urban farmer for laneway Self-proclaimed ‘fun-gi’, Kyle Quinn, is scaling up his new mushroom enterprise in Warrnambool, Victoria, with support from AgriFood Evolution, a program helping food and agriculture businesses fast-track their innovative ideas and bring them to market.

Quinn took part in a workshop about growing mushrooms at home.

“It just went from there. We were just growing mushrooms for home use and I thought ‘I reckon I can give this a crack and see how we go’.

“We’re working on an urban-based mushroom growing business providing fresh, seasonal, local mushrooms. I’ve set up a makeshift cool room in my garage.”

Agrifood Evolution is a 12 week program supported by the Federal Government’s

Food Innovation Australia Limited and delivered by industry experts Beanstalk in partnership with the Warrnambool City, Moyne, Corangamite, Southern Grampians and Glenelg Shire Councils.

Beanstalk Project Facilitator, Phoebe Norman said while COVID-19 has produced serious challenges for many businesses, it had also created new opportunities.

“In this cohort there have been some really great stories that have come off the back

Agrifood Evolution program participant, Kyle Quinn, has started a mushroom business in his garage.

of being forced to stop and have that opportunity to look at their business and how they can progress forward.

“Without programs like this, it can take years to test, fail, excel, fail again and so on. But we’re trying to get them to look at the steps they need to take and give them the ability to move forward and scale up as fast as they can.”

Warrnambool Mayor, Vicki Jellie said, “Programs like AgriFood Evolution, as well as Connecting with Asia which has a tourism focus, they are as much about creating networks between businesses as they are about introducing them to new ideas and methodologies.

“The information about understanding your customer and marketing your product is invaluable, but so is having the chance to learn about other businesses looking to take innovative approaches in order to grow.”

And that’s a sentiment echoed by Warrnambool’s newest mushroom farmer.

“Some of the growth curves have been pretty steep but I think having support like this and knowing that some of the challenges I’m experiencing aren’t unique to me has really helped.”

City of Busselton has partnered with Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia, through the Reconnect Western Australia initiative, to revitalise Hannay Lane in Dunsborough with support from Dunsborough Progress Association.

The trial revitalisation of Busselton’s Hannay Lane, may lead to longer-term changes. Photo courtesy Sara Storm Photography.

The project built upon the vibrancy created by the Djiljit Mia Community Gathering Place, which was a project spearheaded by the community.

The aim of the revitalisation was to create a pedestrian friendly laneway suitable for community gatherings.

Wi t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f colourful pathways, the

Delegates will be afforded the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, obtain information on the latest developments in information technology, and to find best practice solutions.

Representatives of local government, state government agencies and business corporations will be attending the conference from throughout Australia.

The program will be offering plenary and concurrent streams and be made up of council case studies and vendor presentations around the following subjects: • cybersecurity trends in local government LGFOCUS.COM.AU

• hybrid enterprise cloud migration • internet of things (IOT) • artificial intelligence\machine learning • latest tech trends for the enterprise.

• COVID-19 driven future ways of working – imagining LG in a post COVID-19 world • how to future-proof your LGA, and • smart city fatigue; what smart technology is actually worth investing in?

This year’s conference will also feature high profile keynote speakers, including Future Crunch, Steven Bradbury, Anders Sorman-Nilsson and Lisa McInnes-Smith.

An extensive trade exhibition and fun networking functions form an integral component of the conference.

Don’t miss this opportunity to network with industry suppliers and keep up to date with latest developments in industry products and services.

We would like to thank our gold sponsors: NBN, HPE Aruba and Sophos.

Vi s i t l g i t 2 0 2 1 . c o f f s lgconferences.com.au for further information or contact Michelle Aubert from Countrywide Conference and Event Management: michelle@ccem.com.au or 0408 791 492 *Copy supplied by Coffs IT

and artwork that you can walk on!

The 12-month trial is an example of testing new and innovative ways to use the City’s streets and public spaces, in the hope that projects such as this will help lay the foundations for longer-term changes which support safe and vibrant communities.

Local Government IT conference 2022

IT conference sets new dates* Coffs Harbour City Council is organising the 23rd Local Government Information Technology Conference but due to the extended Public Health orders, lockdowns, and ongoing travel restrictions we have decided to postpone the 2021 Conference scheduled for 3 to 5 November to Wednesday 1st to Friday 3rd June 2022 at Opal Cove Resort, Coffs Harbour.

delineation of pedestrian and motorist passage is working well in the shared zone.

A collaboration between the City, Hannay Lane Enhancement Group and local artist Samual Allen, the urban space has been brought alive with striking colours, planters, street furniture

RECSCHEDULED DATE 1 – 3 June 2022 Opal Cove Resort, Coffs Harbour, NSW

Due to the extended Public Health orders, lockdowns, and ongoing travel restrictions Coffs Harbour City Council have made the difficult decision to postpone our 2021 Conference scheduled for 3 to 5 November. We are committed to the conference proceeding in 2022 which has been re-booked at the Opal Cove Resort for Wednesday 1st to Friday 3rd June 2022.

Hosted by Coffs Harbour City Council

The program will feature expert speakers from government, the private sector, online organisations, and the computer and communications industries.

Keynote Speakers

Future Crunch, Anders Sorman-Nilsson and Lisa McInnes-Smith arranged via Claxton Speakers Bureau

Steven Bradbury

FREE REGISTRATION for the full conference will be offered to accepted presenters who are employed by a council.

www.lgit2021.coffslgconferences.com.au Head to the ‘call for papers’ tab on the website for abstract submission details

For further information please contact Michelle Aubert, Conference Manager, Countrywide Conference and Event Management 0408 791 492

michelle@ccem.com.au

www.lgit2021.coffslgconferences.com.au For COVID 19 related details please check the website We would like to thank our Gold Partners

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SEPTEMBER 2021

President’s comment

Mayor Christina Holmdahl President Local Government Association of Tasmania I am pleased to again be writing to you as President of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, after the sector expressed its support for my continuance in the role for another two years at our recent Annual General Meeting.

The first half of this year has been a particularly busy, but also fruitful, period for our Association. On the policy front, and following sustained advocacy, our State Government recently: • accepted the sector’s policy position regarding the rating treatment impasse for Independent Living Units (ILUs) owned and operated by charitable institutions • confirmed a delay in the commencement of the statewide waste levy until the 1 July 2022. While our sector strongly supports the introduction of a waste levy, the Government’s original start

date of the 1st of November was going to cause a number of issues and • released a discussion paper on important changes to the Local Government Code of Conduct Framework. Local government had been calling for a review of the framework since the middle of last year.

Local Government Reform In addition, our State Government has announced a significant local government reform project. This stems from a recommendation from the Premier’s Economy and Social Recovery Advisory Council (PESRAC) Final Report.

PESRAC was established in mid-2020 to provide advice to the Premier on strategies and initiatives to support both short and longer-term recovery from COVID-19.

The local government reform recommendation was

that ‘the Tasmanian Parliament should sponsor a process to drive structural reform of Tasmania’s local government sector’.

