LG Focus - May 2022

May 2022

Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper

Courting disaster Australians can’t afford a lack of action from the next Federal Government on disaster mitigation according to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

ALGA President Linda Scott said natural disasters currently cost Australia $38 billion a year, and are forecast to rise to as much as $94 billion by 2060.

The February/March floods in South-east Queensland and coastal NSW look set to become Australia’s single costliest flood event.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) said that based on 197,000 claims filed across both states, the event will rack up $3.35 billion in insured losses.

This makes it the most expensive flood in Australia’s history, and the fifth most costly disaster after the Eastern Sydney hailstorm (1999, $5.57 billion in normalised 2017 values), Cyclone Tracey (1974, $5.04 billion), Cyclone Dinah (1967, $4.69 billion) and the Newcastle earthquake (1989, $4.24 billion).

The rise in claims costs compared to previous floods is being driven by higher costs in the personal property, personal contents and commercial property classes related to materials costs and supply chain issues.

“We know we can’t completely avoid future disaster events, but we can better protect our communities from their impacts,” Cr Scott said.

“It’s clear that our country is failing to plan for natural disasters and our communities are paying the price.”

“This year’s Federal Budget included approximately $6 billion for disaster recovery but minimal funding to protect against future fires and floods.

“Way back in 2014 the Productivity Commission recommended that the Commonwealth invest $200 million a year in disaster mitigation.

“It’s astounding that our communities are still waiting on disaster mitigation funding eight years later.

“Councils are asking the next Federal Government to accept the Productivity Commission’s recommendation and invest $200 million per year in a new disaster mitigation fund that would help us protect our communities against future disaster events.”

Cr Scott said local government was also seeking a new four-year $200 million Local Government Climate Response Partnership Fund that would support councils to reduce carbon emissions at a community level.

“From supporting residents to install solar panels to building their own renewable energy plants, councils are leading the way in reducing emissions,” Cr Scott said.

“With funding to roll out more of these projects, we could help deliver on Australia’s national emissions targets, while protecting our communities from increasingly frequent and

This year’s flooding at Gympie. severe natural disasters.”

ALGA’s full list of Federal Election disaster mitigation, disaster recovery and climate change priorities includes: $200 million per year for a new targeted disaster mitigation fund; $200 million over four years for a new Local Government Climate Response Partnership Fund; A commitment to ensuring betterment funding as a core element of Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements; and A commitment to including local government and community infrastructure under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

These priorities have been independently

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assessed, and if funded would create 2,350 new jobs and add $353 million per year to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product.

More than 11 percent of claims from this year’s floods have already been closed and $580 million has already been paid to policyholders.

The ICA says the data makes the case for investment in mitigation measures to lessen the impact of future events “even more compelling”.

The council has also released a new report focussing on the need to overhaul current land-use planning rules so they better protect homeowners and businesses from the worsening flood risk.

The February fires at Bruce Rock/Corrigin in WA.

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Dowse Lagoon, Queensland

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EDITORIAL DESK The country opens up With borders opening up and more events able to be confirmed it has been heartening to see the number of stories coming from Western Australia and the Northern Territory this time. Are we coming through Covid? As one who has just had it, I certainly hope so but time will tell.

- Tania Phillips Editorial Coordinator LG Focus

INSIDE THIS EDITION PRESIDENT’S REPORT

4

THE GOOD OIL

7 Dr Tasneem Chopra OAM, Broadcaster and Cross Cultural Consultant.

COUNCILLOR PROFILES FINANCE

8

12-13

TRAINING-COURSES

17

RURAL-REGIONAL

18-20

METRO-SUBURBANL

21-23

ARTS-CULTURE

24

CONTACT US

Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper Website: LGFocus.com.au Noosa Office: Telephone: (07) 5455 6946 Address: 36 Mary Street, Noosaville Qld 4566 Pakenham Office: Telephone: (03) 5945 0666 Address: 10 Army Road, Pakenham VIC 3810 Network with LG Focus twitter.com/@LGFocusau facebook.com/LocalGovernmentFocus Editorial: E: editorial@LGFocus.com.au Advertising: E: advertising@LGFocus.com.au Classifieds: P: 1300 666 808 E: sales@NetworkClassifieds.com.au EDITORIAL Tania Phillips Journalist E: tania.phillips@StarNewsGroup.com.au ADVERTISING Phill Le Petit Sales Manager E: phill.lepetit@StarNewsGroup.com.au M: 0439 377 525 Louisa Kneller Sales Executive E: louisa.kneller@StarNewsGroup.com.au M: 0413 380 545

Major conference for Shepparton Greater Shepparton City Council is pleased to host the Australian Local Government Women Association Vic (ALGWA Vic) 2022 State Conference on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 June, 2022.

This year’s conference theme is Emerging Creatively. At a time when the world continues to face challenges, opportunities exist to explore new ideas, take risks and see successful and influential leaders emerge creatively in the community.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Cr Kim O’Keeffe says the conference is a great way for women in local government to expand their networks and knowledge, and part take in professional development.

“The conference begins on Sunday evening with sunset drinks at the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) where guests will have the opportunity to network amongst leaders in local government and beyond,” she said.

“At the conference, guests will hear from

a range of informative and inspiring speakers across various fields.”

Guest speakers include: Professor Catherine Bennett, Chair Epidemiology Deakin University Dr Tasneem Chopra OAM, Broadcaster and Cross Cultural Consultant Nartarsha Bamblett, outgoing member of the First People’s Assembly, North East Region Dr Niki Vincent, Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner Padmini Sebastian OAM Director Civil and Community Engagement, University of Melbourne Laura Majewski, Senior Investigator Local Government Inspectorate, Jane Gillard,

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Midwinter heats up in Moira Shire The Moira Shire in Victoria is holding a Midwinter Festival across the shire in June and calling on artists to submit works that respond to the theme Our People, Our Environment.

Mayor Libro Mustica said this exciting event will see a series of mini festivals across the four main towns of the shire.

“Central to this will be an outdoor gallery and performing space and we are asking our local artists to apply to be a part of the exhibition space,” Cr Mustica said.

“The exhibition is a way for artists to explore their stories, surroundings and the unique way of life in regional and rural Victoria.

“We encourage those entering to experiment with ideas and show us that art is integral to everyday life.”

Cr Mustica said interested artists need to provide images of their work to be considered for selection and to visit Council’s website for all the details.

“We look forward to seeing work from the vast diversity of artistic contributors to our communities,” he said.

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Communications Advisor and Michael Stefanovic, Chief Local Government Inspector “The conference will conclude with a gala dinner at Riverlinks Eastbank, where Dr Tasneem Chopra OAM will deliver a keynote address,” Cr O’Keeffe said.

“We are looking forward to hosting the 2022 conference and are excited to host a range of visitors to the region.”

The Australian Local Government Women Association Vic (ALGWA Vic) 2022 State Conference is happening on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 June 2022.

For more information and ticket sales, head to visitshepparton.com.au/events/specialevents/algwa-vic-conference-2022

DIARY DATES WALGA Workshop May 20 10am-3pm Walga workshop, harnessing the benefits of volunteerism in natural areas.

EXECUTIVE and Personal Assistants’ Conference, June 9-10 Sydney -This conference is dedicated to inspiring and empowering local government personal, admin and executive assistants to further fulfil their potential and achieve new standards of performance.

LGx 2022 - 27-28 June – 9am - 4:30pm Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort

BUSH Councils Convention July 26-28 9am to 4.30pm Barcaldine Town Hall

WASTE Forum 2022 4-6 July – 9am -4.30am Royal International Convention Centre – Brisbane

LOCAL Government Week, August 1-7 The Local Government Week Awards will be presented on Thursday 4 August 2022 at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

ASIA Pacific Solar Research Conference Libro Mustica.

2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

Dr Niki Vincent, Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner.

November 29 – December 1 Newcastle City Hall.

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NEWS

Gawler’s leading the way The redevelopment of Walker Place has landed Town of Gawler an Australasian Award for excellence.

Mayor Karen Redman, CEO Henry Inat and other staff attended the 2022 International Public Works Engineers Australasian Excellence Awards night held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday, May 4 where Council received the Award for ‘Best Public Works Project of the Year under $2 million’.

The project was acknowledged as the best in this category across both Australia and New Zealand over the last two years.

The award, backed by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, recognised the $1.6 million transformation of Gawler’s Walker Place from a through-road into a unique, beautified public plaza.

“Council is absolutely thrilled and honoured that our redevelopment of Walker Place has received this international recognition,” Mayor Redman said.

“This bold, ambitious and visionary project has completely transformed the heart of Gawler’s CBD into a civic plaza space for the community and visitors alike, and this award has showcased what our Town has achieved far and wide.

“It’s another affirmation that Council’s decision to undertake this redevelopment was the right one for Gawler and has added much to the social fabric of our community.”

The rejuvenation of the space, which was part-funded by a $1 million State Government Places for People grant, included upgrades to the surrounding precinct such as the new public amenity blocks at Apex Park and Martin’s Place, construction of the Mural Pocket Park on Whitelaw Terrace, together with new landscaping throughout these areas.

“Council has always been extremely proud

Mayor Karen Redman, CEO Henry Inat and Infrastructure and Engineering Services Manager Sam Dilena celebrate receiving the IPWEA Award on behalf of the Town of Gawler.

Picture: Mayor Karen Redman

The award winning area.

of the work that went into redeveloping Walker Place and how it was delivered, but to be acknowledged with an international award by our sector peers is even further justification for how transformational this project has been for Gawler,” Mr Inat said.

“I commend our staff and everyone at the Town of Gawler involved in bringing our vision to reality, setting out from the start to be an exemplar project in all facets. We will celebrate this accolade as an organisation.”

The redevelopment has delivered: High-quality shared spaces which integrate

Walker Place.

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seamlessly with private spaces area in the CBD specifically designed for · An community event activation · Water Sensitive Urban Designed landscapes Heritage recognition through art· Cultural work City technologies in Wayfinding and · Smart lighting solutions · Trees for shading in summer · Improved accessibility car parking and urban form which · Integrated facilitates lower vehicle speeds

Housing crisis is set to worsen in NSW NSW councils say the skyrocketing cost of living is set to exacerbate an existing housing crisis across NSW, as bushfires, floods and soaring rents put more and more people at risk of homelessness.

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Darriea Turley AM said councils, as the closest level of government to the community, were seeing firsthand the impact of rental vacancy rates at all-time lows when a significant proportion of the community was locked out of home ownership.

“Housing affordability is arguably the most pressing issue right now affecting communities across the state,” Cr Turley said.

“No one is more aware of the burdens of the rising cost of housing in NSW than our 128 councils and their mayors.

“Our councillors are hearing firsthand from distressed residents in their communities about the pressures they face while paying some of the most expensive property prices in the world.

“Many people, particularly young adults in our communities, are finding it increasingly difficult to enter the housing market, with home ownership continuing to decline rapidly.

“The housing affordability crisis we are seeing right now is a dire situation.”

Cr Turley said despite years of advocacy by local government for greater state and federal investment in affordable and social housing, and promises that housing affordability is a top priority, investment in this critical piece of the housing spectrum has been neglected.

“We are seeing an estimated shortfall of over 200,000 social and affordable housing dwellings in NSW,” she said.

“The economic impacts of bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic have also added to the number of people in need of affordable or social housing, exacerbating the pre-existing shortfall.

“The recent floods have wiped out thousands of homes in the Northern Rivers of NSW, and this crisis has been compounded by years of state and federal government inaction resulting in a critical lack of social and affordable housing.

“This has put added pressure on seasonal and visitor accommodation, making it impossible for businesses to attract workers who can’t find an affordable home to live in.

“People are sleeping in cars, caravan

parks are overflowing, and we see these same pressures impacting families and communities right across NSW. “Local government plays an important role in engaging with and planning for the needs of their communities.

“But housing costs are largely driven by factors beyond the scope of local planning systems, such as financial and taxation systems, population growth and interest rates.

“Councils want to work with the state and federal governments to drive solutions for their communities.

“Councils can only play one part and without a strong partnership approach to the housing affordability crisis, governments will continue to propose band-aid solutions that are unlikely to deliver a holistic and sustainable solution – all at great public cost.

“We need to see clever solutions for this complex issue, and recognition that we need to ensure that genuine state and federal investment in social and affordable housing is a major part of the solution.”

Darriea Turley.

Reduce landfill and create jobs, says ALGA Working with the Commonwealth, councils can reduce the 20 million tonnes of rubbish sent to Australian landfills each year while creating new jobs across the nation according to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

ALGA President Linda Scott said Australia faces a looming waste and recycling crisis without immediate and sustained investment from all three tiers of government.

“We are running out of accessible landfills, and waste and recycling costs for all Australians continue to rise,” Cr Scott said.

“By mid-2024, when Australia’s waste export ban comes into full effect, 645,000 additional tonnes of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres will need to be processed and recycled locally every year.”

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“We must continue our transition to a circular economy by finding new opportunities to re-use our rubbish and turn it into valuable resources and products.”

“Councils are calling on the next Federal Government to provide a new $100 million per year fund that would support us to deliver new circular waste innovation projects in our communities.”

“This would create almost 800 new jobs and add $136 million per year to Australia’s GDP.” Cr Scott said regional and remote councils

needed additional support and guidance to unlock the circular economy locally.

“Rural and remote councils face additional waste and recycling challenges due to the spread of local properties as well as the long distances to sorting and processing facilities,” Cr Scott said.

“Many of these rural and remote councils have low ratepayer bases and can’t afford additional transport costs.”

Cr Scott said councils were also seeking support from the next Federal Government to

implement a standardized bin collection service across the country, as agreed to by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments.

“Harmonising bin collection services will be costly, and the burden shouldn’t fall on the affected communities alone.”

“More support will be required from other tiers of government to make sure that waste collection charges don’t rise due to councils providing more bins.”

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 3

PRESIDENT’S REPORT NORTHERN TERRITORY - DARWIN MAYOR KON VATSKALIS

A stunning time of year It is May and the official start to The Dry season in the Northern Territory’s Top End. This means five months of beautiful warm dry weather and outdoor festivities – a great time to visit. Central Australia is also stunning at this time of year even if the temperature is a bit cooler than usual.

Like lots of local councils in Australia, tourism is a major contributor to the economy so our tourism industry is hoping that now as we are learning to live with Covid, that we will have a bumper season. If you have not been to the Territory, I encourage you to book a visit!

Since I last had the opportunity to comment in Focus, the Territory has held local government elections. Nearly half of our 159 elected members are new so LGANT and the Northern Territory Government have been focusing on supporting these new members with governance and other training, something particularly important in regard to the sustainability and effectiveness of individual councils.

By the time this piece goes to print the federal election will be behind us and we could have

The Hon Kon Vatskalis, President Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) and Lord Mayor, City of Darwin. a new Australian government. Whatever the result, we hope the ALGA coordinated campaign yields the desired results and commitments.

Here in the Territory, we pushed hard on the ALGA asks and some additional items specific to the needs of our member councils and communities including requests to fund new cyclone evacuation centres in remote communities and a Territory-based Closing the Gap Coordinator position. The Northern Territory Government’s Budget 2022 will have also been handed down so we hope our advocacy efforts are heard in this space too!

LGANT and our member councils are heralding recent advocacy success in terms of conditional rating of pastoral leases and mining tenements here in the Territory. In other Australian jurisdictions, rates for pastoral properties and mining tenements are set for each local government area by the council for that area but here in the Territory the conditional rate is set by the Minister for Local Government. For many years this has meant rates payable on these leases and tenements in other jurisdictions have been many times higher than those imposed in the

Territory. After extensive advocacy, the Minister for Local Government has determined that conditional rates will increase by 36 percent on 1 July 2022 and for each of the two subsequent financial years.

The cumulative impact of these changes will result in a total increase in conditional rates of 151 percent over the three financial years. Put simply, much needed additional revenue for our councils that will enable them to deliver additional services and infrastructure for the benefit of the whole community.

In closing, the Territory will have a strong contingent of local government representatives travelling to Canberra in June for the National General Assembly. It is a great forum and an important one for building a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable Australia. I look forward to seeing you there.

The Hon Kon Vatskalis, President Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) and Lord Mayor, City of Darwin.

Delve into the needs of mining regions The Australian Mining Cities Alliance (AMCA) calls on key decision-makers in the next Commonwealth Government to tune into the real issues affecting their electors in mining regions that underpin the national economy.

AMCA Chair Phil Barwick (Deputy Mayor of the Mount Isa City Council) highlighted the critical needs of mining town families being affordable housing and sustainable communities.

“Our key workers who don’t work in the mines but service the economic and social needs that the mines generate, need support to allow them to establish roots in our towns and cities. But their chance of realising the ‘Australian Dream’ of home ownership is slipping away. They are the backbone of mining communities and truly deserve affordable housing to continue to do their important work which ultimately underpins our nation’s prosperity.”

“We want them to build their homes and raise their family in our communities. But over many years we have witnessed extreme vola-

AMCA Chair Phil Barwick (Deputy Mayor of the Mount Isa City Council). tility in housing markets in our mining cities and regions, which cannot be eliminated by normal market conventions. We believe this is the time for the Government to do something about it.” he said.

“For this reason, AMCA strongly supports

Assistance needed Local government councils are serious about achieving the targets of Closing the Gap but need Australian Government assistance to do so according to the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT).

For the first time, local government councils, through the LGANT, are signatories, together with the Northern Territory Government and Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory, to the Territory’s Closing the Gap Implementation Plan - but they are not resourced to implement the agreed actions to the level of the other two signatories.

To demonstrate a genuine commitment to accelerating delivery of Closing the Gap targets, LGANT President the Hon Kon Vatskalis said the group is asking federal election candidates to commit to funding local government council Closing the Gap initiatives.

LGANT echoes the Australian Local Government Association’s (ALGA) recent ask for: a $100 million per annum fund over four years to support the capacity building of local government councils nationally in Closing the Gap and implementing the Local and Regional Voice.

Separately LGANT is also asking for: an additional $1.8 million over 3 years ($600,000 per annum) for new initiatives to help local government councils with achieving the Closing the Gap targets; and formal recognition of those local government councils with a majority representation of both elected officials and constituency of First Nation Australians as ‘Aboriginal controlled entities’. “We cannot keep doing the same things and expecting a different result,”

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4 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

Hon Kon Vatskalis said.

“Local government councils are the voice of their communities and make a real and demonstrated difference in delivering outcomes - but they want to do more. “Some of the regional and remote local government councils in the Territory have a majority First Nations constituency but have a revenue shortfall that inhibits them from delivering what their constituents are asking for.

Without new funding, the Implementation Plan signatories will struggle to effectively collaborate and little will change regarding meeting the Closing the Gap targets.”

The new funding will assist LGANT and its member councils achieve the desired results for First Nations people in the areas of education, employment, health and wellbeing, justice, safety, housing, land and waters, and languages.

In addition, LGANT supports local government councils, such as the East Arnhem Regional Council, in their ask for formal recognition of local government councils with majority representation of both elected official and constituency of First Nations Australians as Aboriginal controlled entities. Lapulung Dhamarrandji, President of East Arnhem Regional Council, welcomes LGANT’s support. “This recognition is important to our Local Authorities and Regional Council and our people. This change would mean we can do much needed work across our communities using the local skills and knowledge in what are unique and often challenging conditions,’’ Dhamarrandii said.

the ‘More Than Mining’ campaign. This important initiative proposes simple reform that will address critical housing affordability barriers in mining cities and towns and we call on those aspiring to lead the next Government to remove inequities particularly in the application of Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) concessions.”

“We were pleased to see the constructive acknowledgement of this initiative in the recently released report titled “The Australian Dream, Inquiry into housing affordability and supply in Australia” by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue.”

“But it is now time for candidates for this election to commit to action. The mining communities that make it possible for this nation to prosper warrant your attention to their needs.”

“In addition to housing affordability, our mining communities are heavily impacted by the Fly-In, FlyOut arrangements favoured by many mining companies. We call on candidates to commit to reactivation of dormant recommendations of previous inquiries and enhance the sustainability of mining communities.”

“In particular we seek real action on three of the key recommendations made in the report titled “Cancer of the bush or salvation for our cities? Fly-in, fly-out and drive-in, drive-out workforce practices in Regional Australia” by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia (February 2013).”

“The Government has a clear responsibility to these communities to monitor the impacts of FIFO and to manage them.”

President calls for housing help With Australian voters about to elect their next federal government, the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) is calling for support in addressing housing constraints.

LGANT President, the Hon Kon Vatskalis, said Australia’s 537 councils are asking for: a national housing summit as a precursor to the development of a National Housing Strategy; reinstatement of a national governance mechanism to address housing and homelessness that includes local government; and $200 million over four years to support local governments to invest in innovative housing partnerships.

The President said LGANT would particularly like to see development of the National Housing Strategy explore incentives for regional and remote housing development and alternative funding models.

They said housing is fundamental to individual, family and community wellbeing and contributes to social and economic outcomes - but we don’t have the policy settings right yet, particularly in the Territory.

“There are many factors that make the Territory unique in a housing context including distance and remoteness that af-

fect costs, population mobility between urban and remote areas to access services, and supply and demand issues created by economic activity,” they said.

The housing needs of those in metropolitan areas are also often different to those in regional and remote parts of the Territory.

All these factors are leading to heightened disadvantage for a range of people and local councils are experiencing increased pressure and responsibility in ensuring there is adequate housing for their constituents.”

Local councils want to work with all levels of Government and relevant stakeholders to properly plan for the unique needs of their local communities including an adequate mix of affordable, public, social and community housing.

The President concluded that the housing system in the Territory is complex.

“There is no easy fix or single intervention available to address the issues, but local government should be at the table as the voice of local communities.”

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NEWS

Community members are being offered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure the Redlands Coast maximises the local, regional and international opportunities from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams announced the Redlands Coast 2032 Legacy Working Group at a breakfast on 4 May attended by more than 100 people, which included Olympic Champion Canoeist Jess Fox OAM, long-term tourism advocate Daniel Gschwind, and actor and former local Redlands Coast resident Lincoln Lewis.

Cr Williams said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised ‘legacy’ as a vital component of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics to deliver lasting benefits for people and communities across South-East Queensland.

“Redland City Council has been a proud partner on the Olympic and Paralympic journey since the Council of Mayors (SEQ) began exploring the opportunity to bring the Games to Queensland in 2015,” Cr Williams said.

“I am proud to have been at the table when this journey began and am committed to ensuring the Brisbane 2032 Games deliver for generations of Redlanders.

“The Redlands Coast 2032 Legacy Working Group will leverage the enthusiasm and passion of our community to identify and deliver the exciting legacy opportunities set to flow from the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.

“Council agreed to be part of the Brisbane 2032 journey because of the positive legacy it could deliver for our community, so it is vital the community has a seat at the table to help develop a Redlands Coast 2032 Legacy Plan.

Cr Williams said it was also important for the Redlands Coast to provide a powerful advocacy voice on the broader Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games legacy issues and other related regional opportunities.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure your friends, family and community benefit from the legacies of the world’s largest sporting event,” Cr Williams said.

“We want people who are passionate about the Olympics and Paralympics and the potential benefits they bring, but we also want people who are passionate about our city and ensuring our entire community can be part of

this exciting opportunity.”

Champion Slalom Canoeist Jess Fox said creating a legacy in the lead up to and after an Olympics was a vital component of keeping the Games spirit as well as building and harnessing community spirit.

“I consider myself a product of the legacy of the Sydney 2000 Olympics – I was fortunate to grow up with the Penrith Whitewater Stadium at my fingertips, which has provided a worldclass venue to train at on my journey to three Olympic Games,” Jess said.

“For me, it’s been a case of ‘you can be what you can see’ and I have enjoyed living close to a high performance facility over the past 20-plus years that has helped generate Olympic dreams for aspiring athletes from around the world.

“I’m excited about the future for our sport and the next generation. The ‘legacy first’ approach for the new world-class Redland Whitewater Centre, being included as part of a versatile and integrated Birkdale Community Precinct, will offer so much opportunity to not only elite athletes like me but for children, emergency services organisations for swift water rescue training and the community.”

The Redlands Coast 2032 Legacy Working Group will include members representing a diverse range of interests, skills and experience, including: Quandamooka Traditional Custodian representatives Olympians/ Paralympians/ High performance sport Sustainability expert Business, industry and trade Tourism and events Disability sector – accessibility and inclusion Arts and culture Community sport and active recreation A local school student Transport Health and wellbeing Innovation and research Education and training.

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LGA inclusion call The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) are calling on the next Federal Government to include local government representation on National Cabinet.

ALGA President Linda Scott said including local government on National Cabinet and key ministerial meetings and forums such as the Council on Federal Financial Relations would help create more jobs, deliver safer roads, and reduce waste sent to landfill.

“Australians rightfully expect all three tiers of government to work closely together,” Cr Scott said. “ALGA was previously a member of the Council of Australian Governments but wasn’t included when it was replaced by National Cabinet in May 2020. Since then, we’ve faced a pandemic, natural disasters, skills shortages, and an affordable housing crisis – all of which could have been better handled through stronger federal, state and local government partnerships. Councils are the closest government to communities and understand the opportunities and challenges Australians face every day. At a grass-roots level, we are creating more jobs, reducing rubbish sent to landfill, building safer roads, reducing carbon emissions, and preparing for and responding to natural disasters.”

“Councils are delivering on national priorities at a local level, but we could better work with LGFOCUS.COM.AU

and support state and federal governments with a seat at the National Cabinet table.”

“Labor has committed to including local government on National Cabinet if elected, but we are asking all parties and candidates to support our request. Local governments are also seeking ongoing voting membership of all relevant Ministerial meetings and forums – including the Council on Federal Financial Relations.

Decisions that are made at these meetings reach into every community so it’s important local perspectives are heard and considered.”

National Farmers’ Federation President Fiona Simson backed the call for local government’s inclusion on National Cabinet.

“The National Farmers’ Federation recently announced 20 regional development precincts across Australia for priority economic development, and we sought that all levels of government, including local government, be responsible for ensuring social and economic outcomes for people in the bush catches up to those enjoyed by urban Australians,” Ms Simson said.

“The only way to do this is giving local government a seat at National Cabinet.”

Road commitment to boost beef belt The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has welcomed a $400 million Federal Coalition commitment to upgrade key roads servicing the cattle and agricultural industries in Central and Western Queensland and paid tribute to the Mayors and councils who put the campaign for beef corridor upgrades firmly on the agenda.

LGAQ CEO Alison Smith said the funding for Queensland’s Beef Corridors – a strategic supply network of roads stretching more than 2000km – would provide a significant boost to local economies.

The commitment will pay for the sealing of 457km of roads at a cost of $300 million, with the remaining $100 million being used to extend heavy vehicle corridors along the Dawson, Leichhardt and Burnett Highways.

The Federal commitment will meet up to 80 per cent of the total cost to deliver the upgrades.

“This is a significant win for the prosperity of local towns and communities that rely so heavily on the economic benefits generated by this road network and the industries that rely on it,” Ms Smith said.

“It is also a resounding endorsement of the dedicated Central Highlands, Rockhampton, Isaac, Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Woorabinda, Banana and Gladstone Mayors who joined forces to vigorously lobby for urgent improvements through their Queensland Beef Corridors campaign, and I want to thank Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his colleagues for listening to this advocacy and making

Alison Smith. this crucial commitment.”

“These Mayors deserve great credit for their advocacy on behalf of their communities and this vital roads network.”

Local Government IT conference 2022 DATE 1 – 3 June 2022 Opal Cove Resort, Coffs Harbour, NSW

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Hosted by Coffs Harbour City Council

Keynote Speakers

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

www.lgit2022.coffslgconferences.com.au For further information please contact Michelle Aubert, Conference Manager, Countrywide Conference and Event Management 0408 791 492 michelle@ccem.com.au www.lgit2022.coffslgconferences.com.au For COVID 19 related details please check the website

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An Olympic opportunity

We would like to thank our Gold Partners May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 5

NEWS

Joonadalup’s water win The City of Joondalup has been crowned WA’s Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year as part of the Waterwise Council Program’s 2022 recognitions.

The honour was announced by Water Minister Dave Kelly and recognises the City’s achievements over and above Gold Waterwise Council status requirements.

The Waterwise Council Program was introduced by Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation more than 13 years ago.

It is one of several targeted programs that promote efficiency among high water users and ensure all segments of the community are doing their bit to conserve precious water supplies.

The City first joined the Waterwise Council Program in 2010/11 and became a ‘10 year Waterwise Council’ in 2020/21. The City has had continual endorsement as a Gold Waterwise Council since 2015/16.

The City’s Platinum Council application highlighted three waterwise projects that were successfully implemented in 2020/21: Creating Waterwise landscapes; Endorsement of the Yellagonga Integrated Catchment Management Plan; Adopting a Central Smart Control Groundwater Irrigation System technology.

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said the City is the largest local government in WA to achieve this status, and has long recognised the importance of sustainable water management.

“It has been, and always will be, a priority for our City, and this award also comes on the back of Joondalup winning the Water Sensitive Cities Award from the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities for our water sensitive practices,” Mayor Jacob said.

“These accolades give us the confidence to know we are striking the right balance between the provision of water services for the community with the protection of water resources in

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Joondalup wins Waterwise Council platnium award. the context of a drying climate.

“At the City of Joondalup, our commitment to water conservation and water quality is strong and demonstrated by the many effective programs and strategies we have implemented to improve how we sustainably

manage this precious resource.

New Platinum Waterwise Councils are promoted in different ways to show industry and the community that local governments are undertaking innovative initiatives to save water and build waterwise communities.

Roper Gulf CEO confirmed Roper Gulf Regional Council, Northern Territory has proudly announced the appointment of MARC GARDNER as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Mr Gardner has been Acting CEO for the past 18 months and has worked at Council for over nine years, his previous role being the General Manager of Corporate Services and Sustainability.

Mayor Tony Jack congratulated Mr Gardner on his appointment.

“On behalf of the Council, I wish to congratulate Marc on his new position,” the Mayor said.

“Marc has proven that he is a strong leader for the Council, who has a commitment to the Organisation’s mission of working as one towards a better future through effective use of all resources.

“Marc leads the organisation with an abundance of knowledge about local government

and of the Roper Gulf region, developed through years of experience in the industry and living in the Northern Territory.

“Under Marc’s leadership, the Council has been a strong advocate for strategic planning and extensive community consultation that will deliver high quality, efficient Council services to the residents of the Roper Gulf region.

“I look forward to seeing Marc continue to lead the Council in his new position and the valuable contribution I know he will make to the region”.

Mayor Tony JACK and Chief Executive Officer Marc GARDNER at the Council Chambers in Katherine on Wednesday 4 May 2022.

Road project saves landfill Road reconstruction and sustainability objectives aligning for great community outcomes according to the City of Bunbury.

Harris Road in Picton is currently in the final stages of a major upgrade and by using special machinery, the project involved reusing the existing road seal surface to minimise waste.

The project reused 750 cubic metres of road seal on the site which would normally go to landfill!

The achievement was thanks to a machine called an Asphalt Zipper, which reworks the existing material into the new road formation.

It means that not only was there a reduction in waste sent to landfill, but a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from reduced transportation and new materials.

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The project supports the City’s intention to develop a sustainable, low waste circular economy as outlined in the new Strategic Community Plan.

More broadly, the Harris Road upgrades are a Black Spot funded project to reconstruct and widen about 1.16km of the road.

The City’s Environmental Team is also working on a plan to revegetate a section of the road reserve with native species.

Local company JAK Civil partnered with the City on this important project.

The Harris Road project is underway at Bunbury.

The City will be able to access an additional $10,000 on top of the usual $10,000 of available co-funding (total of $20,000) through the Waterwise Greening Scheme, as well as having priority to access other opportunities as they become available.

A new face in Glen Eira On Wednesday 27 April the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) conducted the countback for the extraordinary vacancy in Rosstown Ward created by Cr Neil Pilling’s resignation from Glen Eira City Council.

Sue Pennicuik was duly elected as the new Councillor for Rosstown Ward.

Glen Eira Mayor Cr Jim Magee welcomes Cr Pennicuik and said she is joining Council at an incredibly exciting time.

“My fellow Councillors and I look forward to working with Cr Pennicuik and value her contribution as we continue to deliver the community’s vision for this fantastic City.”

VEC election manager Charmaine Morel declared the result after a countback of votes from the general election held in October 2020.

Only those candidates who were unsuccessful at the general election and who were still eligible to be elected were included in the countback process.

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Big role in renewables Renewable energy is on the move, and local councils are increasingly a key part of this.

THE GOOD OIL ROD BROWN

Indeed, they can be even bigger players in the years ahead.

By way of background, the role of renewable energy was recently emphasised by Professor Brian Schmidt, the ANU vice-chancellor.

He actively champions the role of science and technology, and being a Nobel Prize winner, he has the credibility and insights that carry weight.

Last month at an ANU forum he said that “Australia should probably have the most resources in the world in terms of renewable energy. So when the transition occurs, we are the country that is going to benefit…but we are currently laggards - we need to invest in technical solutions”.

His views are presumably based around our solar and wind energy resources, and not so much geothermal, biomass or hydro-power which are second-order sources. And his comment about us being laggards in terms of technical solutions is interesting, as is the reference to the ‘transition’, which presumably means the next 25 years as the bulk of nations move to being carbon neutral.