As the level of government closest to communities, our sector is supportive of a reform process that delivers change that is in the best interests of local areas. However, as we all know, to achieve this community voices must be heard.

The reform process must be collaborative with councils and communities, it must work to understand what councils are delivering well, the challenges they face and importantly, take the time to understand community needs.

Each community’s challenges and strengths must be understood, to identify the right services for them now and into the future. As we have seen throughout COVID-19 and in response to

Bush tucker trail The Flinders Ranges Council, South Australia, has a bold vision of becoming the ‘Bush Tucker Capital of Australia’ and with its bush tucker trail in Quorn well underway, it is on the right path to achieving this vision.

emergencies like major bushfires, councils play a key role bringing communities together to recover.

Local government reform should focus on delivering what communities need in a sustainable way. The best way to do this is to create a more robust and capable system of local government.

The structure must support this objective. Bigger is not always better and we know from structural reform in other states cost savings are unlikely to materialise and importantly, may not best serve community needs.

Initial discussion with our State Government have been very constructive, with early indications being that the State Government is genuinely interested in a collaborative reform investigation and for changes that result in a stronger local government sector in Tasmania.

Community hub is a virtual GIFT Regional Council of Goyder, South Australia, is creating connections and bringing people together through its online community hub, funded by an Age Friendly SA Grant via SA Health.

Council staff and volunteers work together to create a bush tucker trail in Quorn.

Whilst the bush tucker trail will become a key tourist drawcard, it is also aimed at improving the conservation, enhancement and enjoyment of public open spaces to provide communities access to quality green public open space for positive health and wellbeing outcomes.

The bush tucker trail will provide opportunities for unstructured recreation in the existing setting and a clear pathway linkage from the central business district to existing recreation facilities.

It will also serve as a shared walking circuit.

The walkway with is planted gardens provide a signif4

icant bush food garden that will be part of a future programme working with local farmers to diversify their operations into bush food production which can be on sold in local cafe’s and eateries.

The planted gardens will also rehabilitate a significant area in the centre of Quorn, increasing the total tree canopy space and green area in the town, as well as rehabilitating a key waterway with native plants significant to the Adnyamathanha people.

This project also provides an opportunity for Flinders Ranges Council to engage with the local Adnyamathanha people in a less formal setting.

The Bush Tucker Trail will be a publicly accessible walk and will provide substantial local employment.

The project has significant community support with many community members and groups already volunteering their time to assist with projects such as community planting days.

The walkway will build on the recently completed heritage walk which runs through the town centre and connect two quite disparate areas. The walk also links into the famous Heysen Trail that runs through Quorn along a section of this proposed walkway.

The idea of an online information resource aimed at people over 50 within the Goyder area, was first voiced at a community meeting in 2019 and funding gained in 2020 enabled project officer, Deb Selway to be employed to develop the concept and deliver the outcome – a community website.

Still under construction, the Goyder Inclusive Friendly Towns, affectionately known as GIFT, will create a network and a tool to grow awareness of the benefits and opportunities available for volunteering with community groups.

The hub gives older residents a one-stop-shop to discover where they can help or

be involved in their community. It will provide options about how to participate, be active and contribute to their community in a way that suits them.

Regional Council of Goyder sport and recreational development officer, Samantha Freeman said the community hub model was based on other hubs throughout Australia – with the successful Waverton Hub being a strong point of reference.

It provided a way for people to get connected and feel involved in the towns they live in.

“It’s about communities embracing inclusion and helping to make the invisible, visible.”

The hub aims to foster a spirit of sharing while allowing people to easily find a group they would be keen to get involved with – it might be a local chess group, a sporting body or just a book club.

“It’s getting the community to care for itself and each other and create spaces in towns where everyone feels welcome.”

Originally named Burra Aged Friendly Towns, the name morphed to the Goyder Inclusive Friendly Towns to highlight the inclusivity of the project.

Whilst it’s not finished just yet, the hub will soon be available for all to access.

Goyder’s virtual hub project officer, Deb Selway make plans for the new community hub with Council staff.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Coverage matters: how we’re keeping Australia connected Reliable connectivity is vital in a world with so much uncertainty. It ensures we can stay connected to family, friends and colleagues. It enables remote learning, facilitates business and improves our overall lifestyle through access to entertainment – experiences everyone deserves.

This knowledge underpins Telstra’s commitment to keeping regional and remote Australia connected.

It’s why we have invested more than $3 billion in regional and rural Australia in the last five years, and why more than 7% of our capital has been invested in services for 2% of Australians – people who live in the most remote parts of the country.

Our focus on reliable connectivity is also why, under the Federal Government Mobile Black Spot Program, Telstra has contributed three times more than the rest of the industry combined, and is building more than two thirds of all mobile base stations jointly funded under the program.

Given this demonstration of consistent and comprehensive service provision, it makes sense that Telstra is the only major mobile provider to win projects and commit funding as part of the Federal Government’s Regional Connectivity Program. Under the program, we are proud to be delivering 72 new projects in regional and remote Australia.

Connectivity is fundamental to the Australian way of life and ongoing prosperity, wherever you live in the country. To make sure this happens, our local teams regularly meet Local Government Associations to hear what you need from us.

Here’s some answers on main topics that get discussed.

We also announced in May that over the next four years we will commit $200 million of co-investment funding aimed at enhancing and extending coverage in rural and regional areas.

We plan to stimulate infrastructure co-investment with governments, local councils and businesses in areas that would otherwise be difficult to justify on economic grounds.

3G is closing but not until June 2024 An increasing number of people are moving to 4G and 5G so we will be closing 3G, but there will be no change until June 2024. To support the move we are expanding our 4G network so it has equivalent coverage to 3G today.

Telstra highway coverage Thanks to our investments in the Mobile Blackspot Program, there is now coverage along 5800km of Australia’s busiest, longest and most isolated trucking and tourism routes.

Getting communities back online after a disaster In most disaster situations, a power failure causes outages of mobile and fixed telecommunications.

Getting services back up and running quickly relies heavily on being able to assess the damage quickly and accurately so the right parts and crew can be sent in. In the last few years, the availability of drones has made this much faster and safer for our teams, especially in areas that are still under threat.

Our teams are often the first ones on the ground when a disaster hits to reconnect and rebuild communities, and they’re there until the job is done.

Australia’s largest internet of things network is supplied by Telstra The Internet of Things offers unprecedented, data-driven insights across your business and community, giving you the power to better inform and automate your processes. Telstra’s NB-IoT coverage now extends to around four million square kilometres and our LTE-M coverage reaches around three million square kilometres making it Australia’s largest IoT network.

More information For more information visit https://exchange.telstra.com.au/ or to contact us go to https://www.telstra.com.au/ regionalaustralia

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

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SEPTEMBER 2021

The Good Oil by Rod Brown

Delegate – a great use of Bushfire Recovery funds Delegate is a small town (population 350) way up on the Monaro high plains, close to the New South Wales/Victoria border. Three hours from Canberra, and you get there and back via Bombala.

The area is a mix of forest and beef/sheep properties, intersected by the Delegate and Snowy rivers and their tributaries. One of those places that you’re vaguely aware of.

But now I must visit. The reason is that it’s got energetic people doing great things.

Snowy Monaro councillors had put me onto the fact that Hilda Rix Nicholas – an internationally-regarded painter of the Great War era – had lived and died in Delegate.

Her work is featured in the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery and sundry state galleries.

But Sharon Buckman from the Delegate Progress As-

sociation (DPA) explains that they too wanted a piece of the action, specifically that a revamp of their local gallery would feature indigenous art as well as Rix Nicholas’ artwork. It could also be to blend that artwork with photos and cartoons of other Local Legends around the Snowy Mountains. Readers might recall that we are working with the Coffs Harbour National Cartoon Gallery and other communities on this concept.

Accordingly, the DPA made a submission to the Bushfire Recovery Fund, and in due course it received a grant of $686,000 to revamp the

His Land by Hilda Rix Nicholas.

existing gallery to progress the above concept. But there was another smart angle. The town suffers a lack of tourist accommodation – so the grant also provides for the purchase of three cottages, with takings to be ploughed back into other development initiatives.

Coincidentally the cottages are manufactured in nearby Jindabyne, so the money stays in the region. Sharon explained that the whole project was conceived by a group of people, including Karen Cash who was formerly the Shire’s economic development manager. Karen’s submission writing skills came to the fore.

Sharon and I discussed the potential to build on the above grant to create an Adventure Tourism industry in this pristine environment viz. walking trails, canoeing down the Snowy, 4WD trips, school camps, feasting on signature dishes (roast beef and lamb, Snowy trout), and crossing McKillop’s Bridge (spectacular – Google it!).

And think about this – Canberra and indeed Australia have many citizens who’d be attracted by Rix-Nichols’ depiction of the Great War and the Snowy Monaro lifestyle of the early 1900s. Given the

world’s problems at present, nostalgia art is reportedly the next big thing.

The bottom line is that Delegate is an outstanding example of proactive, persistent people unlocking a rural community’s potential.

AFL industry under microscope Sport is a big industry in both economic and social terms. So it’s noteworthy when arguably our biggest sporting industry is accused of abusing market power and lacking integrity.

The revelations come via a Melbourne-based sport journalist, Michael Warner, in his recent book ‘The Boys’ Club’.

It’s riveting stuff. The coverage of the treatment of James Hird during the supplements saga is worth the price of the book alone (around $20). The seminal message, to me at least, is that the AFL is a very significant employer with a huge impact on people’s social and sporting lives, and that Warner’s book provides the evidence for a major enquiry into its conduct. However the media reporting of Warner’s revelations has been muted, presumably because other journalists are afraid of being black-balled by the AFL. This proves the point!

James Hird’s father Allan is understandably keen for the truth to come out, and he has penned a review of Warner’s book on the Institute of Public Administration website – go to ipa.org.au/ipa-reviewarticles/who-stole-the-footy.

By the way, Michael Warner’s dad Nick was a handy half-back flanker for the ANU in the 1970s, and went on to become Australia’s top spy.

And Warner’s grandfather was the late Denis Warner, the celebrated war historian and media commentator. So there is some principled lineage there.

COVID-19 defines the next federal election The considered opinion of my Friday night companions at the Murrumbidgee Golf Club is that the Morrison Government has ‘stuffed up’ the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and quarantine arrangements.

My companions are mostly rusted-on conservatives, and

it’s their words not mine. And their views are being echoed

by Cockatoo members across this wide, brown land.

The federal Opposition is onto this, with leader Albanese currently hammering these two failures at every opportunity. But he must broaden Labor’s policy offerings via the articulation of a vision that includes the existential threats to our health and wellbeing (pandemics and climate change), fairness (via tax reform) and transparency and accountability (a corruption watchdog). And Labor would be well-advised to push Tanya Plibersek forward – she has a great political brain, is a great media performer and will help secure the female vote. The current Deputy Leader, Richard Marles, is a waffler.

The smart money is on the federal election being in the March-May 2022 window, because Morrison cannot call an election until he’s sure the light at the end of the Covid tunnel isn’t a freight train.

Rod Brown is a Canberra-based consultant and lobbyist specialising in industry/regional development, investment attraction and clusters, and accessing federal grants. He also runs the Cockatoo Network.

Phone: (02) 6231 7261 or 0412 922 559 Email: apdcockatoo@iprimus.com.au

Moonah gets creative Glenorchy City Council, Tasmania, has developed a COVID-19 Economic Recovery program to deliver both emergency measures and strategic investment into the City.

One of the ten identified projects was Showcase Moonah Creative Hub, a creative placemaking project to promote and activate the Moonah precinct.

Council partnered with Town Team Movement and Future Common to coordinate the activities of Showcase Moonah and to build the capacity of those participants in implementing their ideas.

A total of 49 expressions of interest were registered from which 32 grant applications were received.

Successful applicants were as diverse as the local community, with participants including local businesses, multicultural communities, a youth social enterprise, art6

ists, musicians, and not-forprofit groups. The facilitation of multiple projects in unison meant that inter-community collaboration was incentivised and enabled.

Happenings included activities sharing Southwest China ethnic culture, a multicultural street library and a multicultural showcase of interactive music and dance performances celebrating the cultural diversity of Moonah.

The Troublesmiths, a youth-led social enterprise of talented Tasmanian makers, conducted interactive making workshops and created a collaborative job board, situated outside the Moonah Post Office.

The largest project was To the North market, a pop-

up street market showcasing business, produce, local makers, performers, artists, and entrepreneurs.

Four local musicians that perform with The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra brought classical music to the streets with Bach’s Fugues, and the community coloured a large mural in Make Your Mark Moonah.

People with disability put on two placemaking street activation events and assisted with stalls at the To the North market.

Thirty original artworks were placed around Moonah for people to discover and take home for free (Flying Oxygen) and multicultural dancers boogied at the Silent DisGLOW,

Glenorchy recovers with dancing in the streets at Moonah.

activating a key precinct site, and stimulating the night-time economy.

Streets and laneways were filled with artwork including rainbows of colour along the walkway of Memory Lane.

Streets came alive hosting guerrilla gardeners and an interactive guided walk telling tales and testimonies of Moonah’s history while dancing in the streets.

Even the airways were occupied with LIVE from Moonah! – broadcast on Edge Radio to celebrate the diversity of the Moonah area with a street-side radio broadcast.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Tens of thousands converge for festival

Cultural Burn connects people In May this year, the Kaurna Aboriginal community and the City of Adelaide collaboratively delivered the Kaurna Kardla Parranthi Cultural Burn Project in the Adelaide Park Lands.

The North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) has marked off another resounding success with tens of thousands of visitors attending a slew of soldout shows during the month of July.

The award-winning festival brought art, culture and entertainment to Townsville despite rolling COVID-19 lockdowns across the country which resulted in 97 shows being forced to cancel during the month-long festival.

City of Townsville Councillor, Ann-Maree Greaney said cabaret and comedy were the most popular genres with audiences this year, including packed-out children’s shows.