Well I guess we are laggards. Denmark, China, the USA, Germany and Spain are the worldleaders in terms of installed wind energy and they have invested in technical solutions and the manufacture of their own turbines.

Similarly, in solar energy, the leaders are all overseas - namely China, the USA, India, Japan - and Vietnam of all places mainly due to technology and financing deals with the Chinese.

Options The usual approach by western nations to achieve prominent positions in any industry is to construct the right policy settings, and provide government funding to cover public benefits. But in Australia’s case, the latest OECD data shows that we have now fallen out of the top 20 OECD nations, with research and development at 1.80 per cent of GDP. With significant government debt for the foreseeable future, any improvement is unlikely.

If Australia is to develop a prominent position in renewable energy industry, we need to forget about public R&D providing the impetus. The better option to my mind is to therefore identify the market opportunities and the stakeholders, and work back from there.

To explain, the big bucks are in two streams: 1. batteries, wind turbines, electric cars, solar panels, and the associated electronics and monitoring/measurement equipment 2. the metals required for the above i.e. lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel and aluminium The opportunity is to thus build a business model - unique to Australia - that captures both these two streams together, is not dependent on large-scale government support, and can tap into the R&D wherever it might be.

Such a business model would be placebased, specifically a world-scale precinct where the key metals would be processed and/ or manufactured into end-products for local and overseas markets.

Where would the precincts be?

The precincts would differ according to the main end-products.

One major profit centre is batteries. They require lithium (world-class deposits are around Greenbushes WA, the Pilbara and Darwin) as well as cobalt (Broken Hill NSW, and Murrin Murrin - north of Kalgoorlie).

A precinct in Bunbury or Fremantle would make sense in terms of transport infrastructure and labour pools. Kalgoorlie might also feature in this supply chain. And Broken Hill could conceivably be the home of a separate, competing precinct?

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Brimbank council last month committed to using 100 per cent renewable electricity from solar, wind and water by 2040, as part of a plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The campaign was launched by mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen.

Picture: Damjan Janevski A second major profit centre are wind turbines. The problem is that the leading turbine manufacturers want to protect their technologies, and thus wary of joint ventures.

A prime example is Vestas, the Danishbased world-leader - but they might be amenable to an Aussie manufacturing partner if a winwin scenario was developed. Perhaps a deal to supply scores of wind projects to nations in the Pacific and Indian oceans, facilitated by an Australia-EC aid project?

In this context, a precinct in the Latrobe Valley would have competitive advantages viz. supply of skilled labour, manufacturing track record, proximity to wind energy sites in Bass Strait.

A third major profit centre are electric cars.

Australia can surely be competitive in niche areas of car manufacture. Adelaide and Geelong have the facilities. Robotic manufacturing can keep labour costs down, and we would be supplying competitively-priced materials - lithium/ cobalt batteries, aluminium, glass.

Making it happen Well the Federal Government cannot lead on this, simply because it vacated this role a couple of decades ago, and the expertise has now gone.

In any case it needs to be the private sector, specifically the superfunds and institutional investors who manage the billions of dollars looking for a profitable home.

Would they be capable of leading and coordinating the other stakeholders - the science community, the unions, prospective international partners, and the three levels of government? This is the crux of the matter because coordination failure is the bane of ‘nation building’ projects.

Perhaps well-regarded billionaires like Twiggy Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brookes could help generate rarely-seen collaboration between the key stakeholders, and open doors to international partners.

Who pays?

Large-scale industrial projects usually have a mix of public and private benefits, and the former must be covered if they’re to be viable.

This means that federal and state governments have a funding role, which would vary from project to project.

One approach might be for the feds and

states to invite funding submissions from project proponents once most of the dimensions are in place, and for Treasury or similar to then assess the public interest and the appropriate government contribution. A Federal ICAC might look on.

Role of councils I’ve mentioned above some possible locations for precincts. If they involve your council you might consider championing the idea. Someone might know Twiggy, or a board member of a super fund. It costs nothing to enquire. And if you like, I can develop this article into a scoping study.

Kangaroo Island weighed down by ferry costs The Cockatoo Network has members around Australia and overseas, and we’ve been fielding ongoing complaints about the eye-watering cost of taking a car on the ferry to Kangaroo Island SA. We’ve done some comparisons of standard season fares, and the results are as follows: Kangaroo Island (20km): Return adult $98; return vehicle $392.

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· Fraser Island Qld (16km) $65; $130. · Rottnest Island WA (23km) $27 (return adult). · Magnetic Island Qld (15km): $30; $216. · Tiwi Islands NT (80km): $120 (return adult).

All of the above ferry services, except for the Magnetic Island service, are operated by SeaLink (Kelsian Group).

It shows that the cost of taking a car to KI is 300 per cent and 180 per cent higher than to Fraser and Magnetic Islands respectively.

These are huge price differentials.

To be fair, ferry costs for KI residents were reduced last December when the SA Government announced a long-term contract renewal for Sealink.

But non-residents will continue to face these steep charges, and KI’s tourism operators will continue to lose business to other tourism destinations.

This is all disappointing because the major fires on KI raised huge awareness and empathy around Australia, with a visit to KI being placed on many people’s bucket list.

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 7

COUNCILOR PROFILES

The ultimate escape East Gippsland Shire offers the ultimate escape. It spans Country of three Indigenous nations - Bidawell, Gunnaikurnai and Monero - and while it might only be three hours from Melbourne, it’s a world away from city living.

By East Gippsland Shire - Mayor Mark Reeves You can discover all kinds of wonder here: think open roads, uncrowded beaches and vast lakes, rolling green hills, native forests, rugged High Country and some of the nation’s most appealing towns.

About 75 per cent of the shire’s 21,000 square kilometres, is public land. We view our mountains, sea, rivers, lakes as precious natural resources – they’re our industries, our weekend escapes, and the backdrop to our daily life.

The Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation jointly manages 10 parks and reserves on their Country.

Our region is home to around 48,500 people and 4450 businesses – and, as you might expect, around a quarter of those businesses are engaged in agriculture, horticulture, forestry or fishing. We also have a strong tourism sector – hospitality and accommodation employ over 8 per cent of our working population.

It’s this mix that makes our shire so desirable. It woos tree and sea-changers and ensures that tourists book another visit the minute they return home.

An educating man I’m the principal of The Alpine School. Created 1998, it now boasts four campuses – the Snowy River campus being closest to Marlo, the town I call home.

Each campus is set in an iconic location and offers a residential education experience for Year Nine students.

It’s a life-changing experience; a chance to explore and learn about the local environment and cultures - both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

Mayor Councillor Mark Reeves.

Students come away with a better sense of self and place, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a community leader.

And that learning goes both ways – I learn

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from the students and their endeavours and gain an understanding of the issues of importance to successive generations.

Time out to enjoy nature My wife, Alice, and I live in Marlo, close to where Snowy River meets the sea, so we enjoy paddling out for a surf when we can. I also love to explore the open roads on my bright red Moto Guzzi motorbike – a relaxed cruise offers fantastic thinking time.

I’m also an active member of my local CFA – the Marlo brigade.

A morning run starts my day.

Victoria’s second largest LGA East Gippsland Shire is remote and large - the second-largest local government area in Victoria - and that spreads demand and limits economies of scale for service delivery, creating resourcing challenges.

But our Council has turned that challenge into a strength by forming strategic partnerships with businesses and communities to pool resources and develop creative solutions.

I’ve also long been an advocate for support from both state and federal governments to help us recover from drought and bushfire, and – more importantly – to embrace our vision of the future.

That vision includes playing our role in tackling climate change through our award-winning Bright Futures East Gippsland program; growing our visitor economy, preparing for future natural disasters, and improving the services we offer to our more vulnerable residents and remote communities.

Bike trails and budget The Omeo Mountain Bike Trails project, 121.58 kilometres of bike trail, starting and finishing in

the town, benefits the entire East Gippsland community with the economic and tourism opportunities it will bring and turns Omeo into a year-round adventure tourism destination.

The 2021/22 budget saw us deliver a capital works program of $88.7 million - the largest ever proposed by Council and supported by $44.2 million of state and federal government grants.

This ensures Council is appropriately resourced to drive the economy, support bushfire and pandemic recovery, and provide the region with critical infrastructure and services.

In recent years, we’ve pioneered cuttingedge technology called phytocapping to turn former landfill sites into public space by strategically planting native trees that act as a giant natural water pump.

We’ve also innovated to tackle the substantial increase in planning applications that resulted from the 2019-20 bushfires by teaming up with Brimbank City Council. We won a Planning Institute of Australia award for improving and speeding up the planning processes, and both Councils benefitted.

A strong vision for the future For me it’s about being there for your community and ensuring that Council provides effective and affordable services.

I have a strong and positive vision for this region, but everyone has a role to play in making East Gippsland a better place to live, so I ensure I’m approachable and listen to locals’ needs. We’re stronger if we move forward together to achieve a shared vision.

I’m optimistic about the great things happening in East Gippsland!

A unique LGA The City of Whitehorse is located 15 kilometres east of the Melbourne city centre.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS is a monthly tabloid publication which highlights government news, events, intergovernmental relations and is a rapidly growing sector with annual spends in excess of $38 billion

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I’ve spent most of my life in Box Hill, having grown up in the area. I’m proud to live in one of the most culturally diverse municipalities in Melbourne. With almost four in ten of our residents born overseas we are enriched by the cultural diversity of Whitehorse. Our neighbourhoods reflect a wave of European post-war migration, followed by more recent migration from Vietnam, India and China. We love to celebrate our vibrant diversity through annual events including our Global Fiesta in March and the Lunar New Year Festival. We also have a long-standing commitment to reconciliation and encouraging respectful relationships between Indigenous and NonIndigenous Australians and have a number of events coming up at the end of May for National Reconciliation Week.

I was first elected as a councillor in 2016.

I decided to run for council so I could advocate for the needs of the community and make a positive impact on the lives of locals.

I currently run my own event management business in Box Hill and in my spare time I enjoy nature, cooking, writing, history, the arts and exercising – including hiking with my dog. Whitehorse is unique in that it is made up of suburbs but is also home to a bustling micro city that is Box Hill. Box Hill is one of nine current designated Metropolitan Activity Centres, recognised by the Victorian Government as an area that will play a major role in providing jobs, activities and housing close to public transport. Our plans to support growth and infrastructure while increasing amenity in Box Hill are well established. Being the main economic centre within Whitehorse, Box Hill hosted around a quarter of all the jobs in our municipality at the last census in 2016. Health is a key industry in Box Hill, the area is home to Box Hill Hospital and Epworth Eastern. Whitehorse is also home to two tertiary institutions; Box Hill Institute

and Deakin University in Burwood and has a large student population. In 2016, almost a third (27.8 percent) of people in Whitehorse were attending an education institution.

Like every municipality, we have been hit hard by the pandemic and lockdowns.

It’s been wonderful to see our community band together to support each other through these times. We have seen various community groups, including those with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and a number of faith-based organisations, provide additional support services to the community. This includes material support like providing meals, and social, health and well-being support including transportation, communication of key health information and COVID-updates. Our Sikh Gurdwara and churches of many denominations provided food and comfort, not confined to their own congregations.

We are working hard on supporting our city through its post-pandemic recovery. We recently endorsed our Proposed Budget for 2022/2023 which strikes a good balance between ensuring Council continues to provide services and support to the community, and capital spending to support job growth, business and suppliers to help our local economy recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Whitehorse is a great place to live, work and play. It is diverse and vibrant, there is something for everyone to enjoy, learn and discover.

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Casey looks for support Cranbourne East was among the top three areas in Australia to experience the largest growth in 2020/21, the latest ABS population release in March revealed. Yet residents of this rapidly growing suburb, located in the City of Casey in Melbourne’s south east, are still unable to catch a metro train home.

Neighbours in Clyde and Clyde North, which is set to be home to more than 157,000 residents by 2041 (rivalling regional centre Bendigo in just two suburbs), are also without access to a rail line and nearby train station. In addition, the council says the mobile network is so unreliable in these developing suburbs that residents are concerned about being unable to reach emergency services or loved ones in times of need.

City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM said rapid population growth and record levels of car ownership were putting increased pressure on roads and creating even greater demand for public transport options in the City of Casey.

“Located in the Greater South East Melbourne region, the City of Casey is home to more than 380,000 residents and is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country with its population projected to reach more than 550,000 people by 2041 – equivalent to that of Canberra,” Ms Duff said.

“Residents who were enticed to move to growth suburbs like Cranbourne East, Clyde and Clyde North due to the appeal of somewhat affordable land options are now at their wits end, battling traffic congestion just to head down the road to school or the local shops.”

Ms Duff said investment in critical rail and road infrastructure was needed to support the city’s growing community now and into the future.

“Our city’s big population needs big investment,” Ms Duff said.

“As one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Council is calling for transformational transport infrastructure in the lead up to the Federal Election to mitigate growing traffic congestion and safety concerns, improve access to jobs, education and services and stimulate economic recovery for our businesses.”

Ms Duff said that as a member of the Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) group of councils and the National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA), the City of Casey was committed to working with other levels of government to

Linsell Blvd heading north. respond to the challenges faced by residents and deliver key infrastructure projects that the community needs for security, prosperity and continued growth.

“We are hoping to see a big commitment towards critical infrastructure projects in the region as part of the Federal election and the next budget,” she said.

“Given the region’s population and rapid growth, we would like to see the Federal Government revisit the South East Melbourne City Deal and invest in key infrastructure projects.

“Council remains committed to our advocacy work in this space, and we will continue to seek funding for priority road and rail infrastructure projects that will ease congestion, boost jobs and connect our community to employment and services.

“Investing in infrastructure that will ensure a more efficient way to get around our city will create opportunities to attract investment and better enable residents to access new employ-

ment, education and recreation opportunities closer to home.”

In the lead-up to the Federal election, Council is seeking support and funding for a range of projects and initiatives that are based on community feedback and Council’s planning.

“We are advocating for a number of key projects that our community believes are most important for the Australian Government to invest in,” Ms Duff said.

“Our advocacy campaign, Connecting Casey, was developed using community feedback and identifies the top three areas the community wants to see more investment in – roads and public transport, local job opportunities, and health services and facilities.”

Council has identified the following priority projects that will drive our advocacy in the lead up to the Federal election this year: Clyde Rail Link – we’re seeking a commitment to construct the much-needed duplicated metro rail extension from Cranbourne to

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Clyde, including new stations at Cranbourne, Cranbourne East, Casey Fields and Clyde.

Clyde Road Corridor Upgrade – we’re advocating for a safer and upgraded Clyde Road corridor, which is the most dangerous and congested north-south connection in Casey.

This road has been ranked one of Melbourne’s worst crash hotspots, ranking 8th in the AAMI Crash Index: Australia’s worst crash hotspots revealed - carsales.com.au Thompsons Road upgrade and extension – we’re calling for the upgrade and extension of Thompsons Road from Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Clyde, to Koo Wee Rup Road, Pakenham, to unlock thousands of potential jobs for the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire.

Digital Connectivity – a 100-gigabit fibre connection to commercial precincts and increased mobile towers and 5G deployment in new estates is necessary to improve digital connectivity for Casey residents and businesses.

Climate protester sentence suspended A climate activist was given a suspended prison sentence in the Bowen Magistrates Court on 28 April for stopping a train loaded with coal from Adani’s controversial Carmichael mine in December.

Kyle Magee and Franz Dowling both plead guilty to three offences related to stopping the coal train. Mr Dowling was fined $1200, while Mr Magee was fined $1000 and given a threemonth prison sentence suspended for twelve months. Both were required to pay $500 compensation for coal they shovelled off Adani’s carriage.

Mr Dowling said “future generations will be shocked when they find out that polluting industries who make millions from knowingly destroying our planet are given government subsidies to do so; while the ordinary people who try to stop them are arrested, fined and thrown in prison. But that’s exactly why we

need to take dramatic actions like these to protect our planet, and that’s why prison sentences will not deter people with a conscience from resisting this destructive industry.”

Mr Magee is the fifth climate activist to be given a custodial sentence in Australia in the past six months. He follows Juliet Lamont in Bowen and Sergeio Herbert in Newcastle in December, and Max Curmi and Andy George in Sydney in March.

Mr Dowling said there are many ways police and courts repress climate activism, not all of them obvious: “on top of the charges we plead guilty to today, we were also charged

with fraud which was completely nonsensical.

We offered to plead guilty to the three charges if fraud was dropped, but the prosecution refused, only to drop the charge on the day. So we were forced to go through the time and expense of formulating a legal defence for a charge that the prosecution knew would never have held up in court.”

“Real justice will come when our government and legal system start to place the rights of people and planet as equal to that of corporate profits. Until then, it is up to ordinary people to stand up for what’s right and highlight the hypocrisy of those who make and maintain the laws.”

Kyle Magee and Franz Dowling shovelling.

Qld welcomes housing commitment The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has welcomed the Federal Opposition’s commitment to establish a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, as well as develop a National Housing and Homelessness Plan in conjunction with the local government sector.

LGAQ CEO Alison Smith said the commitment approached the critical issue of housing in the spirit of collaboration that councils had been calling for.

“There is absolutely no doubt that we are facing a worsening housing crisis in this country and Queensland councils – along with other peak bodies – have been urgently calling for a National Summit to bring all stakeholders together,” Ms Smith said.

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“This commitment from the Federal Opposition is a big step in the right direction but we urge them to commit to a national summit so all stakeholders can sit at the table.”

“We would further urge the Federal Opposition to ensure local government has a seat on the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council and that councils are consulted alongside states and territories to ensure the needs of local communities are taken into account

when considering land supply targets and other key issues.”

Ms Smith said the Opposition’s announcement met a long-running local government request for a National Housing Strategy to be developed in partnership between all levels of government, industry and the community.

“Councils have insights into the scope and magnitude of the housing crisis which cannot

be ignored – as well as solutions ready to table in partnership with their State and Federal counterparts,” she said.

“Just this month, the LGAQ sent all Queensland Federal MPs and Senators, as well as their state counterparts, a copy of its Housing Action Plan, which includes new and innovative ideas like a proposal to extend the First Home Owners’ Grant to cover existing houses – as well as new ones.”

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 9

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Election platform The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) – Australia’s peak-body for aid NGOs – has released its election platform and prospectus for the next Australian government and a new international development strategy.

The platform calls on all political parties to recognise Australian development cooperation and humanitarian assistance as a vital and unique national capability, a practical expression of Australia’s values and critical to the nation’s strategic circumstances.

ACFID’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Jessica Mackenzie said: “The urgent need for a more ambitious, independent, and self-reliant Australian foreign policy has been propelled to the heart of this election campaign by the security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China. This episode is just one symptom of rising human insecurity, global instability, and regional strategic competition. In Australia’s history, there have been rare occasions where the moral, human, and strategic imperative to counteract these trends through development assistance has been as compelling. It sits on the shoulders of the next Australian government to deliver it.

“Since the Australian government conducted a full review and refresh of its development cooperation program over a decade ago, COVID-19, climate change and geopolitical competition have been amongst the factors which have fundamentally reshaped Australia’s international environment. That environment is now characterised by rising poverty, inequality, increased human insecurity and illiberalism, and heightened disruption and displacement which are threatening prosperity, peace, and resilience. These are challenges which Australian

development cooperation and humanitarian assistance can address.”

Released ahead of three international development election forums with the Australian Greens, the Australian Labor Party and the Coalition, ACFID’s platform sets out seven principles for political parties to affirm which should define Australia’s official aid program and five pillars which should be central to a new international development strategy delivered by the next Australian government.

ACFID and its members are calling on all political parties to affirm that an effective and inclusive development cooperation and humanitarian assistance program is: Valued and resourced in manner that both reflects Australia’s changing strategic circumstances and lives up to our enduring moral obligations.

Defined in terms of poverty reduction, human development and progress toward the globally agreed 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and which must include more ambitious climate change action.

Defined in terms of transformative change that expands civic space and elevates the voices, knowledge and solutions of marginalised people and communities.

A whole-of-society endeavour that reflects the perspectives and capabilities of our development partners, civil society, Indigenous communities, business, universities, and delivery agencies.

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That in doing so: All forms of development finance, not only Official Development Assistance (ODA), must maximise human development impact and must be subject to the same high standards of effectiveness and inclusion, as well as transparency and accountability.

Recognises that locally-led development cooperation and humanitarian action delivers the most appropriate and sustainable solutions.

That attempts to restrict the vital advocacy voice of the not-for-profit and charity sector undermines Australia’s democratic credentials abroad and inhibits their legitimate role in communicating with the Australian people at home.

As part of a new long-term development policy developed by the next Australian government, ACFID has stated that a new policy must encompass all forms of development finance, linked to legislated budget increases and an enhanced development leadership and aid management capability, that matches Australia’s strategic circumstances and that delivers and demonstrates human development impact.

As part of the new policy, 10-year development partnerships with Australia’s Indo-Pacific partners should reflect shared goals and centre locally led approaches to development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

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Health, climate strategy backed All sides of politics should back a National Climate and Health Strategy to better protect the health of everyone in Australia, the country’s peak health body the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) has said.

The PHAA has released its assessment of the major parties’ federal election commitments to reduce preventable harm by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience.

A National Climate Health Strategy would provide guidance for all levels of government in Australia to tackle the health effects of global heating, which are already evident in every part of the continent according PHAA President, Adjunct Professor Tarun Weeramanthri..

“We welcome the commitments of the Australian Labor Party and Australian Greens to enact a National Climate and Health Strategy, and encourage the Coalition to support it,” Adjunct Professor Weeramanthri, said.

“The health of so many people in Australia has been harmed already – for example

air pollution and water-borne illnesses from bushfires, floods and heatwaves – and we know more harms are likely under our current emissions trajectory.

“The health consequences are well-established and are increasing, so it’s essential we have all sides of politics working together to counter emissions, just as all sides united behind the health advice to confront the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA), representing 95+ health and medical organisations, has backed the call.

CAHA Strategic Projects Director, Ms Fiona Armstrong said: “We need national leadership to tackle the impacts of climate change, as the health of people in Australia is being affected.”

“Seventy-two per cent of health profes-

sionals surveyed last year said the public’s health was already being affected by climate change. Over 50% reported their workplaces had been affected by an extreme weather event in the last 12 months.”

“The health sector is very firmly behind a National Climate and Health Strategy to ensure climate solutions are healthy solutions.

However, CAHA’s assessment of the major political parties on key policies relevant to climate change and health reveals major gaps.

“The commitments of the ALP and Greens are welcome – we also urge the Coalition to step up and support this policy,” Ms Armstrong said.

For analysis of the major parties’ policies on climate change and health, see CAHA’s 2022 Federal Election Scorecard Report.

Leaders head to Canberra The leaders of Queensland’s 17 First Nations councils have voted to lead a delegation to Canberra to finally get action on the overcrowding crisis impacting their communities after the major parties snubbed this week’s Indigenous Leaders Forum (ILF) in Cairns.

ILF chair Wayne Butcher said the reluctance of the Federal Government and the Federal Opposition to send a minister or shadow minister to the ILF at the height of the Federal Election campaign spoke volumes about their priorities when it came to improving the lives of Indigenous Queenslanders.

“They have committed to spending $100 million to address overcrowding in the Northern Territory and yet they won’t even give us the courtesy of accepting our invitation to hear firsthand how Queensland’s First Nations communities need help too,” Mayor Butcher said.

“If they won’t come to us, then we will go to them because unless this issue is addressed our communities will continue to fall behind.”

Mayor Butcher said he and his fellow First Nations leaders would continue to pressure all political parties because the overcrowding crisis simply could not be allowed to continue.

“This is a human rights issue, and to have no commitment to address it here in Queensland is shameful.”

Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith said the Association was calling for $100 million a year over the next five years to flow to address overcrowding in Queensland’s First Nations communities.

“This is one of the LGAQ’s key Federal Election asks on behalf of members because every Queensland community deserves to be a liveable one,” Ms Smith said.

“This ask is backed by the findings of the Federal Government’s own review into the now concluded National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing which found that while the program had made significant advances in addressing overcrowding, the job was far from over.

“With just over three weeks left before polling day this Federal Election, I urge the major parties to show they care about the future of Queensland’s First Nations communities and commit to providing this funding.

“If they won’t, then we urge voters to keep this in mind when casting their vote at the ballot box on May 21.”

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Resource recovery The City of Cockburn will transform Henderson Waste Recovery Park into a Resource Recovery Precinct as part of a sustainable long-term waste management strategy that will extend the current site’s useful life from five to 40 years.

At its 10 March Ordinary Council Meeting, Cockburn Council endorsed a $22.5m redevelopment of the site from 2023, including renaming it Cockburn Resource Recovery Precinct to recognise its role of realising the value of products traditionally seen as waste.

In line with the City’s Waste Strategy 20202030, the precinct will lease up to four sites to complementary waste businesses to assist reprocessing and reuse of recovered materials like steel, green waste, timber, cardboard, mattresses and electronic waste.

The precinct will include a modern covered community drop-off facility for recyclables and disposables, an education and interpretive centre, a reuse shop, a weighbridge, separate entry for commercial and domestic vehicles, staff amenities, and an administration building.

City of Cockburn Chief of Operations Anton Lees said the new facility would create a sustainable and long-term community asset.

“The redevelopment’s leased areas will create an estimated return on investment of $45.6m over 40 years and $61.2m from landfill gate fees. This will enable the City to meet the state government-imposed landfill levy,” Mr Lees said.

“The endorsed business case also enables the retention of residential trailer passes and these leased spaces will be income-generating during the remaining life of the landfill and post closure period.”

Mr Lees said the project aligned with the

City’s vision to lead and support a community that avoided waste generation.

“The precinct will reduce environmental impacts by treating waste as a valuable resource to be recovered, reused and recycled utilising the latest technologies available.”

The new facility will be constructed on the southern section of the Henderson site with access off Dalison Avenue.

The redevelopment aligns with the City’s Climate Change Strategy 2020-2030 which aims for zero non-hazardous waste going to landfill by 2030, and is in line with the three key objectives of the State Government’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030: Avoid – Generate less waste Recover – Recover more value and resources from waste Protect – Protect the environment by managing waste responsibly.

The plan builds on the City’s new waste future which includes transition to Energy from Waste for general waste from the kerbside red lid bin from 2023, a third bin for garden waste, the introduction of a 140L general waste bin across the City, and the incorporation of smart technology for improved efficiency of waste collections.

The City collects and disposes of waste from about 43,000 households, including general waste, green waste, junk waste and recyclables, and its current population of 112,000 is projected to increase to over 170,000 by 2036.

Councils receive EPA grants.

Limiting food waste

· · ·

Recovery Centre planned.

Government needs to act National plastic reduction, recycling, and reuse targets for 2025 will not be met unless the next Commonwealth Government acts to ensure their delivery, key environment groups said.

National plastic reduction, recycling, and reuse targets for 2025 will not be met unless the next Commonwealth Government acts to ensure their delivery, key environment groups said.

“The packaging industry has had over 20 years to fix the problem; and has repeatedly failed. It is on the same path with the 2025 targets. The Boomerang Alliance and our allied organisations are calling for urgent and decisive policy interventions by the next Commonwealth Government to address problem plastic waste and pollution,” said Jeff Angel, Director of the Alliance.

“Extension of the 2025 deadline which business is no doubt contemplating is unacceptable. It’s time for the Commonwealth to step in to protect the environment from

hundreds of thousands of tonnes of ongoing plastic pollution and packaging waste.”

“Our organisations are calling for election commitments that prioritise these five measures: “Introduce a Product Stewardship Scheme for Packaging with mandated targets on reduction, recovery, and recycled content (based on agreed NWP targets).

“Establish national standards for reusable, compostable and recyclable packaging that result in these being recovered in practice, with the onus on manufacturers to be responsible for this.

“Deliver on the Commonwealth Plastics Plan ban promises for 2022 (minimal progress and running out of time) and expand

to other problem plastic initiatives (e.g., soft plastics).

“Continue funding for community cleans ups to reduce litter and invest in more research into the impacts of plastics on the environment, wildlife, and its potential to enter the human food chain.

“Promote and sign-on to, an enforceable international treaty to reduce global marine plastics by 2024, with specific assistance to Pacific and regional neighbours.

“In recent times, most of the States and Territories have been doing the heavy lifting on problem plastics. It’s time for the Commonwealth Government to intervene where it has a primary role and responsibility. These five measures spell out the key agenda items that need to be taken,” Mr Angel said.

Doggies do... doggy don’ts Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC), Regulatory Officers, and Parks and Gardens team are dismayed at the amount of dog faeces being left behind in the region’s parks, and on public footpaths.

Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC), Regulatory Officers, and Parks and Gardens team are dismayed at the amount of dog faeces being left behind in the region’s parks, and on public footpaths.

CGRC Acting Manager of Regulatory Services, Ms Janelle Chapman said the reports of animal faeces being left, particularly in parks and on sporting fields is disturbing.

“It’s great that people are exercising themselves and their pets, and our parks and sporting fields are a popular spaces for this exercise, however we have been seeing and hearing about dog faeces littering these spaces. This is disturbing considering our children are playing sport and enjoying our parks and gardens,” Ms Chapman said.

Council reminds pet owners to keep their LGFOCUS.COM.AU

Beautiful Nicholson Park in Cootamundra is a popular space for pet owners to walk, however dog droppings are proving a hazard for sporting bodies using the facility. dogs on a leash whilst out walking and pick up droppings. Some dog droppings contain harmful bacteria and nutrients. When dog droppings are left outdoors and it rains, harmful bacteria from the droppings can be washed down the drains and end up in local creeks.

“No one likes stepping in dog poo, whether it’s on a sports field or footpath,” Ms Chapman said. Most parks in the CGRC LGA have Dog Waste Stations, with poo bag dispensers and waste bins provided to dispose of their dog waste.

Narromine Shire Council in partnership with Dubbo Regional Council and Mid-Western Regional Council have received an NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) grant of $30,000 to help households become top food waste recyclers, says general manager Jane Redden.

The three council group that Narromine Shire is part of was one of 11 councils and groups of councils to share in $240,150 under the Scrap Together grants program.

This project will see the Scrap Together campaign rolled out across the Narromine Shire, Dubbo Region and Mid-Western Region where it will help residents understand what happens to food waste collected in their kerbside green lid bin and encourage them to use it well.

The campaign was piloted in Clarence Valley, Kempsey, and Forbes local government areas and proved popular with residents, resulting in an average of 10 per cent increase in food waste recovered for recycling.

“This funding will help keep food and garden organic waste out of landfill to be processed into compost that will improve soil health.

“It will help us roll out an engaging campaign, that will remind our community of the environmental benefits of recycling your food waste and how to use the service to best advantage,” Mrs Redden said.

Head of EPA Organics Unit, Amanda Kane said this funding round enabled 25 councils to deliver the Scrap Together campaign materials, which includes videos, radio adverts, mailbox drops and print advertising.

She said the NSW Government had allocated an additional $69 million over the next five years to further expand FOGO services and support councils to meet new requirements under the Government’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 to provide services to all NSW households by 2030.

For more information and links to the campaign collateral visit www.epa.nsw. gov.au/fogo May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 11

FOCUS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Palmerston draft budget plans City of Palmerston has released its Draft Municipal Plan and Budget 2022-23 for community consultation.

The Municipal Plan is a key publication which represents Council’s strategic vision and outlines project, event, and service priorities over the next year. It also contains Council’s annual budget, including proposed rates, fees and charges.

The Municipal Plan and budget ensures that Council continues to deliver and build on services to the community and invest in an ongoing Capital Works program worth $27.1M. Municipal Plan highlights include: 2.9per cent rate increase, with an increase of $30 to the minimum rate No increase to residential waste charge Continue to offer free entry to the Palmerston Pool and free parking in the CBD Continue to offer free facility hire to noncommercial users.

Inclusion of services to new areas of the Municipality Construction to begin on the $15M SWELL development Construction to begin on the Zuccoli Community Hub – Dog Park and Pump Park $500 public lighting improvements $250,000 worth of community grants through the Community Benefits Scheme Youth Festival and Christmas in Palmerston

· · · · · · ·

Gannawarra seems to bucking economic trends.

Gannawarra bucks trend

· · ·

Gannawarra Shire Council’s efforts to promote the area as a place to invest and live has helped the municipality buck a regional population data trend.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Regional population 2020-21: Population change found that Gannawarra Shire’s population increased during the 12-month financial year period; as compared to numerous areas across the north and west of the State, which had population declines.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics data proves something that we already know, that the Gannawarra is a great place to live,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.

“Whether it is our lakes and waterways or our proximity to regional centres such as Bendigo, the Gannawarra proved to be a popular place for people to move to during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The population increase came at a time where Covid-19 restrictions were in place, which provided Victorians the opportunity to reassess their working and living arrangements.

“The population increase is testament to

Council’s efforts to recognise the environmental strengths of the Gannawarra and developing this for commercial gain,” Council Chief Executive Officer, Tom O’Reilly said.

“This is being achieved by focusing on the ART of the Gannawarra, (Agriculture, Renewables & Tourism) which includes encouraging opportunities to diversify our agriculture sector, attracting investment in renewable energy projects, and promoting our nature-based tourism attractions.

“Council expects this population growth to continue, especially given the high level of business development in agriculture, energy, mining, industrial and residential that are anticipated to create more than 400-plus jobs in the next few years. This is coinciding with proposed works for KerangLink, which when approved to proceed to the construction stage will generate billions of dollars of investment in renewable energy projects, as well as thousands of construction jobs.”