“Visitors to Townsville who travelled for the Townsville 500, Ephemera or the Australian Festival of Chamber Music Queens Gardens Concert, got to experience the joy of NAFA spread across the city, from The Messengers of Townsville birds perched around the CBD to live shows at Strand Park, Central Park and The Ville.

“It’s been a thrill to welcome NAFA mainstay Wonderland Spiegeltent back to Townsville for the last four weeks, with their incredible mix of children’s shows, circus, cabaret and comedy.

“We also had the pleasure of having Australian rock band Yothu Yindi step in at the last minute to headline a free show at The Ville Headland, which had 1400 audience members, with only two days’ notice.”

Cr Greaney said it was an incredible turnout for the month-long event.

“Throughout the month of NAFA Townsville has a chance to really shine.

Everywhere you look there are people out enjoying our beautiful weather and the incredible amount of art that we host across the city.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring nationally-acclaimed art to North Queensland each year during NAFA, and to be able to continue delivering this outstanding event even during the most trying times.

This offering of art and culture is a mood booster for both locals and visitors who make the most of NAFA. “The economic activation that NAFA provides to Townsville each year is extremely important for local businesses, from hospitality to retail to tourism.

“NAFA consistently provides a strong return on Council’s investment into the event and goes to show how powerful arts and entertainment can be for our economy, especially while businesses are still feeling the brunt of COVID’s effects.”

Dancenorth’s production of Dungarri Nya Nya Ngarri Bi Nya at NAFA.

Border region calls for new policy

Kaurna Kardla Parranthi Cultural Burn in the Adelaide Park Lands was the first time an Aboriginal Cultural burn has been carried out in a capital city.

Over 200 people observed a moving Welcoming Ceremony, which highlighted the significant Cultural, ecological and reconciliation outcomes of the event.

The burn was initiated in response to City of Adelaide’s policy objectives from its Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan to incorporate Kaurna traditional knowledge into the management of biodiversity in the city’s Park Lands.

It was conducted under the watchful eye of nationally recognised traditional fire practitioner, Victor Steffensen who came to Adelaide to work alongside the Kaurna community and Council in delivering a series of training sessions.

The Cultural burn was ignited by two young Kaurna men and the crowd watched as the fire burned in a controlled and measured way, so much so, that, the ground was cool to the touch almost as soon as the fire had gone.

Allan Sumner, who conducted the Welcome and Smoking ceremony explained how fire was a central part of life for Aboriginal people in managing and caring for Country.

“Now a lot of those old practices have vanished. And through the reclamation of our Culture and our language, we want to bring these practices back.

“To be able to have fire in the City of Adelaide, what that does for me as an Aboriginal

man, is it empowers me. It gives me strength; it lets me know that we have a voice here and we’re part of some of that decision making around what happens to our country on the Adelaide Plains.”

The last word goes to Kaurna Elder Uncle Jeffrey Newchurch who has been a driving force in the partnerships between his community and the City of Adelaide.

“The burn was about bringing people together, about the important partnerships that are instrumental in delivering reconciliation and about the opportunities for our young Kaurna people to reconnect with their Culture by caring for their Country.”

Enhance organisational branding and build trust through best practice community and stakeholder engagement.

Murray River Council, New South Wales, will continue to push for a shift in border-region-policy once the current COVID-19 crisis has eased.

Whilst the current restrictions across both New South Wales and Victoria have halted visitor numbers, Mayor Chris Bilkey said Council was still throwing its full efforts into working with governments to come up with sustainable, longer-term solutions for border communities in this new COVID-era.

“We’re not looking to heavily criticise a government dealing with a complex issue.

“We want to encourage them to work with local community leaders to come up with a safe strategy that encompasses more practical LGFOCUS.COM.AU

economic options when faced with restrictions as a result of any future outbreaks.”

Murray River Council has invited other councils along the border to join them in the advocacy initiative and has been working closely with Murray Regional Tourism Board to highlight the full economic hit the region has taken – $1billion lost to the local economy along with 10,000 jobs – over the past 18 months.

“This is about putting forward economic data and stories to get the conversation to the table.

“Whilst we resolved to allocate money towards this public push, we are hopeful that any funds will predominately be used towards a recovery campaign for our area when we reopen.

“We won’t be throwing money at a quick fix because in reality, there isn’t one.

“The stories of our locals and businesses should be showcased to highlight the economic importance of the region, so that we then have a platform to drive the conversations around longerterm solutions.”

IAP2 Australasia can support local government through: Training, resources and the IAP2A Certificate in Engagement - now available to study in our facilitated virtual classroom or in-house in your workplace Recognition with the IAP2 Excellence in Core Value Awards Connect through Local Networking groups and events Network, share and learn at the annual IAP2A Conference, 26 - 28 October 2021, Brisbane, Queensland.

iap2.org.au

7

SEPTEMBER 2021

Councillor profiles

Western Australia

President Sarah Stanley Shire of Collie Collie is a unique town undergoing an exciting transformation.

For generations, Collie has fuelled the power needs of Western Australia, and will continue to play an important role in the region’s prosperity as it capitalises on its many strategic advantages to attract new, scalable, low-emissions, jobs-rich investments.

Collie is awakening as the most exciting adventure destination in Western Australia.

Just two hours south of Perth, the sweeping views of the Collie River Valley offer the first glimpse of a natural playground that awaits.

Collie boasts trails of all descriptions, including stunning equestrian trails, mountain bike trails, hikes and paddle trails that meander through stunning bush.

Make sure you have your camera ready for the in-

tense turquoise waters of our inland lakes, including Black Diamond and Stockton as well as the serene waters of Lake Kepwari, Honeymoon Pool and Minningup Pool.

Collie is home to the world’s largest dam mural.

Spanning 8000 square metres, it’s a sight to behold and just part of an expansive outdoor art gallery throughout Collie’s town centre.

Collie’s rich working heritage is celebrated through a new replica underground mine experience, public art trails and intriguing museums.

If there’s one thing we do really well in Collie, it’s that we know how to have fun.

We love playing in nature, we’re always ready for a laugh and we are a town of enthusiasts.

Taking a leading role I have been on Council for eight years, serving as Shire President for the past four. I am fiercely passionate about my community and its potential and enjoy taking a

lead role helping our community realise its vision.

I own and operate a gorgeous heritage motel that we are in the process of restoring, which provides affordable accommodation and co-working space to a wide range of visitors in the centre of town.

I also run a boutique marketing consultancy, providing branding, graphic design, web design and branded products for a wide range of clients both locally and across the globe.

My work history and clientele includes multi-skilled roles in tiny not-for-profit organisations and small businesses to community relations and internal communications for multi-national companies across a broad range of sectors.

The connections created and knowledge gained through my work is invaluable for my community roles, and vice versa.

A good deal of my time is spent connecting the right people for mutually beneficial outcomes.

You can probably guess that I don’t have a lot of spare

Towards a sustainable future Collie’s number one strategic priority is economic development.