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Council has also released its Draft LongTerm Financial Plan 2023-32 for consultation. This document outlines how Council will ensure its financial sustainability over the next 10 years.

City of Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell explained that Council continually aims to identify opportunities and efficiencies to meet the needs of our growing community.

“The 2022-23 Municipal Plan has a strong focus on community, sustainability and innovative practices, that makes Palmerston an attractive and liveable city, as well as a prime investment opportunity.

The next year fills me with excitement as we continue to stimulate the local economy through the implementation of a wide range of projects, partnerships and initiatives.

Palmerston is ‘A Place for People’. As the community is at the centre of all we do, we take every opportunity to consult with our residents and involve them in decisionmaking. I encourage the community to read Council’s draft plans and provide feedback to ensure Council continues to meet community needs,” she said.

The Draft Municipal Plan and Draft LongTerm Financial Plan are available to view at Council’s website, palmerston.nt.gov.au, with feedback closing 2 June 2022.

Getting the most out of the ERP system Most councils now have integrated ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems that incorporate Finance, HR/Payroll, Property and Rating, Receipting, Procurement and Asset Management. TechnologyOne is an ERP that is used extensively within local government in Australia, NZ and the UK. Many organisations will implement their TechnologyOne system but then not have the ongoing internal capability to maintain and continue to enhance the system to meet their organisations changing needs. It is important to partner with an implementation and support provider who understands local government and who is willing to form strong working relationships with staff and management to understand their requirements.

The TechnologyOne system is a significant investment made by councils. It is capable of automating and improving your annual financial statements, budget development, procurement, asset management, monthly reporting and many other key processes.

GAP Business Consulting employs two senior Consultants, has been operating since 2014 and specialises in assisting councils to get the most out of their TechnologyOne investment. The full suite of TechnologyOne CES modules are supported including Financials, Supply Chain, HR/Payroll, CPM, as well

as Works & Assets. They also have experience with ECR and Property & Rating. Sean Green (B.Com, CPA) is the Director and is an ex-CFO within Local Government and an ex-TechnologyOne Consultant.

They provide an ongoing support service, as well as implementation assistance, report writing, ETL/interface development, user training, system health checks and configuration reviews.

Their experience and understanding of local government means that they can identify and recommend system improvements that can have an impact on all parts of the organisation. This can range from high level executive information provided to Council, to detailed analysis of procurement spend, and everything in between. *GAP Business Consulting is an independent consulting firm and is not affiliated with Technology One Limited. GAP Business Consulting is not a reseller of Technology One Products.

Business Consulting Contact Sean Green 0417 367 072 sean.green@gapbc.com.au www.gapbusinessconsulting.com.au 12 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

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FOCUS ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Regional airport fund nod A federal parliamentary inquiry recommending setting up a regional aerodrome infrastructure fund accessible to owner/operators has been welcomed by OZ Airports.

“This is a fantastic initiative by the federal government,” a spokesperson for the company said.

“These grants will give regional aerodrome owners and operators the funds to improve the safety and accessibility of their airports and support critical air infrastructure.

“This will facilitate improved delivery of essential goods and services such as food supplies, health care and passenger air services and further improve the connectivity of Australia’s regions to domestic and global market opportunities. Most importantly, the grants will assist in regional aerodromes upgrade to meet the operational requirements of aeromedical and other emergency services.

“This grant round has a total of up to $29 million available with up to $5 million in funding per regional airport or aerodrome.”

Oz Airports provide experienced and highly trained staff to airports and airport works projects around Australia. The business is frequently called upon to provide airport management support, short term staffing relief/airport labour hire and works safety officer (WSO) support. Their staff are supported by a senior management team who have spent their entire careers working within Air Traffic Control, Airline and Aviation Safety Management.

The interim report into Australia’s general aviation industry said the ongoing financial viability and adequacy of airport infrastructure in rural and regional communities was a clear issue, with significant financial pressure being placed on local councils.

“It is alarming that most airports outside of major urban centres often operate at loss or, at best, break even,” the report said.

“It is imperative that the Australian Govern-

ment continue to provide local governments with access to financial support that ensures airports in rural and regional communities remain operational, and that airport infrastructure meets CASA and air safety requirements.”

“The Department [of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development] must work with local governments to determine how best to support and ensure the ongoing operations of airports in rural and regional communities.”

The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee report recommended establishing a legislative framework and associated guidelines for an infrastructure fund “as a matter of priority”.

“The fund should be accessible to operators of regional and remote aerodromes and should be provided with ongoing and long term funding,” the committee said.

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May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 13

NEWS

Addressing gender gap Women in the Greater Geelong region are being encouraged to apply for a new Victorian Government leadership program that aims to increase the number of women being elected as local councillors.

The Women Leading Locally program aims to address gender inequality in local government and help achieve the Victorian Government’s target of 50 per cent female mayors and councillors by 2025.

The City of Greater Geelong is one of 30 municipalities where women remain under-represented, with four women out of 11 Councillors.

The program will be delivered by the Institute of Community Directors Australia. It will help women develop leadership skills, provide ongoing mentoring and equip women with the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful local government campaign.

Women can attend an inspiring seminar on the program in Geelong from 5pm to 8pm on Wednesday 8 June (at a venue to be confirmed).

There are 60 places available for the program’s first intake in 2022, with 120 places offered in total. Women who are Aboriginal, live with disability or identify as LGBTQI+ are encouraged to apply.

Women in Community Life Advisory Committee Chair Councillor Belinda Moloney, said the network builds on the work being done across the City to deliver on the goals of the Ba-gurrk Gender Equity Framework.

“The program will empower women from Greater Geelong, equipping them with the connections and tools to help them nominate for the next local council elections in 2024, while breaking down the barriers often encountered when entering politics” Cr Moloney said.

“I strongly urge women of all leadership experience levels to consider engaging in local government elections, either as a candidate or supporting the women that nominate.

“Creating a culture of respect and equality means involving women in all decision making, from politics, to sporting clubs, businesses and the media.”

Councillor Kylie Grzybek, Cr Belinda Moloney and Women in Local Democracy (WILD) convenor Jenny Wills are encouraging women to engage in the next Council elections.

Picture: Reg Ryan “We’re continuing to push for more diverse participation across the City both in employment and in elected positions.”

Councillor Kylie Grzybek said it is important to increase the diversity of people represented

on council. “This leadership program is an important step towards closing the gender gap at the 2024 Victorian Council elections,” Cr Grzybek said.

“Women’s leadership qualities transfer well

into political office and our community benefits from having more women in council chambers.”

Applications for the program open on 12 May. Priority will be given to women who aspire to standing for local council election in 2024.

A step closer to ERP Gosnell flicks the switch on fleets The City of Greater Geraldton is one step closer to a streamlined software ecosystem after Council voted to approve the tender for a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

The tender has been awarded to TechnologyOne’s OneCouncil, which has been lauded as a best-practice system that simplifies work processes and will increase the City’s capability to deliver excellent service to customers.

The City of Greater Geraldton will replace several individual software systems currently used to handle financial management, supply chain management, contract management, business strategy and planning, human resources and payroll and compliance systems.

With the tender awarded, the implementation project is now underway with the team working on locking in a module roll-out schedule.

Assisting the City of Greater Geraldton’s internal ERP implementation team is Perthbased company Tango IT. The City of Greater Geraldton will be joining other local governments who are also migrating to the platform, including Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, City of Karratha, Town of Port Hedland and City of Nedlands.

Business Analyst Casey Fiorenza (left) and ERP Project Manager Nita Jane (right) are excited to begin rolling out OneCouncil to teams within the City of Greater Geraldton.

14 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

The City of Gosnells has moved to switch its light fleet to hybrid vehicles, with a view to progressing to fully electric vehicles in a few years’ time.

Mayor Terresa Lynes said from this point forward, any new or replacement light fleet vehicle at the City will be selected from a list of hybrid vehicles.

“While hybrid and electric vehicles have been around for a while, this change represents a big step in the City’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels,” she said.

“With the price of fuel at an all-time high and expected to increase even further, introducing hybrid and electric vehicles will significantly reduce the City’s fuel use and make the fleet more affordable to run.”

With up to 50 light fleet vehicles at the City, such as cars and utes, these benefits add up quickly. With 10 to 12 vehicles replaced every year, the entire light vehicle fleet will be replaced within five years, by which time the City hopes to be introducing fully electric vehicles.

The switch is one of many ways in which the City is working to reduce carbon emissions and support a cleaner, greener future.

Last financial year, solar panels on the City’s buildings produced 366,761 kWh, saving $80,687 and reducing carbon emissions by 249,397kg. This financial year, the City signed up to the WA Local Government Association’s Power Purchase agreement which will power 23 of the City’s highest energy consuming sites with renewable energy.

City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes.

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NEWS

Future proofing plants Local governments, landscape architects and urban greening professionals can now determine which plants will survive where over the next 50 years using a new tool.

The initiative is delivered through Hort Innovation, and led by Macquarie and Western Sydney Universities, as part of a five-year research project titled Which Plant Where.

The universities believe Which Plant Where plant selector tool is the first of its kind in Australia Which Plant Where Program manager Gwilym Griffiths said the tool will be essential for stakeholders looking to future-proof their urban greening projects.

“The Which Plant Where plant selector tool is the first of its kind in Australia. It will become an invaluable resource to ensure we are making the right decisions when it comes to plant selection. Our living green assets play such an essential role in our urban environments, we cannot afford to play the guessing game when it comes to investing in our future,” says Griffiths.

“In the coming weeks, we will be running a series of webinars and instructional walkthroughs for potential users, which will dive into the science, functionality, and use of the tool.”

Joanna Cave, CEO, Greenlife Industry Australia said the tool will have countless benefits

New tool for plant selection for the broader greenlife industry.

“Growers will be able to use the tool to help guide their own stocking decisions based on the areas and market segments they are targeting,” says Cave “It can also be a valuable tool for sales teams at production and retail nurseries.

“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it will allow customers, including local government, landscape architects, landscapers and town planners to make climate-ready purchase decisions that benefit our communities of today and tomorrow.

“Climate change is not going away, so be-

ing able to plan stock mitigates the risk of losing species that may not be able to cope in the coming decades.”

The tool will provide users with the option of a free or paid subscription. Information on over 2500 plant species, their performance, and climate functionality will be freely available to all users, as will numerous best practice guides covering topics such as plant selection, plant procurement and urban tree management.

The subscription version will include plant climate suitability information with maps highlighting changes in climate suitability for plants under predicted climate change scenarios in

2030, 2050 and 2070. The ability to build plant palettes, access information such as carbon and shade values and allow users to directly download a spreadsheet to send to the nursery to check for availability are also added functions of the subscription version.

“By industry investing in the use of the tool, it provides supporting funds to add further research and keep the tool updated. This will ensure industry is armed with current and correct information to future plan for urban green spaces,” Mr Griffiths said.

Hort Innovation Head of Research and Development Byron de Kock said the Which Plant Where was one of the foundational projects in the Hort Innovation Hort Frontiers strategic research partner initiative, and it is great to see the release of this valuable tool.

“This project is essentially future-proofing the urban plant palette to be resilient to climate change to 2070 and beyond.”

Macquarie University Lead Researcher Professor Michelle Leishman, said “It is really exciting to see five-years of research come to fruition. We are very proud of the Which Plant Where plant selector tool and hope that it will become the ’go to’ urban greening resource for the industry.“

Email security change Strengthen defences Red Sift, provider of the only integrated cloud email security and brand protection platform, has announced a strategic partnership with SMX, the cybersecure email specialist, to help enterprises in Australia and New Zealand strengthen their email security posture and threat protection.

Through this exclusive arrangement, Red Sift’s best-in-class Reporting Platform integrates with SMX’s new Domain Protection Service (DPS) to deliver a new joint DMARC implementation offering, helping customers improve email threat monitoring and agility in responding to threats.

Red Sift and SMX showcased their joint offering at AusCERT 2022 in Broadbeach, Australia, 10-13 May. SMX’s DPS service enables enterprises to maintain an effective DMARC implementation, using Red Sift’s best-in-class Reporting Platform to identify, quantify, and respond in realtime to dynamic threats.

Red Sift’s real-time reporting provides vital data that allows SMX to deliver their expertise in refining the security profile and manage SMX DPS deployments effectively across an enterprise’s domains.

SMX’s expertise, coupled with Red Sift’s reporting capabilities, provides the level of agility and monitoring required to keep up with today’s email threat landscape.

“Every company in Australasia has a unique threat environment and clients increasingly want a region-specific, locally designed and supported approach to cyber security,” says Richard Fraser, CEO of SMX. “Our DMARC managed service, DPS, made possible through this strategic partnership with Red Sift, provides clients with the tailored protection profile required to respond in real-time

to dynamic threats, and will enhance email cyber-security throughout Australia and New Zealand.”

According to Gartner, 90% of the Global 2000 will have DMARC in place by 2026. He said as email threats continue to evolve and become increasingly complex, it is more important now than ever before that enterprises establish a streamlined and sustainable DMARC implementation process that can be easily updated to reflect today’s dynamic digital environment.

With the Red Sift and SMX partnership, enterprises now have access to an end-to-end email threat monitoring service, powered by real-time reporting with actionable insights that enable them to maximize their agility in quantifying and responding to threats.

As a result, customers have greater confidence in their DMARC implementation and overall email security posture.

“SMX shares our mission to provide enterprises with the solutions necessary to proactively protect their business and brand reputation from email security threats, rather than ‘mopping up’ after an attack,” said Cameron McLean, Regional Manager, Asia Pacific, Red Sift.

“Our partnership with SMX enables us to help more organizations in Australia and New Zealand strengthen their DMARC implementations, and we’re excited to continue to scale globally in partnership with SMX.”

Tesserent CIO MICHAEL MCKINNON used World Password Day 5 May to warn Australian businesses to strengthen their defences.

Mr McKinnon, CIO of Tesserent, Australia’s largest ASX-listed cybersecurity company (ASX:TNT) said it was important to not just rely on passwords, given the backdrop of heightened risk of cyber-attacks not just from Russia, but also attackers from other parts of the world.

“With cyber-attacks at an all-time high, it is critical that Australian businesses do not rely solely upon passwords for data protection,” he warned.

“Strong and unique passwords are critical, but must be accompanied by identity platforms that offer multi-factor authentication or biometrics. Never underestimate the ability for foreign and local threat actors to easily steal and crack passwords.”

Tesserent, through its Innovation Division, recently acquired a stake in Daltrey, whose biometric technology enables an organisation’s users to prove who they are quickly and securely, in both digital and physical scenarios, without the need for passwords or swipe cards.

“With global cybersecurity challenges evolving, passwords as a sole protector are no longer enough, and haven’t been for a while. If your business doesn’t do more, then you’re already well behind the curve and at significant risk,” he stressed.

The concept of using passwords is not new. People have been using passwords for thousands of years. But in today’s world where correctly authenticating a user can

carry critical importance, a password, without any other form of authentication or proof of identity, is not enough. Additional protections such as identity platforms and multifactor authentication are truly must-haves.

He said most Australian organisations still rely on outdated password policies such as forcing staff to update passwords frequently, like every 30 days, which has been proven to make life harder for users and even weaken security. Back in 2003, Engineer Bill Burr from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), created many of the password rules many still take for granted, and he now regrets the guidelines he wrote. However, passwords still have a place as organisations transition to other tools for validating identity.

Michael stressed the best approach is to look for authentication tools that are easy to use and proven to strengthen security.

“Tools like facial and fingerprint recognition on smartphones proves it’s possible to create strong but simple ways to prove your identity,” he said.

“These can work alongside passwords, allowing organisations to smoothly transition to new authentication tools and methods.

“One-time password generators, biometrics and multi-factor authentication are all mature technologies that rely on established standards that can be leveraged by organisations to protect their valuable information assets.”

‘Proudly GRC’ showcases employees Gladstone Regional Council (GRC) recently launched a campaign to showcase some of their employee achievements and why they are proud to work for Council.

The campaign was created to meet one of the GRC corporate goals as outlined within their 2021- 2026 Corporate Plan which states ‘we look after our people, so they look after you’ – with ‘you’ being residents within the Gladstone Region.

The region encompasses communities in the urban centres of Gladstone and Tannum Sands/Boyne Island, plus the smaller towns of Agnes Water, Ambrose, Baffle Creek, BenaLGFOCUS.COM.AU

raby, Bororen, Builyan, Calliope, Lowmead, Miriam Vale, Mount Larcom, Many Peaks, Nagoorin, Raglan, Rosedale, Seventeen Seventy, Turkey Beach, Ubobo and Yarwun.

The Gladstone region is also home to small communities on Curtis Island and Facing Island.

Employees are encouraged to share their career and personal achievements as well as what makes them proud to work for GRC.

Employee recipients of the Council’s quarterly ‘SERVICE’ Awards are also featured in the campaign.

Their stories are communicated internally within Council’s intranet, newsletter, and digital screens, and externally with the community through Council’s social media platforms, under the hashtag #ProudlyGRC. Speaking on the campaign, Chief Executive Officer Gladstone Regional Council,

Leisa Dowling, said, “One of the key aims of the #ProudlyGRC campaign is to highlight the outstanding contributions of GRC employees to their local communities in diverse areas including water and waste management, roads, parks, customer service, legal/ regulations, economic and community development, disaster recovery, strategic grants, environment and conservation, biosecurity, and more.”

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 15

NEWS

Shane Tazewell, Sales Representative and Paul Laganis, Head of Sales (NSW), Anglomoil Superior Lubricants.

Tony Vercoe, Select a Tool and Tim Andrews, General Manager, Arrow Machinery.

Geoff Lark, Lark UTV’s with ODES X-F3 UTV on display.

Diesel and Dirt a success Despite Sydney’s drenching rain that preceded the event, the 2022 Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo was another huge success, with 71,300 people visiting the Expo over its three days.

Proving itself last year as an excellent venue, the Sydney Dragway more than lived up to expectations again this year, with easy navigation to find exhibitors and plenty of parking to accommodate the huge crowds.

Local Council seminar Representatives of local councils braved the wet and wild weather to attend the International Greenkeepers local government educational seminar on the Thursday, prior to the Expo opening. The seminar hosted 118 council delegates.

Damien Curtis and Daryl Davidson from International Greenkeepers said they are a networking group that creates opportunities for greenkeepers all around the world to find new jobs, new careers and to promote the industry.

“We provide scholarships to international and domestic students of all ages and provide experience working in large stadiums, golf courses and sporting venues”, Daryl said.

Expo opening Cutting the ribbon at the opening were the Mayor of Blacktown, Councillor Tony Bleasdale, Chris Moroz of gold sponsor Komatsu and Andrew Hobbs of gold media sponsor Earthmovers & Excavators.

Best stand awards Once again, exhibitors excelled in presenting their products, with WesTrac taking out the award for the best large stand and Digga being awarded the best medium stand. The best small stand award was taken by Manitou and the award for the best laneway booth went to GAAM Emergency Products. Komatsu took out the most innovative product award with its electric excavator.

David Semionov, Jimboomba inspects the Cub Cadet range of mowers with representative Rob Simpson.

16 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

Komatsu launch Chris Moroz, Komatsu sales manager for New South Wales said, “Komatsu is proud to again be gold sponsor of the 2022 DD&T. We are showcasing the latest in Tier 4 technology, smart construction machinery and showing a fully electric 3.5 tonne excavator.

“The Expo is the launch platform for the latest in smart construction technology for our range of bulldozers and excavators. The benefit for operators is high efficiency and the ability to work exactly to the project construction design. Less fuel is consumed and less time is spent on the job.”

Expo Manager Marti Zivkovich said sponsors had a major impact on the Expo’s success and paid special tribute to gold sponsor Komatsu Australia, gold media sponsor Earthmovers & Excavators magazine and Deals on Wheels, major supporter/associate sponsor Pickles and associate sponsors Prolube, XCMG, CreditOne, Cappro Pacific, Norm Engineering, NTI/Truck Assist, Yellow Cover and Earthmoving Equipment Magazine.

Vari Mhairai and Hayley Heaton manned the Beilby Downing Teal.

Geoff Lark, Lark UTV’s with Vegetation Control Rig.

Komatsu stand, major sponsors DD and T 2022.

Equipment stand.

Kanga Loaders an impressive display.

Darrell Date, Alemlube Automatic Greasing Systems speaks with Darrell Jones, Komatsu Account Manager.

Sam Chisholm, Rachael Thomas and Nick Porter were on hand to represent Porter Equipment.

Dan Greco and Chief Executive Officer, Mell Greenall, Before You Dig were on hand to answer questions.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

FOCUS ON TRAINING & COURSES

Alumnus advances career Two-time CQUniversity alumnus David Gargett said he felt empowered by his studies and believes it has set him up for career success.

Before graduating with a Master of Business Administration (Leadership) in 2021 and a Bachelor of Information Technology in 2007, David was on a mission to advance his career when he began to weigh up his study options.

As a Rockhampton local, David said he chose to study with CQU because he wanted to study online and support local organisations, especially during the pandemic.

“My online study through CQU was fantastic. It perfectly fit my circumstances and it allowed me to study at my own pace,” David said.

“I couldn’t recommend CQU more. I tell everyone who will listen about how much I gained from it.

The father of two said he felt supported throughout his studies.

“I received tremendous support from the lecturers. I felt much more supported and cared for than I did in other post graduate stud-

ies I have done,” he added.

David’s qualifications led him to secure a role within the Rockhampton Regional Council as a Technology Infrastructure Officer.

“I am part of a team that manages the servers and networks across the region. My role involves overseeing cybersecurity systems, performance monitoring, and ensuring backup strategies are in place.”

David is involved in multiple programs to bridge the gap between business and cybersecurity, where he acts as a mentor to high school students involved in cybersecurity competitions and said he would not be participating in these programs if he did not have the confidence he gained throughout his studies.

To find out more about the courses on offer at CQUniversity, please visit www.cqu.edu.au/ courses

David Gargett.

New Hub brings a boost to engagement IAP2 Australasia has launched a dedicated Local Government Hub with a range of community engagement resources to support practitioners in Local Government.

As the peak body for the community and stakeholder engagement sector, IAP2 Australasia, believes that engagement, when done well, improves social, environmental and economic outcomes and increases trust in the democratic process.

Better engagement means better outcomes for Council, your projects and your community.

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Australasia is a nonprofit organisation which champions the world’s largest community of engagement professionals by offering leading professional development, trusted services, events and advocacy across Australia and New Zealand.

As an international leader in public participation, IAP2 has developed tools that are widely used and acknowledged.

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

These include the Core Values for Public Participation for use in the development and implementation of public participation processes and the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum which assists with the selection of the level of participation that defines the public’s role in any community engagement program.

Additionally, the Quality Assurance Standard for Community and Stakeholder Engagement, is recognised as the international standard for public participation practice.

And now, for engagement practitioners working in Local Government looking to enhance their organisational engagement practices, you will find a wealth of articles, tools and resources on IAP2A’s website hub https://iap2.org.au/local-government-hub/ There are over 100 resources on the hub including examples of Community Engagement Policies and Frameworks; case studies; conference presentations; webinars; tools, templates and news articles from engagement professionals.

WE SEE YOU UPGRADE YOUR CAREER

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

BUILD ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH A COURSE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.

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May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 17

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Historic hall reopens After an extensive heritage restoration, Cook Shire Council is delighted to announce that Cooktown’s Shire Hall on Helen Street will re-open its doors to the community at a celebratory event being held at the Hall on Saturday 21 May from 3pm.

Heritage-listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1997, the Hall was closed in April 2015 following an engineering assessment carried out to assess the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Ita – the Hall’s heritage considerations escalating the repair bill into the millions.

“Historic and sentimental, the Hall has a very special place in the hearts of our community.

“It took some time but, inspired by the community support for the Hall’s restoration, Council successfully secured 100% of the funds required to preserve the iconic building from Australian and State funding programs,” said Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott adding that Council looks forward to welcoming the community back to the Hall a community open day event being held on Saturday 21 May. Shaping up to celebrate and showcase the past, present and future of the Hall, the

free ‘Welcome Back!’ community open day will include live music and entertainment from Captain Tap and the Watery Hose; a complimentary afternoon tea*; classical, bush, swing and belly dancing performances and a chance for community members to reminisce about the past while taking part in the Hall’s historic re-opening event.

Following the open day event, the community will be able to book the Cooktown Shire Hall for private events, functions and community activities from noon on Friday 1 July 2022.

“It is fantastic to see the Cooktown Shire Hall restored to its former glory,” Federal Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch said.

“It’s important that we invest to ensure our heritage buildings can continue to be appreciated for generations to come.

“I have no doubt the Shire Hall will once

again become a focal point for the Cooktown community.”

This project was jointly funded by the Australian Government, the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland, and COVID Works for Queensland programs. Australian Government funding of $499,416 was provided through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program. This program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cyclone-damaged Cooktown Hall reopens.

Youth Bradman’s birthplace benefits take their art online

A genuine piece of history has been donated to Cootamundra’s Bradman’s Birthplace Museum.

Orange City Council’s Youth Services has launched an art trail designed to showcase the talents of Orange’s local young artists.

The difference is, the artworks cannot be seen in real life but can be ‘unlocked’ through augmented reality and viewed on a simple smartphone, against the real-world backdrop.

Users can download the free Unlock Orange AR-T Walk app on their iPhone, Android phone or tablet to discover the works.

The app allows the user to follow a map and scan specially designed signs or ‘markers’ located around the central business district, which activates a three-dimensional framed artwork, along with a description of the work by the artist.

There are currently five artworks available on the app, with markers in the Civic Square and Robertson Park.

The works are by young artists Jazzeal Kind, Marley McLean and Brandie BlakeMcDonald, as well as group works by members of the Orange Youth Hub. Five more artworks will be uploaded in the next couple of weeks, with markers throughout the CBD. The app was launched by Orange Mayor Jason Hamling and Member for Calare Andrew Gee at an event in the Civic Square Southcourt on Friday night, which included a demonstration of the program.

“This is a great way of inspiring young artists to get their work out there in a unique way and encouraging young people to become more involved in our community,” Cr Jason Hamling said.

“I look forward to seeing people exploring the CBD and enjoying art differently through the innovative new app and celebrating the diverse and talented young people we have here in Orange. “ The app was developed by software company Start Beyond with $50,000 funding from the Australian Government’s Safer Communities Fund, to create a safer community by educating and protecting young people from risk of attack, harassment or violence stemming from racial or religious intolerance.” Council’s Youth Services called for young artists to submit works that explored themes of tolerance, inclusivity and diversity, and will work with young artists and schools to continue to provide works that will be swapped over at regular intervals.

Young local artists aged 12 to 24 were invited to submit an expression of interest to be included in the project.

18 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

A signed bat by cricketing legend Sir Donald Bradman, was handed over in late April

by Sydney man Matthew Donnellan, who acquired the signed and framed bat several years ago.

Mr Donnellan visited Cootamundra this past year, and took a tour of the Museum, he contacted Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) after his visit and made the offer to donate this rare piece of history.

The piece is extremely unique, as the bat also has been signed by English bowler Harold Larwood. The Don’s adversary during the 1932-33 Test Series, commonly known as the “Bodyline Series”. Larwood emigrated to Australia in 1950.

Members of the Bradman Birthplace Museum volunteers and CGRC mayor Cr Charlie Sheahan were on hand to take delivery of the large, framed bat, that contains pictures of the pair and memorabilia.

Cr Sheahan said it was a great addition to the collection at the museum and thanked Mr Donnellan for his generous donation.

“This piece will add to an already comprehensive collection and the story behind its advent and Matthew’s decision to donate it to us, will be one told by our volunteers for years to come,” Cr Sheahan said.

Matthew Donnellan (third from left) is pictured with Bradman Birthplace Museum Volunteers Paul Burge, Eric Thorburn, Phil Moran, and Brian Nolan, and CGRC mayor Cr Charlie Sheahan (third from right), with the rare piece of cricketing memorabilia, Mr Donnellan has donated to the museum.

Unique Chinchilla experience The Western Downs is continuing to attract new and unique visitor experiences with Western Downs Regional Council approving an application for a new tourist park, function facility, and sculpture walk in Chinchilla.

The proposal will see a multi-stage development titled ‘The Dusty Chook’ established at 283 Auburn Road, Chinchilla, offering a new accommodation option for visitors, as well as some unique cultural opportunities for resident and tourists.

Planning and Environment Councillor, Cr Andrew Smith said the proposal added to the region’s rich and unique visitor offerings, promoting the Western Downs as a fantastic place to live, work and visit.

“We are continuing to see applications put forward for developments focused on driving local business and boosting visitor experiences, which is a sign of confidence in our diverse economy,” Cr Smith said.

“The Dusty Chook will be completed over three stages, with the first involving the establishment of a 375m2 function building, a small area for outdoor art workshops, toilet block, and installation of a ‘sculpture walk’.

“Stage two will involve the construction of six accommodation cabins and five caravan sites with ensuite bathrooms, and stage three will involve the establishment of a bush camping area with covered barbeque camp kitchen.”

The proposal also includes provision for future stages such as a potential permanent gallery and ancillary gallery shop as well as a cafe.

Tourism, Events, and Regional Promotion Councillor, Cr Kylie Bourne said it was fantastic to see another business establishing itself in the region, with a focus on celebrating the people that make it.

“A new tourist facility with an artistic twist is a really exciting proposal for our region, with opportunities to both showcase art through the sculpture walk, as well as create art through the provision of on-site workshops and functions,” Cr Bourne said.

“Our region has so much to offer and we look forward to seeing the development prog-

ress and deliver another opportunity to increase local jobs and bring more people to the Western Downs.”

Applicant and local artist Dion Cross said the development has always been a dream, and he was excited to make it a reality and create something quirky and out of the ordinary for the Western Downs.

“We want to offer a creative experience for visitors through weekend art workshops where visitors will get to stay at the on-site accommodation and experience some hands-on sculpture and art making, then kick back and relax of an evening around the campfire and relax and reflect,” Mr Cross said.

“We look forward to driving tourism in the region and bringing something different and unique to the Western Downs for everyone to enjoy.”

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Plant solves water issue Clifton’s short-term water supply issue is resolved with Toowoomba Regional Council turning the tap on a brand-new packaged water treatment plant for the town.

The Clifton Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant is now operational and began supplying the town’s drinking water on Friday, 22 April.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said the $2.75 million investment Council made on the plant would secure Clifton’s short-term water supply.

“Today is a great day for Clifton, we have secured the town’s drinking water supply and can give residents peace of mind that their drinking water is top quality.

“Council has worked hard over a number of years to secure a better option for Clifton’s water supply and this new treatment plant is the best option for the town,” Mayor Antonio said.

Toowoomba Regional Council Water and Waste Committee Chair Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff said the plant would treat water from the Kings Creek Alluvium and Great Artesian Basin groundwater sources.

“The Great Artesian Basin bore for Clifton is now being drawn on and this means the town’s water supply is now coming from more than one source which is very important for its water future.

“Trucking water into Clifton has stopped and the new plant has the capacity to treat 500kl per day to drinking standards which is more than enough to supply the town into the future.

“The reverse osmosis plant uses a process where a partially permeable membrane separates and removes unwanted impurities and particles in raw water to make the water safe for drinking.

“Water sampling and testing of the treated water from the plant was completed last week and it was confirmed the water meets Australian drinking water standards.

“Both the Kings Creek Alluvium bore and the Great Artesian Basin bore are being used as sources of the water for the plant,” Cr Vonhoff said.

While trucking water into Clifton has stopped, Council still has trucks on standby for any unforeseen issue with the new water treatment plant. minor works around the plant site including drainage and roadworks are expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

Plant turned on at Clifton.

Loungeroom to the masses Griffith City Council presented Griffith’s first Esports Cup on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 April, with the event a resounding success for local enthusiasts.

Council’s Director Organisational and Economic Development, Shireen Donaldson said more than 130 registrations were received, exceeding event organisers expectations.

“Last year we surveyed local youth to see what kind of events they would like to participate in and Esports was a clear front runner,” said Mrs Donaldson.

“With thanks to a grant from the Department of Regional NSW (Office for Regional Youth), we were able to work with the Australian Esports League (AEL) to bring this fantastic event to Griffith.

“The two days were a resounding success with young people enjoying online competitive favourites such as 1v1 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Minecraft and Mario Kart 8 as well as enjoying the free play zone with bonus games such as Just Dance, Age of Empires and Halo – it was incredible to see so many enjoying Esports in a social environment,” added Mrs Donaldson.

Supersmash tournaments were live streamed over the two days, with community members watching on and cheering the competitors.

New friendships were formed and many parents chose to come along and watch their children compete and play, creating a really enjoyable atmosphere.

Mrs Donaldson said competition was fierce, but friendly.

“Whilst everyone was in it to win it, the vibe in the room was amazing, with many partici-

Narromine Shire Council now offers an environment that allows anyone requiring casual shared or private office space with “insanely fast internet all in a great location”.

ESports Cup a winner in Griffith. pants later exchanging details to stay in touch.

With COVID impacting our social interaction over the last two years, this was a great opportunity for likeminded people to get together and form relationships,” she said.

Griffith Mayor, Councillor Doug Curran said he was amazed at the skills and sportsmanship on display.