The Shire is working collaboratively with governments and agencies at all levels, unions, higher education, industry and small business to transition its economy and workforce to a more sustainable future.

As the state’s energy needs are moving towards low-emission technology, we’re very focused on early and proactive action towards a Just Transition for the impacted workers and their community.

The collective efforts are starting to pay off, with a significant increase in tourism traffic providing a boost to the town’s hospitality sector.

There is a suite of projects across a diverse range of

sectors that are either reaching operational stage, or firmly on their path.

Collie boasts the only autonomous vehicle training centre in the Southern hemisphere, will soon have a fully renewable medicinal cannabis manufacturing facility, and is now the centre for emergency vehicle manufacturing and maintenance for the state, among others.

Larger scale and more signifi cant projects naturally have a much longer lead time, and we’re continuing to work through the key barriers to entry to ensure a positive investment decision on new industries that can capitalise on our existing power, rail and road infrastructure as well as our highly skilled industrial workforce and supportive business environment.

I truly relish the opportunity to play a lead role in helping these projects to fruition, playing my part in ensuring Collie has a truly sustainable and prosperous future.

financial management and the fact that as a Council we are very well regarded in the community. We have had very little turnover of councillors in recent elections, sometimes seeing all councillors returned.

It is my aim to continue to renew and grow our City and leave it not only looking better and bustling with tourists, but also with a financial capacity to undertake whatever projects the future sees us require.

time outside of my businesses and community work, but when I do get to let my hair down, I enjoy good music and good food and wine shared with my beautiful family and friends.

Mayor Shane Van Styn FCPA City of Greater Geraldton Greater Geraldton is a coastal city of 40,000 people located 410km north of Perth. It serves as the regional capital of the Midwest, with a regional population of 55,000 people. Geraldton has a very diverse economy with no single industry greater than 16 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) or employment. Our economy’s largest sectors are lobster fishing, port handling, airport and tourism, farming, horticulture, mining services, construction, retail and government services. This diversity sees our economy being quite resilient during times of commodity price swings.

Tourism grows In 2016 Council embarked on a plan to grow tourism from 2 percent to 10 percent of our economy in a decade. Pre COVID-19 we saw that grow to 4 percent and now despite seeing international tourism cease, domestic tourism continues to flourish.

A key to building our tourism industry has been the gradual opening-up of the 8

Abrolhos Islands to tourism.

Located 50km west of Geraldton, the 122 island archipelago, is one of the most biodiverse areas on earth. We are seeing new businesses come online with daily fast ferry services, hotel ships, fishing charters and more. Home of Australia’s oldest European building, the Wiebbe Hayes fort is just under 400 years old, dating from the Batavia mutiny of 1629.

This need to grow tourism is part of what drove me to stand as Mayor in 2016.

Council had lost sight I am a CPA accountant by trade and back in 2011 the City’s finances were in dire straits and I felt as though Council had badly lost sight of its core purpose of efficiently delivering essential community services and facilities. Seeing this and regularly attending Council meetings to try and get Council to hear my concerns, it became evident I should run for Council.

I was first elected to Council in 2011 and served as a Councillor until being elected as

Mayor in 2015 at 38 years of age. I was re-elected by the people of Geraldton again in 2019.

Apart from being an accountant I am also the director of Forefront Security, a security company of 30 staff, focused on guarding and patrolling commercial and government sites. We also specialise in ATM servicing which sees myself and staff cover an area of approximately 100,000 square kilometres. This means I see a great deal of our region and I get to talk to people well beyond our local government area and learn how things are done in other areas as well as share our ideas.

I am also a proud landlord of Geraldton’s first microbrewery, which is soon to open.

This business experience allows me to relate to our corporate constituents.

Solid financial base During my term, the City has turned around large deficit budgets, has reigned in rate rises to inflation or below (from a high of 27 percent in

a single year) and now we are focussed on achieving a solid financial base that sees us able to deliver on all our asset renewal needs, deliver new facilities as needed as well as provide for future Council priorities.

One key focus Council has is the revitalising of our central business district, which has been undertaking a radical transformation over the last decade along with our inner-city foreshore reserve which spans around 10km.

Being a coastal city, coastal erosion is a key challenge we face. Protection of our coastline is very expensive and requires cooperation between all tiers of government. We have been successful in doing a great deal of work with the help of state and federal governments and we are planning to create a mini marina on our northern-most suburb to help protect that area from erosion while at the same time, provide much needed boat launching facilities.

Overall, as an accountant I am particularly proud of our

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Focus on

BEST PRACTICE

Big thinking pays off Twelve months of innovative and flexible thinking paid off in a big way for Burwood Council at local government’s night of nights.

Council achieved peer recognition taking home two Highly Commended in the categories of Community Development, and Special Projects Initiatives at the 2021 New South Wales Local Government Excellence Awards.

Launched in March 2020 as a direct response to the impact that the COVID-19 Pandemic was having on the community, the highly successful Burwood Cares Program was nominated for achievement in the Community Development category.

Some of the wellbeing and economic outcomes that can be attributed to the Burwood Cares program include a 150 percent increase in

Council’s engagement with the community, 80 percent increase in housing support for rough-sleepers, 85 percent increase in community programming and over $1.1million in financial relief measures provided to residents and businesses.

The night’s other success was in the Special Projects Initiatives category through the innovative Burwood Print and Post Partnership that saw Council partner with Revenue New South Wales last year. A key aim of this pilot program was to streamline the way fi nes were issued to customers within the Burwood local government area.

Some of the key improvements from the program included improved customer experience, minimising workplace safety risks, and removing administration burdens.

It also allowed staff to spend more time in the field during their daily work.

Mayor, John Faker was understandably delighted with the result of both programs.

“It’s fantastic to receive recognition from our peers.

Both of these projects arose because of an identified need within the community.

“I would like to congratulate all the dedicated staff involved in delivering innovative and effective services for the Burwood community.”

Burwood Council received recognition for Community Development and Special Projects Initiatives at the LG NSW Excellence Awards.

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Executive Assistant to the CEO, Paige Kliese said the cloud-enabled solution had allowed the Shire Council to operate more efficiently.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

BEST PRACTICE

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Repurposed wastewater gets great results

Going digital supports arts When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, many business sectors were hit hard, but none more than the arts sector.

Farms and golf courses have reaped the rewards of environmentally-friendly processes at the Port Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In the 2020/21 financial year, Douglas Shire Council, Queensland, re-purposed about 540ML of recycled water, the equivalent of 217 Olympic-sized swimming pools, for irrigation on golf courses in Port Douglas.

Council employs a range of wastewater treatment processes to remove waste from the water so it can be safely reused or returned to the environment.

For example, 2037 wet tonnes of dewatered sludge were taken by contractors and used as organic fertiliser and soil conditioner across farms in the region last financial year.

Douglas Shire Mayor, Michael Kerr said the Mossman and Port Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plants played a vital role in the everyday lives of ratepayers.

“The amount of work that goes into handling… [the community’s] waste once it goes down the drain and how we then use it in practical ways is truly mind-boggling.”

Council has made a series of educational videos for its website to give the community an in-depth understanding of how the treatment plants work.