“I am really pleased Council could bring the

Esports Cup to Griffith and the number of participants demonstrates that Esports is emerging as a sport, which like any other sport, can be trained for to develop skills to enhance the game experience,” said Councillor Curran.

“Being in the room and observing the skills, determination and tenacity of the participants was certainly eye opening and I applaud each and every gamer!”

Soccer for all in Devonport The Devonport Social Soccer Club called for soccer gear donations to support seasonal workers taking part in the roster.

Social Soccer Club member Nick Sallese said the 20-week social soccer roster has attracted players from all over the North-West Coast of Tasmania, including seasonal workers who have not played in the local roster before.

“If anyone has an old pair of soccer boots, shinpads or both, floating around in your cupboards that you or your family don’t need anymore, then we’d love to get our hands on these items,” Mr Sallese said. “These much-appreciated donations will go towards helping our international friends participate in our social soccer roster.

“These seasonal workers do not come to Tasmania with sports equipment, so we would love to help them out and enjoy a game with LGFOCUS.COM.AU

Funding provides work hub

other like-minded people.”

Devonport City Council’s Community Development Officer Erin Ford said Council was excited to encourage the community to get behind this initiative and support those new residents that call Devonport home.

“It can be lonely and tough for anyone to be away from home, so through these generous donations our seasonal workers can become part of a sporting community and connect with others, which is really important,” Miss Ford said.

“Playing sport also helps to improve health and well-being so any donations of soccer gear will be strongly appreciated.” Mr Sallese said the social soccer competition provided an af-

ternoon of fun and exercise to all those who love to play the “world game“.

“We cater for all ages and skill levels, with the social league growing from 40 players three years ago to now 100-plus participants last season. We offer flexible playing options to cater for everyone’s different needs,” Mr Sallese said.

“Any boots and pads, marked ‘Devonport Social Soccer Club’, can be dropped off at the Devonport Strikers Soccer Ground at Valley Road.

“We will organise to distribute the items to players that need them on a Sunday. They will then be collected at the end of the game so they can be used for the following games during the season.”

General Manager Mrs Jane Redden said funding has allowed Council to transform a redundant building into a spacious shared co-working hub with workstations, two private offices, kitchen, bathroom and all abilities access close to the CBD. “The HubnSpoke offers anyone the opportunity to accommodate an office away from home with extremely fast internet all in a refurbished and bright space,” said Mrs Redden.

“As many people are transient and can work from almost anywhere these days, Council is thrilled to offer these modern shared co-working offices that are usually only found in regional and metropolitan centres.

“We also hope that the HubnSpoke will facilitate connections, collaboration and creativity for small businesses throughout the Narromine region.”

There is a large open co-working space as well as two private offices available to hire, the rates start at $20 a day and can be booked on-line at https:// hubnspokenarromine.com.au.

Hire payment is made at Council’s Customer Service and Payments Centre and details for internet access and building access are provided at this time. Narromine’s HubnSpoke is located at 37 Burraway Street next door to the Fire Station.

The Hub, Narromine.

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 19

RURAL AND REGIONAL

We’re face-to-face again Face-to-face activities for babies, children, teens and adults have restarted at Fraser Coast Libraries this month.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the free, in-person sessions were much-loved by members of the community and it was terrific to see them returning after a break due to the Covid pandemic.

“It’s fantastic that people will soon be enjoying group activities again at the five library branches, providing opportunities for learning, recreation and socialising,” he said.

“All of the wonderful library programs for youngsters and adults play an important role in helping to increase the overall wellbeing of our community.

“People who attend will still be asked to follow Covid-safe practices, such as physical distancing and hand sanitising, because the community’s health and safety remains our highest priority.”

Cr Seymour said the returning activities included Rattle and Rhyme, for babies and toddlers under two years old, and Under Five Time for children aged five and under.

“When they first attend, parents will receive a free bag featuring an illustration on the front to colour in with crayons, a board book, a hand

puppet, a songbook, a scarf, a hat and information about library services,” he said.

“Everyone will be encouraged to use the items in the pack to talk, read, sing and play with their children at home and also to bring the items back each time they visit the library to use during Rattle and Rhyme and Under Five Time activities.

“At some sessions, bookings are essential because places are limited, so go to the libraries’ Eventbrite page for more details at: frasercoastlibraries.eventbrite.com or phone your nearest branch.”

Cr Seymour said other activities that would be returning included Classic Films, Technology Tutorials, World Films, Wildlife Talks, Scrabble, Chess, STEAM Club for children aged eight or older, Chill for families and Colouring Calm.

“Justices of the Peace have already returned to Hervey Bay Library on Mondays and Fridays from 10am until noon to help people who need documents witnessed,” he said.

Kids programs return to the libraries.

Improvement works for reserve Moorabool Shire Council Mayor Tom SullIvAN, Councillors and community members joined local State Members of Parliament to celebrate the start of the next stage of ongoing improvement works at Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve (BMRRR).

The three-stage upgrade of BMRRR will deliver state-of-the-art facilities to support the diverse sport and recreation activities of local clubs and Moorabool Shire community.

Council has provided $8.04 million for the stage two works, which will cost a total of $12.04 million.

The State Government has provided $3.5 million to stage two through the 2020-21 Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program and $500,000 through the World Game Facilities Fund 2020-2021 for soccer pitches and lighting.

“The Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve is ideally located to establish an active sports precinct to cater for the growth and future active sports requirements of the growing town of Bacchus Marsh,” Cr Sullivan said.

“It’s exciting to see the new-look reserve take shape and cater for our growing community and the diverse range of sporting clubs which use its facilities.”

The Mayor joined State Member for Melton, Steve McGhie, and State Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, in turning the first sod for the new stage of the project. Stage two of the project will deliver two permanent soccer pitches, a central cricket pitch, perimeter fencing, sport lighting, coaches’ boxes, a pavilion, a new entry road to access the new facilities, car parking for more than 300 cars, a play space near the new pavilion, and landscape works.

Work started on the site this month, with construction due to be completed mid-2023.

The draft shire-wide Flood Study uses the latest topographic data and modelling techniques, as well as local knowledge, in an effort to better understand the nature and extent of flooding across the Wollondilly Shire, adjacent to the SouthWestern Sydney fringe.

Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan, Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Melton Steve McGhie turn the first sod on Stage 2 of the Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve project.

CBD gets a creative make-over Goulburn Mulwaree Council will trial innovative and creative projects within the Goulburn CBD, following a successful grant application to the NSW Government Streets as Shared Spaces program. $488,210 has been gained through the program which is 100 per cent funded by the NSW Government.

The project will include shady tree seating at 27 locations in the CBD, as well as installation of parklets and chill out hubs, night time fairy lighting, a pedestrian crossing and further public art and street furniture installations.

Consultation with the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce was undertaken during development of the grant application. Business and community feedback will be part of the process prior and during the activation time.

Mayor Peter Walker said that the fund20 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

Better intel on flooding

ing would allow Council to trial some creative place activation projects.

“Projects like this are just not achievable without grant funding, and this will allow Council to trial some innovative ideas such as a mobile library parklet, and chill out hub with solar charging for IT devices.”

“I am also very excited to see the improved utilisation of the trees we planted in our CBD around four years ago. Part of this funding will go towards 27 seats under these trees, as well as fairy lights which will look spectacular in the evening.”

NSW Minister for Local Government and

Member for Goulburn the Honourable Wendy Tuckerman said: “The project seeks to trial innovative and creative community engagement spaces which will also drive collaborative partnerships, encourage the community to shop locally, create safer walking and cycling spaces and increase the night time economy in the high streets precinct of Goulburn.”

Council expects to commence roll out of installation of these projects in September this year, with the trial to run across spring and summer before being evaluated in February 2023.

In the previous round of consultation, Council asked the community to share their knowledge of flooding history and rainfall amounts in Wollondilly and received a significant amount of helpful information.

That input has helped inform the detailed flood modelling to produce flood mapping that identifies existing flood risk, and will inform future floodplain management.

Council is now seeking information from residents of the Wollondilly Shire to verify this study, by providing their personal observations and experiences.

Mayor Matt Gould said they would collate the feedback received.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to this study so far,” he said.

“Recent storm events have highlighted that it is more important than ever to be aware of flood risks where you live, and we are eager to have residents continue be involved in this crucial process.”

“The more we can learn about how floodwaters are likely to behave, the better prepared we can be and the better we can protect our communities, the environment and our properties.”

Council is undertaking the Flood Study under the guidance of the NSW Flood Prone Land Policy, which requires Council to manage the existing flood risk with consideration to the social, economic and environmental impacts of flooding for the short, medium and long term.

They have engaged consultants Advisian to carry out the Flood Study.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

METRO AND SUBURBAN

Murals light up the city Community members are stopping to admire a vibrant, new piece of art in the Penrith CBD which has a heartwarming meaning behind it.

The intricate mural at Judges Place Car Park, on the pedestrian entry via Union Lane, is a representation of our City flourishing again following the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Penrith City Council recently recommissioned the same local artist who delivered the ‘We Got This’ artwork along Charles Hackett Drive in St Marys in late 2021, to deliver an equally symbolic piece in Penrith.

With similar colours and bold statement pieces, the latest artwork reads ‘In This Together’ and features butterflies, native birds and flowers in bloom across two external pillars of the car park.

Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said the naturethemed mural shone a light on how resilient the community has been, and how far our City has come in recent months.

“While our City was hit hard by the pandemic and its associated lockdowns, it is so pleasing and reassuring to see residents out and about, filling our streets and supporting local businesses. We know that the recent rains and floods have impacted many people but again, our community spirit is shining through,” Cr Hitchen said.

“Council hopes that the public can now enjoy this colourful artwork on a deeper level, knowing it is our way of acknowledging the strong spirit of our community.”

The mural captures the attention of passersby during the day and at night it is illuminated by the LED lighting in the Judges Place Car Park.

Medina Trees.

City of trees is picture perfect The City of Kwinana’s annual photography competition is now open with a green theme.

Bringing colour to Penrith.

The artist, Paul Zoeller of Western Sydney Murals, worked with an assistant to deliver the piece over four weeks.

He said many people visiting and working in Penrith had shared their thoughts about the mural but the emotional response of one person had stayed with him.

“One lady came up to me and expressed her gratitude for the mural – she had been having an especially tough time and thanked me for brightening the space up and said it was exactly what she needed,” Paul said.

Kwinana (Perth) is known as the ‘City of Trees’ and this is now the theme of the Love My Kwinana - Photography Competition 2022.

Entrants are invited to capture Kwinana’s trees on camera to celebrate our lush urban canopy and natural wetland and bushland settings.

Photographs must be taken by the entrant within the City of Kwinana’s suburbs.

Entrants may submit a maximum of three entries in one of the competition age categories.

The three age categories and prizes include: Adult – entrants 25+ ($400) Youth – entrants aged 13 to 25 years ($300) Children – entrants aged 12 and under ($200) Entries are open from 2 May to 27 May and will be

assessed by a panel of five judges who will announce the winning entries at the end of June. Mayor Carol Adams said competition entries would be exhibited by the City of Kwinana at a later date.

“I look forward to seeing the diverse perspectives people have of Kwinana, the ‘City of Trees’, captured creatively and celebrated through the lens of a camera,” Mayor Adams said.

To help people get their creativity flowing, a nature photography workshop for adults was also be held on 30 April from 4pm to 6pm at the John Wellard Community Centre in Wellard.

Local photographer Samuel Chan taught basic tips and tricks and offer the opportunity to walk in nature and practice taking photos.

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12547050-CG20-22

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May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 21

METRO AND SUBURBAN

Happy birthday Uncle Wes Blacktown City Council has honoured remarkable Indigenous senior elder WESLEY MARNE with a Key to the City on his 100th birthday.

Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM presented the prestigious honour to Uncle Wes at a surprise birthday party with his family and friends in Plumpton on Anzac Day. “Uncle Wes, a Bigambul man, has lived in Mount Druitt for more than 45 years, and, at 100 years of age, he is committed to sharing traditional knowledge of Indigenous culture,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“He is known throughout the community for the Aboriginal culture and education that he brings to schools, events and organisations through his storytelling.

“In 2011, Uncle Wes was a proud recipient of the first NSW Department of Education Nanga Mai Love of Learning award.

“He has dedicated his life to helping children and adults who have been incarcerated to get their lives back on track by helping them to regain confidence to advocate for themselves.

“In Bidwill, in the grounds of Graceades Cottage, Uncle Wes established a community storytelling garden, ‘Kwinnies Garden’, where he can tell his stories to the community as they sit, listen and connect.

“Uncle Wes is a founding member of the

Mount Druitt and Districts Reconciliation Group, which, for more than 20 years, has organised an annual Reconciliation Walk and Concert in Mount Druitt.

“His one-man storytelling show, Fire Bucket, premiered at the 2016 Sydney Festival and played to sell-out audiences. It later toured to Melbourne and throughout regional NSW. “The creative voice of Uncle Wes knows few bounds - he has also rapped on songs with the Solid Ground Artist in Residence program.

“This month, Uncle Wes will launch his book of poems, titled ‘Through Old Eyes’, and a book of stories, ‘Bigambul Dreamtime’, will be released later this year.

“He continues to work every day in his community, Mount Druitt, throughout Blacktown City and beyond, conducting smoking ceremonies and Welcome to Country ceremonies.

“Uncle Wes is deeply loved and valued. Like his creative spirit, this love knows no bounds.

“Blacktown City is richer for the time he has spent with us. It is truly an honour to present him with the Key to the City.

“Congratulations, and Happy Birthday, Uncle Wes.”

Easier access The City of Melbourne is making it even easier for families to access education, care and important family services with a $10.2 million redevelopment of the Lady Huntingfield Early Learning and Family Services Centre.

The upgraded facility in North Melbourne has been designed as a hub for families, offering long daycare, kindergarten, maternal and child health services, family support and counselling, parenting services and playgroups in one central location.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said more than 100 education and care places are now available – nearly doubling the capacity of the Centre which has served the community for more than 80 years.

“The Lady Huntingfield Early Learning Centre has served our municipality for more than 80 years, and we’re proud to deliver this important upgrade to support the growing North Melbourne community.

“We’ve brought family and children’s services together under one roof, making it even easier for locals to access quality daycare services and connect with health professionals.

“We know integrated care is the way of the future, as it provides education and care from birth to school age delivered by qualified teachers, with the flexibility for parents and carers to choose the days and hours that meet their needs and commitments.”

Since reopening in August 2021, Lady Huntingfield has provided education and care for local families across more than 1000 different sessions and appointments.

Support for more families in Melbourne’s north.

The state-of-the-art, two-storey building has been designed with a focus on sustainability, and features solar panels, rainwater harvesting, natural ventilation and energyefficient fittings.

The Victorian Government provided $1.6 million to support the redevelopment through the Children’s Facilities Capital Grant program.

Indigenous elder Uncle Wes (centre) receives the Key to the City from Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM (right) and Chifley MP Ed Husic (left) on his milestone 100th birthday.

Gallery mine works Work is starting beneath the Newcastle Art Gallery to prepare for the $40 million expansion of one of the city’s most loved cultural assets.

Late last month Councillors awarded a tender for remediation work for the site, which sits above the Dudley Coal Seam and Borehole Coal Seam.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the mine remediation is a crucial part of early work to prepare the site ahead of the main construction commencing.

“An interesting and little-known fact about Newcastle Art Gallery is that it sits atop abandoned mine workings, so it’s important that we ensure the site is safe for construction of the expanded gallery to commence later this year,“ Cr Nelmes said.

“The mine remediation is a significant step forward to prepare the site, while work continues inside the gallery to decant and prepare the extensive collection for offsite storage.“ The work will target the Borehole Coal Seam, which sits around 75 metres below ground level, and Dudley Coal Seam around 27 metres below ground.

The remediation is scheduled to commence in June and will require approximately 15,000 cubic metres of grout deployed into the seams through over 100 individual bores, which will be drilled throughout the site.

The mine remediation work has been designed as part of the project’s Grouting and Verification Plan, which has received approval from Subsidence Advisory New South Wales.

An application, which is currently under assessment, has been made to the Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation’s Newcastle Mines Grouting Fund to contribute to

the cost of the work.

With the Gallery’s collection currently being decanted, a temporary photography studio has been set up onsite enabling the digitisation and condition reporting of the works of art prior to being placed into offsite storage.

During the Gallery’s construction period, the community can access the collection online and outreach programs will commence within local schools from May. Other special activations include events in conjunction with New Annual that will introduce local and national audiences to a new programming direction for Newcastle Art Gallery. A Gallery podcast is also due to be released later this year.

Newcastle Art Gallery closed for expansion in January this year. The expansion project includes an additional 1,600 square metres of exhibition space with dedicated areas for the Gallery’s collection on the lower level, while the upper level will cater for a variety of travelling exhibitions, including international shows.

The project will deliver a new cafe and retail shop, multi-purpose and educational program space, a secure international standard loading dock, and will extend the building’s footprint east along Darby Street and Queen Street. The project is expected to be completed by mid2024.

The $40 million project has been supported by a $10 million grant from the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments, a $10 million bequest from Valerie Ryan and $500,000 in funding from the Margaret Olley Art Trust through the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation.

Nominations open for Melbourne Awards Nominations are now open for the prestigious Melbourne Awards, recognising the positive contributions of individuals and organisations to the local community.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said this year’s Melbourne Awards will mark 20 years of celebrating locals shaping the city for the better.

“The Melbourne Awards are our city’s highest accolade, recognising the talented Melburnians who make extraordinary contributions to our community.

“Over the past two decades, we’ve been shining a light on the incredible work of so many Victorians who have gone above and beyond to drive innovation, create inclusive communities, ignite our creative sector and share ideas about the future of our city.

22 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

“Our people make our city the great place that it is, and we want to showcase their efforts. If you know an inspirational Melburnian, nominate their work for a Melbourne Award.”

There are eight categories for the 2022 Melbourne Awards: Community – celebrating projects and activities that enhance the wellbeing of residents.

Knowledge and Innovation – recognising bold ideas shaping the city’s bright future.

Arts and Events – highlighting work to build Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s cultural capital.

· · ·

Design – showcasing projects and or· Urban ganisations that are shaping the city’s skyline.

– acknowledging the restaurants, · Hospitality bars and hospitality venues creating unforgettable experiences.

– focusing on positive con· Sustainability tributions to the environment and initiatives

· ·

that educate, connect and inspire others.

Aboriginal Melbourne - Ganbu Guljin – promoting work that improves cultural understanding and supports the Aboriginal community.

LGBTIQ+ – shining a light on efforts to support and promote diversity, social connection

and participation. Previous Melbourne Award winners include the creators of compostable cling wrap, the developers of an app to support health care workers, and a program supporting Aboriginal art in prison.

Applications for the 2022 Melbourne Awards are open from 2 May to 30 June. For more information or to nominate someone, visit the Melbourne Awards website.

Winners will be announced at the Melbourne Awards ceremony in November as part of a special televised broadcast on Channel 9.

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METRO AND SUBURBAN

Great for Launceston The City of Launceston is set to push for a greater Launceston metropolitan council as part of a proposed submission to the State Government’s Local Government Board Review into the Future of Local Government in Tasmania.

The City of Launceston is set to push for a greater Launceston metropolitan council as part of a proposed submission to the State Government’s Local Government Board Review into the Future of Local Government in Tasmania.

In 2021, the State Government announced the Future of Local Government in Tasmania review, with the objective of creating a more robust and capable system of local government.

The Local Government Board undertook community engagement in recent weeks, asking for Councils to provide written submissions exploring the optimal future design for Tasmania’s local government sector.

The City of Launceston’s draft submission has been prepared by Councillors and Council staff, and its formal endorsement will be considered at next week’s Council meeting.

The City of Launceston’s draft submission focuses on the ’spill-over effect’, which occurs when a central municipality provides services that are used by residents from surrounding municipalities who do not contribute to their costs.

“It is clear that the spill-over effect is impacting the urban area in Northern Tasmania with Launceston being at a financial disadvantage relative to other Councils,” the draft submission notes.

“As it currently stands, Launceston is required to provide and maintain regional level infrastructure, which is not required to be provided by surrounding Councils.

“While the residents of surrounding Council areas live close together and are most benefited by the regional assets provided by the City of Launceston, they are not providing any funding for their maintenance — aside from

fees and charges for use of these assets where it is applicable.

“In fact, the costs borne by City of Launceston ratepayers and avoided by the residents of other municipal areas are in excess of $4.2m annually.”

The draft submission urges the Board to explore the creation of a metropolitan council in the greater Launceston area and to encourage greater resource sharing between rural and city councils. Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the City of Launceston’s position in the Northern Tasmanian region was unique among all Councils in Tasmania, as it was impacted by the ’spillover effect’ more than any other council in the State.

“The draft submission suggests a metropolitan Council model should be explored for the Northern Region so that the costs of regional

Repair cafe combats waste Sustainability principles with a view to creating less waste are the driving force behind an innovative Newcastle Libraries initiative, which aims to teach people new skills to fix broken or damaged items instead of throwing them away.

Newcastle Libraries has launched the free Newcastle Repair Cafe with the expertise of providers such as Newcastle Toy Library, Upcycle Newcastle and local repairers, operating at the recently re-opened Lambton Library on the last Saturday of each month until June.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the emphasis on circular economy principles and sustainability aligns to the community’s vision for Newcastle.

“Creating a sustainable City has been at the centre of all our decisions, which is why Newcastle Repair Cafe is a great innovative initiative, fixing items are reused ensuring they don’t end up being sent to landfill prematurely,” Cr Nelmes said.

Ward Three Councillor Margaret Wood said a visit to Newcastle Repair Cafe is a great way to renew unused household items, with the potential for people to also learn new skills.

“The aim of the repair cafe is to teach sustainable living skills to our local community through the repair and re-use of old household items, and best of all is that the events are free to attend,“ Cr Wood said. “The Newcastle Repair Cafe is a place where people with items that are in need of repairs can

Bicycle repairer Nick Grinpukel, Councillor Margaret Wood and City of Newcastle Library Partnerships Facilitator Christina Robberds At Lambton Library. meet skilled repairers to breathe new life into their old items and have the opportunity to learn new skills to use for future repairs.“ The first of four Newcastle Repair Cafe events at Lambton Library planned for 2022 was held in March, which focused on clothing, small hand tools and bikes.

The 30 April event offered repairs for toys, clothing and bikes with the May event featuring textiles and clothing, and June furniture, small hand tools, clothing and toys.

The June event will also feature a plant and seed swap to promote the benefits of growing produce at home.

In a Queensland first, Noosa residents will have the opportunity to recycle their sheets, towels, pillowcases and other textiles next month.

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Geelong fosters business The City of Greater Geelong is preparing for this year’s Small Business Festival, calling for applications for practical, engaging, and inspiring events and workshops.

This shows Noosa gives a sheet The “Give a Sheet” for the planet initiative is a joint partnership between clean technology company BlockTexx, St Vincent de Paul and Noosa Council.

On 5 June as part of World Environment Day, a Linen and Clothing Recycling Day will be held at the Bicentennial Park carpark in Sunshine Beach, where linen and old clothes can be dropped off.

Donated linen will then be converted into valuable, high-grade materials by BlockTexx that can be used by Australian manufacturers to create new products such as hydro-mulch, shopping baskets and geosynthetic fabrics.

All clothing will be utilised by St Vincent de Paul.

Mayor Clare Stewart encouraged residents to make the most of this one-off opportunity that demonstrates Noosa’s commitment to transitioning to a green economy as part of Council’s Smart Biosphere strategy.

“We need to reduce textile waste going to landfill and this initiative is not only a win for the environment, but is also creating new re-

assets are more equitably dispersed across the communities which benefit,” Mayor van Zetten said.

“A future metropolitan-based Council could address the spill-over effects which we see in Launceston, but there would be other benefits including more effective regional planning and a more integrated approach to strategic growth.

“In addition, the draft submission suggests cost savings should not be the primary goal of future local government reform; rather the goal needs to be determining how we create a more robust and capable system of local government.

“I look forward to the discussion around the table next week as the City of Launceston considers endorsing this draft submission to the Future of Local Government in Tasmania Review.”

Mark Borgert and Emma Menzies have their items sorted for next month’s Textile Recycling Day. sources for other sectors and is ultimately an exciting new industry,” she said.

Every year in Australia, one million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfill. Australians acquire an average of 27 kilograms of new clothing per person every year and discard of about 23 kilograms to landfill annually.

Councillor Joe Jurisevic said it was exciting to see Noosa become part of a true circular economy initiative.

“We need to get better at recognising that products we would have only thought of as waste in the past can actually be reused, and this is a tangible, productive way to reduce what goes to landfill and help minimise our impact on the environment,” he said.

Cr Jurisevic said Australia is the second highest consumer of textiles per person in the world, after the United States.

BlockTexx co-founder Adrian Jones said he was proud to work with the council to provide a new and innovative solution for tackling Noosa’s textile waste.

“In setting up this collection opportunity, Noosa is leading the way in providing new and smart onshore recycling solutions for textile waste, and we really hope to see more of these events happening around the nation,” he said.

BlockTexx is set to open Australia’s first commercial-scale textile recovery facility in Logan in coming weeks.

Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan said the City is gearing up for the month-long festival, which will be held from Monday 1 to Wednesday 31 August 2022.

“The festival brings together some of our region’s best business experts, small business owners and managers, and leading industry organisations to share their knowledge and experiences,” the Deputy Mayor said.

“It’s a unique opportunity to learn from industry specialists and build professional networks at a critical time for local businesses.”

“We encourage local business owners and employees, professional trainers, facilitators, speakers, and subject matter experts to showcase their skills and build their profile by taking part in the festival.”

Economic Development Chair, Councillor Peter Murrihy, said the festival provides free and low-cost events to upskill prospective and current business owners, while creating networking opportunities to support our local business community.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. Now in its 12th year, we’re proud to host the festival which has helped connect, grow and upskill hundreds of local businesses.”

“We’re thrilled that Covid-19 restrictions have lifted so we can bring our business community together again.”

The City is seeking is seeking professional insight across the following business areas: Accounting, cash flow and finance HR and legal e-commerce and digital technologies Marketing and communications Health and wellbeing Sustainability and social responsibility

· · · · · ·

May 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 23

ARTS AND CULTURE

Honouring unsung hero A mural celebrating 1993 World Surfing Champion and former Waverley resident Pauline Menczer has been unveiled at Bondi Beach.

It was painted by Canberra visual artist Megan Hales on the Bondi Beach Sea Wall in time for the Ocean Lovers Festival, proudly supported

by Waverley Council.

In March 2021, the Council supported a Mayoral Minute to investigate options for the appropriate recognition of Menczer’s achievements as a professional surfer.

Menczer is the only person from Bondi to ever win a World Title but did not receive any prizemoney or sponsorship.

“Waverley Council acknowledges Menczer as an unsung hero of the surfing world and she deserves our formal recognition for all that she has achieved in a sport dominated by men in the 1980s and 1990s,” Waverley Mayor, Paula Masselos said.

“We are helping celebrate Menczer’s story by providing a most fitting location for this new mural, and by including her story in the Bondi Story Room, our new digital interactive exhibition within Bondi Pavilion, currently under restoration.”

Menczer’s story is featured alongside other women trailblazers on the formative professional surfing tour in the documentary Girls Can’t Surf. A Pauline In Bronze Committee has also been formed by the filmmakers to raise funds to build a statue of Menczer at Bondi.

“We are continuing discussions with the

Onlookers admire Megan Hales’ life-like depiction of Menczer. filmmakers about their campaign and the location for a possible statue based on how much is raised,” Mayor Masselos said.

People exercising on Bondi Beach prome-

nade on Friday stopped to congratulate Megan Hales on her life-like mural of Menczer which she began painting last week.

“This is the first mural I’ve done in a while

Picture: Waverley Council and these days I only do murals that I love, and I just love this one,” Hales said on Friday.

“I hope Pauline’s really pleased with the mural when she sees it in person.”

Colourful addition for Headland Elders on mural Port Headland is seeking submissions from Western Australian artists for an original, 2D artwork to be featured on the Marapikurrinya Park community pop-up in the Portside district.

The initiative is part of the Town’s commitment to support artists, raise the profile of public art and reinvigorate the West End district.

The selected artist’s design will be transferred onto laminated, aluminum composite material paneling and affixed onto the front wall of the community pop-up container.

The creative design will be viewed by thousands of locals and tourists each year, forming part of Marapikurrinya Park’s built environment and shaping the Portside district’s identity according to Mayor Peter Carter “The Marapikurrinya Park pop-ups are a joint initiative from the Town and BHP, activating Port Hedland’s West End district with a new place to trade, congregate and connect.”

“We want to bring the pop-ups to life by

Colourful addition planned for Port Headland. including a unique public art design affixed to the community pop-up, forming part of the area’s identity,“ the Mayor said.

“Hedland is home to a thriving creative scene, including Aboriginal and contemporary artists who contribute to the vibrancy of

our town. I’d like to see their creativity and expression being a part of this public art project.”

“Council is pleased the actions of the Town’s Public Art Strategy are being delivered, including providing commission opportunities for local artists and integrating public art into communal spaces.”

Design submissions need to be appropriate for all ages, social and cultural backgrounds and reflect one or more of the following themes: Port Hedland shoreline; Port history and heritage; families and youth engagement with the coast and connection.

This initiative aims to make a striking, graphical statement that contributes to the site’s identity; improves and beautifies the community pop-up; celebrates Port Hedland’s culture; fosters and increases interest in the arts; supports local creatives and compliments Portside’s environment.

From Swan Hill to the nation The Fairfax Youth Initiative (FYI) presents its very first festival of films written by local young people in a free event open to all ages at Swan Hill Town PACC on Saturday 28 May. The festival includes 18 short films featuring young people aged 13-19 from Swan Hill, Wycheproof, Sea Lake, Lalbert, Nyah, Tooleybuc, Red Cliffs, and Mildura. Originally, these stories were developed and performed as part of the FYI online storytelling mentorship in 2021, where participants engaged in months of writing, workshops, rehearsal, and open-mic performance nights throughout the pandemic via Zoom.

Then in February 2022, FYI professionally produced these stories involving over 50 young people and their local communities to present ‘The Stories That Make Us’ - an entire festival of short films, filmed in 10 days, across 8 towns in the Murray Mallee.

Young people have been involved in every step of the filmmaking process, from writing, acting, and composition, to roles as crew members and background extras. Inspired by live storytelling events like The Moth, the FYI Film Festival captures the storytellers telling 24 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS May 2022

their stories in real-time from their hometown.

“These films are totally unique,” says Chelsea Zeller, Artistic Director of Fairfax Youth Initiative.

“The storytellers break down the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience. So each story feels really personal. Many of the stories are funny and absurd, others are complex and poignant - all of them are relatable. The whole showcase is a celebration of what it means to be a young person living in the Murray Mallee today.”

The festival’s program includes 15 direct-tocamera performances filmed on location, from the banks of the Murray to the Tooleybuc footy oval, to the top of Mount Wycheproof and the Sea Lake silos, to the stage of the Swan Hill Theatre Group.

The festival also features three documentary short films.

A heartwarming documentary about family, tradition, and Sauce Day, told through the

eyes of young Mildura writer Jackson LettoRichards.

A quirky documentary ‘Happy Birthday, I Got You a Fish’ - which chronicles Nell BanksPurcell and Eva Berry as they debut their absurdist comedy play with the Red Cliffs players in August 2021.

A short film written by Samantha Mullan about the closure of the beloved Lalbert primary school, and her new beginnings through an unlikely friendship.

This is FYI’s first in-person event open to the public since 2019, and they are thrilled to be back at the Swan Hill Town Hall.

Chelsea says that following the festival, FYI has got big aspirations, and is hoping for this unique style of storytelling through film to reach a national audience via streaming.

“We want to provide a platform where rural young people feel safe and supported to say what they want to say, share how they see the world, and find connection with each other.”

Greater Shepparton City Council’s Aboriginal Street Art Project have joined with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC) in delivering a new mural on the Goulburn Valley Water (GVW) owned wall fronting Welsford Street.

The Council consulted with YYNAC, with its board of Elders determining they would like to recognise two significant Yorta Yorta female Elders in a new mural, being the late Aunty Violet Harrison and late Aunty Mary James. Both ladies are highly regarded local Yorta Yorta Elders and were heavily involved in supporting the local Aboriginal community and abroad.

The mural on the GVW wall, overlookinhg the CBD, was painted by returning artist Matt Adnate who has also painted the murals on the GVW walls on Fryers Street and Stewart Street and the DHHS wall on Welsford Street. Matt Adnate is highly regarded amongst the local Aboriginal community due to his previous work and positive dealings within the region.

Mayor, Cr Kim O’Keeffe, said she was excited that the latest mural of the Aboriginal Street Art Project would recognise a further two significant female Aboriginal leaders.

“We always get excited when a new piece of artwork is being introduced to our municipality that continues to recognise the efforts of the local Aboriginal community,” she said.

Local Yorta Yorta Elder Uncle Lance James, who is the son of Aunty Mary James, said that he was thrilled that both ladies were deservedly being recognised.

“Both Mum (Mary James) and Aunty Violet dedicated a significant portion of their lives to various local initiatives to support our community and they would both be humbled by the honour of featuring in a mural as part of this great project,” he said.

GVW kindly offered their wall on Welsford Street for this mural given their ongoing support for both the Aboriginal Street Art Project and the Aboriginal community the project continues to recognise.

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