“We know how important protecting our environment is and it is fantastic to see all the work that is done behind the scenes.”

Wastewater is defined as the water-borne wastes of a community, containing about 99.9 percent pure water and 0.1 percent pollutants by weight.

Wastewater comes from residences, local commercial and light industrial sites, such as clubs, caravan parks, restaurants, commercial laundries, oil company retail outlets and hospitals. It does not include roof water or surface runoff.

Last year 540ML of recycled water, or treated effluent, was repurposed for irrigation on golf courses in Port Douglas.

First recycled roads roll out Meander Valley Council, Tasmania, is demonstrating its commitment to working towards a sustainable future by using waste and recyclable materials to resurface parts of the Municipality’s road network.

A number of roads in Prospect Vale were the first in Tasmania to be resurfaced with products containing crushed glass as a substitute for sand and aggregate and crumb rubber from old tyres.

When used in asphalt and sprayed seals, crumb rubber from old tyres improves the strength and longevity of road surfaces.

Subsidised by Tyre Stewardship Australia, the projects were delivered at no additional cost to ratepayers over the use conventional asphalt surfacing materials.

Fulton Hogan Industries was engaged to undertake the work which was carried out during October and November 2020.

Council is assessing opportunities to incorporate

crumb rubber and crushed glass into future projects across the municipality, including most recently a 700 metre long section of footpath in the rural township of Bracknell.

The recycled roads projects utilised 6.4 tonnes of crushed glass equivalent to 36,364 beer bottles or 12,500 wine bottles and 393 car tyres.

Meander Valley Council is using recycled products to pave the road to a sustainable future. Photo courtesy of Fulton Hogan Industries.

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City of Armadale supporting the Arts by livestreaming performances and visual arts demonstrations during lockdown.

City of Armadale, Western Australia, has a deep-rooted reputation for supporting and celebrating the arts from facilitating the Armadale Arts Festival, the long-standing art awards such as the Minnawarra Art Awards established in 1997, and Rediscover Armadale: A Walking Urban Art Trail showcasing local, national and international artists through a series of murals and artworks in public spaces.

Mayor, Ruth Butterfield, said, “Government bans had stopped all public gatherings, and many local creatives faced huge hits to their income.

“The City of Armadale stepped in with the #artistsofarmadale project to support local creatives and provide opportunities for community connectivity through digital performances, demonstrations, and tutorials.

“Armadale has a highly active and talented creative community with a rich culture and focus on artistic production.

“The City is committed to partnering with our local creatives, which while providing an income stream for the local arts industry, is also about meeting community needs, who during the pandemic more than ever, can benefit from engaging with the arts and also with each other through the arts.”

The #artistsofarmadale project employed 48 artists to livestream music performances or visual art demonstrations over Facebook for a duration of two months presenting 18 performances for online audiences showcasing multiple art forms. Public response was overwhelmingly positive, exceeding expectations.

The over 35,000 views (captured within the duration

of the project) were attributed to strong live audience numbers, as well as those who watched or re-watched footage soon afterwards (the videos remained accessible after the livestream).

Audience comments and reactions were very positive and demonstrated the strong sense of community spirit and pride that resides in Armadale.

Responses from participating artists and musicians were also overwhelmingly positive, many of whom had little or no experience with online streaming beforehand but became more comfortable and would be likely to use it in the future.

Artists were paid based on current industry standards, in line with the project’s objective to provide employment to artists, while meeting widespread community needs for engagement and entertainment.

Waste Facility has gone solar City of Darwin’s Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility is now running on solar power after 260 solar panels were installed on the roof of the Recycling and Resource Recovery Centre.

The new solar system will provide a saving of around $34,000 per year, more than 50 percent, of the site’s energy bill and will reduce the carbon footprint by almost 97 tonnes per year, the equivalent to planting 156 trees.

Lord Mayor, Kon Vatskalis, said, “The installation of solar at our Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility is a fantastic initiative and will assist Council to meet its commitment to zero net emissions from Council Operations by 2030.

“It will also reduce our operating costs significantly and help us to achieve the Northern Territory Government target of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030.

“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time

Solar panels on the roof of the Recycling and Resource Recovery Centre at the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility.

and I declared a climate emergency in May 2019.

“Our first ever Climate E m e rg e n c y S t r a t e g y i s currently in development and Council will embrace e m e rg i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s associated with a zero-net transition that can achieve

economic prosperity and improve quality of life to help reduce the impacts of climate change across Darwin.”

The 99 kilowatt system is made up of 260 solar panels each producing up to 390 watts.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

BEST PRACTICE

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Tech for living assets Planting and looking after trees in the City of Gosnells, Western Australia, has taken a technical turn, with the recent introduction of field data reporting and online mapping.

The City’s Environmental Services and Spatial Services teams have collaborated to implement a new way of collecting information on the planting, removal and maintenance of trees in parks and streetscapes.

Mayor, David Goode said staff and contractors had adapted a field data collection app to help the City better manage its ‘living assets’.

“Our new tree reporting system allows staff to upload images and data on site, which will link to the City’s mapping system to highlight tree plantings, tree inspections and surveys conducted in-house or by contractors.

“After a full year of data collection, we will have enough information to refine planting programs and improve accuracy of budgets for future years of tree planting and maintenance.

“We will know the number of trees in our parks and streetscapes, how many need pruning under power

City of Gosnells has adapted a field data collection app to manage its living assets.

lines and where trees have been lost.

“This is really exciting for our community, as it will ultimately improve our tree canopy.

“Trees don’t just provide shade – they produce oxygen, absorb heat and pollutants, store carbon and help manage groundwater quality. Leafy streets can

even change the way we feel about where we live and increase property values.”

Aside from increasing its annual tree planting regime, City of Gosnells has also experienced a surge in the number of residents applying for free street trees.

In the past year, the City planted more than 2500 mature trees across its 11 suburbs.

Recycled plastics are export quality A top recycling program in Armidale, New South Wales, is the key to securing a partnership with South America.

While others are putting recyclables into landfill, the world-class crate recycling system at Armidale Regional Council is leading the way and securing international markets for used plastics.

A newly established partnership between South America and Armidale Recycling Services (ARS) saw a semi-trailer sized shipment of mixed plastics exported from Council’s waste facilities last month.

ARS is contracted to process recycling materials from Council’s kerbside collection service and the community support in separating recyclables at home is keeping contamination rates low and turning recyclables into sales.

Armidale Recycling Services Manager, Mark Low said clean recycling delivered big

demand and Council’s crate system was the key to successful overseas demand.

“The mixed plastics product that comes out of the recycling centre is of a high quality, which says as much about the community as it does about the facility.

“Separation at the source by our community members means contamination is kept to a minimum and it’s the quality of the final product that has lead the facility to securing this contract.

“I’m very pleased with the outcome and this follows a previous load of mixed plastics that went to Asia.

“Many in the industry are finding it nearly impossible to sell their plastics due to the lack of demand, but product quality and cleanliness is critical to securing deals.”

Mixed plastics at Armidale Recycling Services are export quality.

Mr Low also praised the foresight of Armidale Regional Council who introduced the crate system back in 1996.

“Armidale has an outstanding waste management record. With recently upgraded recycling facilities and a high level of community participation, our recycling figures are exceptional.”

Driver identification – more * important than ever Reef trial to reduce erosion City of Cockburn will host Western Australia’s first full-scale trial of an engineered reef designed to slow down coastal erosion by breaking down wave energy reaching the shore.

The reef modules will be constructed from a low carbon concrete, similar to those used at the City’s award-winning Coogee Maritime Trail.

The City has welcomed State Government coastal grants totalling nearly $274,000 to help fund the engineered reef to address persistent and costly erosion at C. Y. O’Connor Beach in North Coogee.

A grant of $214,349 from the Coastal Adaptation & Protection Grants program 202122 will help install nearshore engineered reef modules up to 100m in length about 50m offshore from an area of beach that has experienced persistent erosion for more than 20 years.

Another sum of $59,630 will be used to bury a Geotextile Sand Container (GSC) wall in the onshore dunes adjacent to the reef, to act as an erosion ‘backstop’ to protect park assets in rare super-storm events.

Installation is proposed for early 2022, while the GSC wall will likely be installed in spring 2021 or autumn 2022 to coincide with routine sand nourishment at the popular beach.

The City is in discussions with local company Subcon to deliver the project in collaboration with The University of Western Australia, however a formal agreement is yet to be signed.

City of Cockburn Marine and Coastal Engineering

About 100m of engineered fringing reef will be positioned roughly 50m offshore from C. Y. O’Connor Beach in a new reef trial.

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Officer, Jonathan McKay said the reef had the potential to control erosion while having minimal impact on the beach, as opposed to more obtrusive conventional groynes and seawalls.

“During community consultation in 2019, feedback indicated options that minimise impact on the appearance and function of the beach were more desirable.

“The information we gain about the reef’s performance over many years will inform the understanding and design of similar ‘engineering with nature’ erosion protection initiatives in Western Australia and around the world.

“While erosion will still occur to some degree, it will happen at a reduced rate, minimising the quantity and frequency of sand nourishment, and allowing for a greater, more stable sand dune buffer to establish along the shoreline.

“The modular reef can be reconfigured, reduced or extended if required. Over time, the reef modules will be colonised by marine flora and fauna as has occurred at the underwater Coogee Maritime Trail, creating another marine habitat that will also be accessible to divers and snorkelers.”

Traditionally fleet telematics solutions provide a single method for identifying drivers.

This could either be a physical validator such as an RFID tag, or an administrative identifier such as a vehicle booking.

But while this sounds good on paper, it often falls short in real-world situations.

Employees might share driving responsibilities on longer journeys to facilitate fatigue management. Vehicles allocated to drivers get borrowed for a quick run down the road.

These examples lead to situations where fines and speeding events are attributed to the wrong individuals.

This is why a comprehensive driver identification system that accounts for the nuances of real fleet use is so important.

Smartrak recently announced an update to their market-leading driver identification solution that allows multiple forms of driver identification to be used in conjunction with one another, providing the flexibility required by fleets.

Smartrak’s Driver Identification solution leverages inputs from Vehicle Allocated Drivers, Pool Booking information (with integrated key management), iButton RFID tags, and the Identify app, to provide a wealth of options to suit any fleet’s requirements.

Driver identification heirachy.

Accountable Driving Driver identification ensures organisations are able achieve accountability throughout their fleet. Organisations can proactively identify unsafe driving to ensure the management of staff health and wellbeing, while implementing feedback and safe driver training.

Allocate Fines By understanding who was driving at particular point in time, there is no longer a risk that fines and infringements attributed to fleet vehicles are left unallocated. This can save the organisation from having to shoulder the responsibility of paying for fines that cannot be attributed to specific drivers.

A more efficient fleet Thanks to the ability to report on who last drove a vehicle, tracking down lost or missing keys is a breeze.

Fleet Administrators can easily identify who last had the keys for a vehicle, and proactive management ensures keys are returned prior to the next booking or allocation. This avoids roll-on impacts to organisational operations through lack of oversight and process.

Make your fleet more accountable If you aren’t proactively managing your fleet’s driver identification, it’s time to talk to Smartrak.

With integrated fleet solutions that range from driver identification, pool booking, and key management, through to enterprise level telematics integrations and GPS tracking, Smartrak has the experience and expertise to provide best practice solutions to your organisation.

Find out more at: smartrak. com/driver-identification *Copy supplied by Smartrack LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Do employees take whatever vehicle keys they like from the drawer?

Secure

Easy to access

Are you paying someone to manage your

Reduced admin burden

Do you struggle to identify who’s responsible for accidents, infringements and

Integrated solution

Auditable

KeyMaster electronic key cabinets Stores and manages vehicle or asset keys in a convenient and central location.

Seamlessly integrates with Smartrak’s PoolCar pool booking solution to book and manage employee access to keys based on authorisation and time-based rules.

By eliminating unauthorised use and lost keys, vehicles are more consistently available, improving the utilisation of your

Features • • • • • • •

Eliminates unauthorised use or cases of taking incorrect keys Online booking streamlines vehicle access to reduce admin Know who has taken what key and when Be alerted when keys aren’t returned on-time Capture cost centres and allocate operating costs

Smartrak’s solution provides the software to

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vehicles and assets via desktop or mobile app.

smartrak.com/keys LGFOCUS.COM.AU

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SEPTEMBER 2021

BEST PRACTICE

Focus on

Procurement model goes strategic A new approach to procurement by Logan City Council, Queensland, will deliver increased value for money for the community.

Councillors Natalie Willcocks and Jacob Heremaia discuss the new procurement procedures that will be implemented in 2022.

Strategic contracting procedures will be implemented in March 2022, enabling Council to embrace more innovative purchasing practices.

Councillor Jacob Heremaia, said Council’s spend of around $500 million each year on a diverse mix of goods and services was significant.

“It’s important we have the right purchasing tools in place.”

Queensland councils are bound by two options for procurement under legislation: default or strategic.

Cr Heremaia said Council’s use of the default

model did not live up to potential.

“Now we’ll be able to develop and implement our own procurement and contracting framework that allows us to identify and capitalise on opportunities.

“We will be able to better negotiate contracts, speed up the procurement process and create further opportunities for local and indigenous businesses and social enterprises.”

Councillor Natalie Willcocks said the strategic procedures would be more transparent to the community.

“Council will need to adopt a contracting plan and manual each year that aligns with our annual Operational Plan and Budget, and these will be publicly available.

“Our procurement team conducted a successful trial of the strategic model in some of Council’s purchasing over a six-month period and made savings for the organisation.

“It will be a milestone for Council to move fully to this model next year in line with our counterparts at Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.”

Recycling on the move Northern Midlands Council, Tasmania, has launched its new mobile recycling centre.

An initiative of the newly formed Northern Midlands Local Recycling Committee, the Recycling Trailer is designed for less common recyclables to promote recycling and to get people thinking about what

else can be recycled, aside from what goes into their kerbside recycling bin.

It is often the less common recyclables such as batteries which do the most harm to the environment.

Northern Midlands Council takes its recycling message to the streets.

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Developed in conjunction with the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management group, the trailer will travel around the Municipality and be used at schools, community centres, and community events to raise awareness and educate the community about recycling and reducing waste.

The trailer features eight individual slots where users can separately dispose of batteries, CDs and DVDs, glasses, X-rays, small electronic waste (e-waste), printer ink cartridges, mobile phones (and accessories), and bread tags.

The Recycling Trailer was made by a local company, SR Mechanical, and the signage was done by Tasmanian family owned, eco-friendly signage experts Fingerprint Signs.

Meet Rose the chatbot Devonport City Council is the first local government in Tasmania and one of very few in Australia to introduce a chatbot.

General Manager, Matthew Atkins said a chatbot was an artificial intelligence (AI) application that could imitate a real conversation with a user. It appears as an avatar on Council’s webpage and engages with customers in a manner similar to normal human interaction.

Council’s chatbot was affectionately named Rose following a staff survey and was designed and developed internally using readily available software.

“We are fortunate to have some great staff working in the digital space who have been able to cost effectively create this chatbot over the last 12 months, all based on the real-life customer enquiries that Council receives.

“One of the key benefits of a chatbot is improved engagement with the community through Council’s online presence, by offering a personalised service, gaining insights about the needs of the community, quick response to enquiries and 24/7 availability.

General Manager, Matthew Atkins with Rose the chatbot visible on his computer screen.

“Council is always looking for ways to improve our services and Rose the Chatbot is a part of Council’s ongoing digital transformation, which is now embedded into our culture of innovation that will continually push for new and better ways to operate.”

Since launching on July 1, Rose has averaged approximately 40 conversations a day. These conversations occur 24/7 and some of the frequent queries have been

on receiving renewal notices electronically, rubbish collection times, dog registrations and rates notices, pensioner discounts for rates and questions on planning and building restrictions.

While Rose does not always know the answer to every question, her conversations are routinely monitored and the questions she receives guide her ongoing training and regular professional development.

Dirty glass recycled Shoalhaven City Council, New South Wales, has received grant funding of $500,000 from the Environment Trust to enter into a partnership with University of New South Wales’ Sustainable Materials and Technology Centre (UNSW SMaRT Centre) to establish a Green Ceramics MICROfactorieTM at West Nowra.

The UNSW SMaRT Centre is a leading national research centre working in collaboration with industry to ensure new recycling science is translated into real-world environmental and economic benefits. Essentially, waste is reformed into value-added materials for re-use and remanufacturing.

The grant funding will see a processing facility housed at Council’s West Nowra Recycling and Waste Depot.

Waste materials such as plastic, glass and textiles and mattresses will be processed to produce a range of ‘green ceramics’. Additionally, sorted and cleaned waste plastics will be processed into pellets or 3D printing filament.

These green ceramics are a new generation of high performance, non-toxic, engineered bio-composites, for use in buildings, as furniture and ceramic tiles and for various architectural and decorative applications.

‘Green ceramic’ products are typically made from the types

Remnants of broken glass, generally considered too dirty for recyclers is now sent to Council’s washing and crushing and sizing plant to be recycled into glass sand.

of waste glass and textiles that are either too highly contaminated (i.e. spoiled) or made from composite materials, rendering them difficult to recycle.

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley, said, “We are adding another R: Reform, to the traditional three Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, by seeking partners that share our vision that ‘traditional’ is no longer enough. We need to be transforming unavoidable waste into value-added materials.

“With the addition of the Green Ceramics MircofactorieTM the Shoalhaven continues to lead the way in using innovative and emerging technologies to reduce the regions’ carbon footprint and repurpose waste materials giving them a second life.”

Council will commence the construction of the Green Ceramics MICROfactorieTM in late 2021 and anticipates the new facility to be completed by mid 2022.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

BEST PRACTICE

Focus on

Bioresources powering the city City of Gold Coast, Queensland, is expanding opportunities to produce costsaving energy and commercial soil products from its bioresources.

Bioresources include food organics, green organics, biosolids from sewage treatment plants and biogas from the City’s two active landfill sites.

Raw materials such as food organics and green organics are reprocessed into mulch and compost used to enrich the city’s parks and gardens.

The City now works with biogas-to-energy producer, LMS Energy, to recover gas from landfill sites, producing enough electricity to power nearly 5000 Gold Coast homes for a year.

Using electricity generated by landfill gas prevents the gases from escaping into the atmosphere and reduces the need to burn coal or other fossil fuels that produce more greenhouse gases.

Methane produced at the City’s Elanora sewage treatment plant has been used to supplement power used at the plant for more than a decade.

The cogeneration power plant (Cogen) at Elanora is estimated to produce 20 percent of the plant’s daily power use.

A larger Cogen, using the latest technology has now

been installed at Coombabah sewage treatment plant, with a long-term view to transporting biosolids from the plants at Merrimac and Pimpama to increase gas production.

The City continues to investigate ways to increase biogas production by exploring the different types of wastes that could be fed into the anaerobic digesters that produce the methane.

Investigations have also been made towards exploring potential new markets for the City’s bioresource products.

The new Cogen installation at Coombabah Sewage Treatment Plant, Gold Coast.

Rural roads get new treatment* Big spending on infrastructure by the Federal Government continues to drive the national COVID-19 recovery.

With the just-released 15 year roadmap of reforms from Infrastructure Australia heavily emphasising sustainability and resilience, now is the right time for regional and remote councils to apply new thinking to old problems.

It’s time to end reliance on traditional road making methods and adopt new and economically sustainable ways.

Rural roads need to be rethought too.

The expensive and environmentally destructive practice of quarrying new materials and

transporting them for miles causing further degradation to already deteriorating roads is a serious waste of grant money and councils’ rates when cheaper and better methods exist.

PolyCom is an exciting alternative to traditional road construction material.

By recycling and reusing existing, insitu materials, and blending with PolyCom Stabilising Aid, the need to use new material is eliminated.

Previously unworkable material can be treated on site.

Quarries become redundant. Heavy, road destroying, haulage trucks are no longer needed.

Wasting grant money on needlessly expensive methods ‘because that’s how we’ve always done it’ is no longer justifiable to ratepayers.

The future is here and now with environment and OH&S compliant PolyCom Stabilising Aid. Go to roadmaker.com.au for availability and quotations Australia-wide or phone 1800 790 907. *Copy supplied by Earthco

AUSTRALIA’S WASTE IS NOT BEING WASTED Household waste powering 185,000 homes per day Today, roughly three quarters of household waste in Australia is sent to a highly engineered landfill where it is converted into renewable energy. This is significant because it means our nation’s landfilled waste is not being wasted a second time.

Landfill Bioenergy, pioneered in Australia by LMS Energy, produces enough green electricity from landfill to power 185,000 Australian households each day while also abating more than 6 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per annum.

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LGFOCUS.COM.AU

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS