LG Focus - October 2022

OCTOBER 2022

Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper

In cyber firing line The Australian Local Government Association has called for more federal funding to combat cybersecurity threats following several high-profile incidents in recent weeks including attacks on Optus and Telstra staff files.

By Tania Phillips and Eleanor Wilson In July the service provider for City of Casey’s Bunjil Place e-newsletter, WordFly, also endured a security incident, potentially compromising the names and email addresses of thousands of users.

“Investing in local government will support Australia’s 537 councils to be better equipped to deal with increasing cybersecurity threats,” ALGA National President Linda Scott.

“Providing councils with more funding will allow them to better protect and manage their digital platforms and recruit suitable trained staff to support this work.”

Scott’s comments come as senior officials from two leading cybersecurity companies urge Councils to become more proactive protecting their data.

DDLS is one of Australia’s largest providers of cybersecurity training.

Its CEO John Lang said there needed to be more cybersecurity education in local councils “When we look at local council staff, it’s safe to say the majority are not cybersecurity experts, not even IT professionals,” he said.

“We have a diverse group of admin staff, accountants, communications specialists and more, who most likely have limited cybersecurity knowledge.

“Hackers know this and attempt to extract sensitive information by playing on human error, such as in the case of phishing attacks.

Unfortunately, cyber-attacks are getting more sophisticated by the day, with many able to bypass traditional security tools like firewalls that previously provided sufficient protection.

So the onus is on local councils to invest in cybersecurity education for their staff, and by that we mean not just for the few IT people, but the entire staff group.”

Mr Lang said councils and other organisations within the public sector had to move towards a proactive model of cybersecurity protection and increase training and education, rather than a reactive approach following a breach.

“Although many public sector organisations, especially smaller ones, may see cybersecurity training as an unnecessary expense or a low priority, it’s far more cost-effective to invest in training than deal with the cost and reputational damage of a data breach,” he said.

Scott Leach, vice president of Asia PacificJapan at International cyber-security firm Varonis reiterated that Councils could be a major target for an Optus-like attack.

“Local councils remain a key target for cyber-attacks due to the highly sensitive nature

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Local government is in the cybersecurity firing line. of files they produce and collect, which may contain personal information and confidential contracts for example,” he warned.

“It is recommended that councils take a proactive rather than reactive approach in order to prevent increasingly nefarious and sophisticated cyberattacks. A key way to do this is implementing a policy of least privilege, which means employees are only given access to the files necessary to do their jobs.

“By restricting access to their most sensitive information, public sector organisations can reduce the amount of damage that occurs if a hacker does manage to breach their network.

“With little or no access to sensitive files, ransomware is significantly less effective, saving organisations thousands of dollars if not millions in some cases and also severe reputa-

Picture: SASCHA STEINBACH, EPA tional damage. This policy is an absolute bare minimum precautionary measure that all public sector organisations need to take.”

In a statement to email subscribers in July, the City of Casey clarified that the Wordfly incident did not affect any other e-newsletters sent by the City of Casey, which are sent via different email providers.

“On Saturday 16 July, WordFly confirmed that names and email addresses of those subscribed to the Bunjil Place e-newsletter may have been impacted,” the council said.

“There is currently no evidence that any of this data has been misused.”

The council added that users’ Bunjil Place accounts, which contain more sensitive information, are not stored in WordFly and were not affected by the incident.

ALGA National President Linda Scott.

EDITORIAL DESK How much longer will we have banks in our towns and cities and what will that mean for small town Australia?

Already you are more likely to see an old bank repurposed as housing, a real estate agency or even a restaurant in rural areas. While not having banks takes away a level of service, it also gives farmers and community members less reasons to frequent their nearest town, forcing them to the larger regional centre or online with unreliable internet.

As a young child in 1970s Western NSW, banks were the major focal point and bank managers were one of the town leaders, along with the local shire president, school principal, postmaster and police sergeant. They were major employers, brought new families in and gave young people a way out. Where I live now is a major growth area with an aging population and regional hospital on the way, yet in the past three months, two of its three banks closed leaving older residents and new home buyers without familiar services.

Government intervention seems overdue.

- Tania Phillips

INSIDE THIS EDITION THE GOOD OIL PROFILES QUEEN TRIBUTES INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT

7 8 11-13 14-15 16

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NEWS

Workplace expert for conference A leading future-of-work researcher is set to explain how changing expectations are impacting how we think of workplace wellness at this year’s HR + L&D Innovation and Tech Fest in Sydney in November.

Libby Sander says employers need to avoid the trap of paying lip service to wellness without examining company culture.

Libby Sander is an internationally renowned expert on work and the workplace, the MBA Director and Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Bond University. She is interested in how we can reimagine work to live more meaningful and creative lives. She has spoken at TEDx, is an Agenda Contributor at the World Economic Forum, and this November at HR + L&D Innovation and Tech Fest, Libby will address Surviving to Thriving: Employee Wellbeing in a New Landscape of Work.

“If we think about employee wellbeing, it’s not just ‘Are you not feeling sick? Are you feeling capable of doing your job?’

“We’ve heard a lot of talk lately about presenteeism - how many companies are pressuring people to come back to the office just for that base time – that is very relevant. We know that being at work and not feeling at your best has significant implications.

Libby Sanders.

“So, when we talk about wellbeing, we’re talking about the entire person and everything that contributes to them being able to be at their best. So, it’s physical, it’s mental, it’s social, it’s emotional.”

Libby Sander will be at the HR + L&D In-

Roller’s run and won Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper

After months of entries and interest the Local Government Focus, Greenkeepers International competition has been drawn, according to LG Advertising Manager Phill Le Pettit.

By Tania Phillips

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

“A huge thank you goes out to all the participants in our $10,000 cricket pitch roller competition but there can only be one winner,” Phill said.

“Congratulations go to Matt Lee of Goulburn Mulwaree Council who has won the roller by subscribing to receive a digital copy of the Local Government Focus monthly publication.

“We were extremely pleased with the just under a hundred entries all vying to win the roller.

“Keep an eye out both in the paper and online as we are looking to run more competitions.”

Local Government Focus joined with International Greenkeeper, Strathfield, Sports Club, Sydney Sports and Fitness to find a new home for the refurbished cricket roller – launching the competition at the ALGA National Convention in Canberra earlier in the year.

The roller came courtesy of International Greenkeepers’ Darryl Davidson.

“The roller was donated to International Greenkeepers by Strathfield Sports Club – they didn’t need it anymore and we thought, let’s clean it up and give it to someone that needs it,” Darryl explained when the competition was launched.

“So, I approached my work, Sydney Sport and Fitness and they helped out in getting it mechanically up to standard, giving it a service and all of those kinds of things. We took all the

old paint off and gave it a fresh paint job. Then speaking to Phill from LG Focus, he said we should give it away to someone.”

Darryl was not involved in drawing the winner and admitted he had a few sleepless nights thinking of ways to deliver it to Western Australia or Tasmania if council’s from more distant states from his Sydney base had won. Instead his trip is a short one and he said he will deliver the roller to Goulburn Mulwaree Council in the next few weeks.

“It’s great to see it going to a new home,“ he said.

Darryl said he believed the winner was from the Marulan cricket club.

“They didn’t even exist a few years ago and we actually helped them out,” he said.

“They found a cricket wicket in the middle of their field that had been neglected for six years, they hadn’t had a club playing there for years.“ He said Greenkeepers and other groups had come together to work on restoring the ground.

“It will hopefully be used for many years and help them grow,” Darryl said.

He said this wouldn’t be the last collaboration between International Greenkeepers and LG Focus.

“Phill has already asked if we can find something else to give away,” he laughed.

“He said, how about something anyone can use, what about a mower?

“I will deliver this one first!” he added chuckling.

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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 Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.

Publisher Paul Thomas.

All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

Distribution numbers, areas and coverage are estimates only. For our terms and conditions please visit LGFocus.com. au/terms-and-conditions/

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The Roller heading to the Goulburn Mulwaree Council.

2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

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26 November Election day – voting is open from 8am to 6pm.

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NEWS

Consult on bank closures Banks must engage more closely with local governments when considering regional branch closures according to the final report released by the government’s Regional Banking Taskforce.

However while this has been welcomed by ALGA the Finance Sector Union is calling for more action from the Federal Government including a fresh inquiry into the industry.

According to independent research by banking writer Dale Webster, released by the union, 64 per cent of bank branches in regional Australia have closed since 1975. Only 1011 “big four” bank branches remain, largely clustered in major centres, and of the 1226 towns that had bank branches in 1975, only 370 have banks today.

The research also shows 589 towns that once had bank branches now have no banks left at all, not even a minor one. Another 84 towns are on the verge of complete loss of banking services with only one major bank branch remaining.

According to Ms Webster, in 2021, regional Australia lost 113 bank branches from the “Big Four” banks: CBA, Westpac, ANZ and NAB – 48 of those towns lost their last major bank and of those, 24 had no other minor banks to fall back on.

So far this year, the number of “Big Four” branch closures stands at 70, with 17 towns losing their last major bank. Of those, 11 have no other minor banks.

There have also been 43 minor banks closed (17 in 2021 and 26 to date in 2022), putting the total number of banks closed since the start of 2021 at 226.

ALGA president Linda Scott – who represented Australia’s 537 councils on the taskforce – said discussions between the banks and council would help communities transition from branch closures in their towns and regions.

“I want to thank the taskforce for listening to our concerns and incorporating our feedback,” Cr Scott said.

According to independent research by banking writer Dale Webster, in 2021, regional Australia lost 113 bank branches from the “Big Four” banks: CBA, Westpac, ANZ and NAB. “The taskforce has recommended that the Australian Banking Association strengthens its Branch Closure Protocol to make sure councils are forewarned of any closures.

“When councils have a full picture of what is happening with branch closures then they can help communicate these decisions and alternative banking options to their community.

“The taskforce has also recommended that banks produce impact assessment statements that will consider the impact a branch closure will have on the community, and undertake genuine engagement with mayors and other local government leaders.

“Local governments understand that branch closures are ultimately commercial decisions for banks.

“However, when banks close down local branches, it is often councils that are left to pick up the pieces.”

The Regional Banking Taskforce was established by the former government in October 2021 to bring banks and other relevant parties together to analyse the trends in bank closures in regional and remote Australia, assess how banks transition to new banking delivery models, and identify alternatives to bank branch models.

The taskforce included banks, peak bodies including the Australian Banking Association, Australia Post, and the Australian Local Government Association.

However the Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said the union was calling on the Federal Government to inquire into the provision of local banking services, particularly in regional areas and supported calls for a moratorium on regional bank closures.

“The report tabled by the so-called taskforce needs to be pulped and we need to start again.

We need a proper inquiry, not just the banks talking to themselves.”

“Bank branch closures have a devastating impact on small towns and regional centres.

Older people who are not computer literate feel the impact most as they are forced to travel longer distances to do their banking over the counter,” Ms Angrisano said.

“Closure of branches can impact farmers and local businesses, which are used to applying for loans and overdrafts at local branches.

“Don’t believe the banks when they claim customers prefer banking online. Our members tell us that the numbers of ‘over the counter’ transactions each day are counted up and once a limit is reached, customers are taken to a computer inside the branch or to an ATM outside and shown how to do their banking online.

“We want laws to require the banks to provide a minimum level of service to customers and stop cannibalising their local branch network.”

Ms Angrisano said the Regional Banking Taskforce, which included the Big Four banks,

the ABA and Australia Post, set up last year ahead of the Federal Election by the Morrison Government had been a total failure.

“We said from the start this was a political stunt by the National Party to help re-elect LNP members by giving themselves political cover on an issue of vital concern for people in country areas. The so-called taskforce refused to hear from the FSU or our members. It held only a handful of meetings and achieved absolutely nothing.

“It’s not surprising that this report fails local communities and the staff who work in regional branches. Not one of the recommendations will stop a branch from closing its doors.

“It is more of the same, more self-regulation through a protocol that hasn’t worked and a branch closure impact assessment that the banks get to establish and conduct themselves.

“The report says that better consultation once a decision has been made to close a bank branch is a fix to this crisis. This will do nothing at all to slow down and stop the rate of closures across regional Australia.

“The report needs to be pulped and we need to start again. We need a proper inquiry, not just the banks talking to themselves.

“The industry’s track record speaks for itself and we can expect more of the same – that’s more branches closing, more communities without banking services and bank staff without a job.

“The banks have proven that they cannot be trusted to provide a decent level of service to our community, so it’s time for the government to step in.

“We are happy to see the back of this political charade but call on the Federal Government to conduct a proper inquiry into the future of regional banking.”

The FSU is supporting a petition to Federal Parliament Ms Webster is sponsoring, which can be signed at aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4244

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October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 3

NEWS

Federal funds plea Australian Local Government Association president Linda Scott has urged the government to continue to invest in councils and communities in this month’s Federal Budget.

“Investing in local government will support Australia’s 537 councils to train and upskill Australia’s future workforce, deliver more affordable housing, and support our transition to a low carbon future,” Cr Scott said.

“Providing councils with more funding will allow them to better protect their communities against increasingly frequent and more severe natural disasters.

“Sustainably funded, local government can play a major role increasing Australia’s productivity, providing the infrastructure and services businesses need to thrive.

“Councils are in every community and can deliver local solutions to our national challenges.”

Cr Scott said it was crucial the government didn’t cut existing funding programs for local government in this month’s Federal Budget.

“We know the government is looking closely at a number of programs that councils receive funding through with a view to improving transparency,” said Cr Scott.

“We fully support changes that will make federal funding fairer and more equitable.

“However, if programs are cut because they aren’t accountable or transparent, then this money should be reallocated to other programs so our communities don’t miss out.

“Programs like Financial Assistance Grants and the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program are the perfect vehicles for federal funding – they are open, transparent, and benefit every council and community.”

Cr Scott said ALGA remained committed to seeing Financial Assistance Grants – untied federal grants to local government – restored to at least 1 per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

Twenty-three councils across South Australia have shared in more than $16.2 million of grant funding through the Special Local Roads Program.

Australian Local Government Association president Linda Scott.

“Over the past twenty-five years, Financial Assistance Grants have slid from 1 per cent of Commonwealth taxation to just 0.55 per cent today,” Cr Scott said.

“ALGA’s research shows that for almost one in four Australian councils, FA Grants make up at least 20 per cent of their annual revenue, meaning they are critical to the ongo-

ing viability and sustainability of these communities.

“In the lead up to this year’s election, Labor committed to ‘fair increases’ for Financial Assistance Grants, and we look forward to working with the government to implementing these increases from next year and beginning the road back to one percent.”

Rating methodology broken September’s rate cap announcement by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is further proof of how the rating methodology is fundamentally broken, according to Local Government NSW. IPART has set the rate cap for 2023/24 at a baseline of 3.7 per cent, despite inflation currently sitting at 6.1 per cent and expected to rise over the coming months.

LGNSW president Darriea Turley said the announcement by IPART underlined the critical need for changes to the rating methodology as well as broader reforms that would see the abolition of rate capping, which LGNSW has been calling for over a number of years.

IPART announced in August it would review the rate cap methodology – a move welcomed

by LGNSW. “The review of the rate cap methodology cannot come soon enough, as the current system is not fit for purpose. Not only is it incapable of pre-empting or reacting to a rapidly changing economic landscape, it is formulated using two year old data,” Cr Turley said.

A major defect of the rate cap methodology is that the rate cap is a lagged measure.

The rate cap for 2023/24 is based on the change in the average costs incurred by a typical council between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial year, which were years when most councils were living with restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This two-year lag means that the rate cap does not reflect the real cost movements faced by councils in the year to which it applies,” Cr Turley added.

“With inflation spiralling out of control, a number of councils are preparing for double digit rate cap variations. A 3.7 per cent rate cap in these current economic conditions will mean many councils will continue reducing services, delaying essential upgrades to infrastructure and even reducing staffing levels.”

Cr Turley said IPART’s determination would heap more pressure on councils already struggling to recover from years of droughts, bushfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, skills shortages, rising costs and several other challenges.

4 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

Councils sharing road cash

Local Government Association CEO Clinton Jury said the program is built on councils pooling together a portion of their federal road funding, which is then distributed across the local government sector to deliver more strategic outcomes.

“The Special Local Roads Program is unique to South Australia and essential for providing our state’s councils with vital funding for projects that they otherwise may not have the capacity to finance on their own,” Mr Jury said.

“Through this annual funding round, councils are supported to carry out important upgrades on rural and metropolitan roads across the state, making them safer and better for their communities.

“The LGA is proud to advocate annually on behalf of our member councils to ensure the allocation of program’s funds is directed towards projects where this financial assistance will have the greatest impact.”

Upgrades to roads will range from resealing, resurfacing and reconstruction, to shoulder widening, kerbing, guttering and improved connectivity.

Mr Jury said the successful projects, and the councils involved, would greatly benefit from the funding.

“The financial assistance provided through the Special Local Roads Program can transform key roadways right across South Australia – from improving freight routes and reducing congestion to improving tourist access,” Mr Jury said.

“From the Eyre Peninsula to the Limestone Coast, and everywhere in between, this funding will assist councils to deliver improved infrastructure that will make commuting across our great state safer and easier.”

The Special Local Roads Program has been in place in SA since 1985 and has supported councils to construct and maintain significant and strategic local roads that otherwise would exceed their individual budget capacity.

Funding for the annual competitive program grant round is provided from: 15 per cent of identified local roads component of Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants.

15 per cent of South Australia’s Supplementary Local Road Funding (in available years).

15 per cent of South Australia’s allocation of Roads to Recovery.

The LGA, through its Local Government Transport Advisory Panel, oversees the governance and operations of the program.

This includes considering applications from councils for funding and making recommendations, which flow to the South Australian Local Government Grants Commission and relevant state and federal ministers for approval.

To ensure proposed projects are strategic in nature, regional LGAs and the Metropolitan Strategic Roads Committee are asked each funding year to review and comment on applications proposed by their members.

· · ·

Local Government NSW president Darriea Turley.

“This is another body blow for the local government sector that was still reeling from IPART’s decision to set the lowest baseline rate cap in 20 years, when it announced a 0.7 per cent increase for the current financial year,” Cr Turley said.

“Councils work hard to keep rates as low as possible, but are also required to deliver ser-

vices and infrastructure that their communities expect and deserve.

“This is simply not possible with a rate cap that does not reflect the economic reality. Not only does this rate cap fall short of real cost increases that will be experienced by councils in 2023/24, it will also fall short of the anticipated local government award wage increases.”

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NEWS

‘Dire’ need for arborists The number of arborists must double within five years to keep pace with the growth in demand for green spaces across the country, according to an industry leader.

By Rachael Ward, AAP The race is on to recruit 20,000 additional arborists by 2027 to make sure Australia’s parks remain safe and avoid trees crashing down without warning, known as “tree failure”.

Contractor Citywide is concerned about how the industry will keep up with pledges by governments at every level to plant more trees for environmental benefits.

The profession is on the Federal Government’s skills priority list and is listed as in strong demand across every state and territory.

“The industry has identified a need for 20,000 arborists just in the next five years just to keep pace with the existing level of green infrastructure,” Citywide spokesman Simon Mossman told AAP. “(In some areas) we could do with four times as many arborists and tree care workers today.

“Governments and industry are at risk of potentially not meeting some of their targets for planting more trees.”

There have been a number of fatal accidents around Australia involving trees or branches striking pedestrians and cars in recent years, showing just how catastrophic tree failure can be.

“In terms of mitigating any potential safety risks and tree failures, we need the numbers.

That’s basically the bottom line here,” Mr Mossman said.

Arboriculture Australia director James Maund said he believed the workforce shortage was more dire than in any other blue-collar trade.

“We did a recent survey and 91 per cent of employers said that they couldn’t find the staff that they needed and it was impacting their business,” he said.

Mr Maund recently ran an intensive training program and said three-quarters of those who finished it found jobs within a week.

Nine out of 10 councils are experiencing a jobs and skills shortage, according to Australian Local Government Association president Linda Scott.

“Some councils need more arborists, while others need more planners, building surveyors or environmental health officers,” she said.

The labour shortage is something that has long concerned arborist Michael Stafford, who maintains trees around Melbourne.

“It becomes a bit of a stressful situation,” the Citywide contract manager said.

“We do then look to 20 years down the track, the doubling of trees and how we are going to maintain it.”

He believes more school-leavers should be encouraged to pursue trades and consider arboriculture because it offers a life-long career and something different each day.

Mr Maund agrees the profession is “not something that is on people’s horizon.”

He said while the job can be dangerous, with a high number of injuries per-capita, there are a variety of roles on offer.

Arborists maintain and plant trees, as well as cutting them down, while many move into consultancy services or specialised areas like pests and disease.

Mr Maund said the industry was particularly keen for more women and young people to join its ranks.

“It’s provides a great opportunity for somebody not wanting to work in an office environment,” he said.

“There’s a whole range of jobs within the industry, which can span a career of 20, 30, 40 years.”

Heritage listings A report outlining the significant economic benefits of achieving a UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Central Victorian Goldfields has been released ahead of the State election.

The project is chasing an investment of $500,000 from the Victorian Government to be put toward shortlisting potential World Heritage sites within the region and preparing a master plan for increased regional investment.

The City of Greater Bendigo and City of Ballarat, working with the Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive and co-patrons The Hon. John Brumby AO and The Hon. Denis Napthine AO, are currently leading a campaign on behalf of 13 councils across the Goldfields region to inscribe significant gold rush-era sites on the World Heritage list and strengthen the region’s economy and create new jobs.

An Economic Benefit Assessment, prepared

by TRC Tourism and MCa consultants, has found a World Heritage listing offers the potential to accelerate regional recovery and provide long term economic, social and cultural benefits for the Central Victorian Goldfields region.

Key findings highlight how World Heritage listing will grow the visitor economy progressively over time, with the return continuing to increase each year. By the tenth year following World Heritage listing, in comparison to business-as-usual tourism growth, there would be: An additional 2.2 million new visitors to the region; An additional $440 million spent in the local economy; Growth in visitors related to the World Heritage bid alone will lead to 1,750 additional jobs and regional income (direct and indirect wages, salaries, and profits for business) would have increased by $150 million.

Growth in overnight visitor numbers will creLGFOCUS.COM.AU

ate demand for additional accommodation, both hotel and family type accommodation.

This increase in accommodation will occur progressively over time and is estimated that it will need in the order of $570 million total investment. This accommodation will provide a longterm foundation for the tourist industry and will service the market for many years beyond World Heritage listing. Increased investment will also improve local quality of life and provides an opportunity to attract new residents as a place to live and work.

It is expected the findings of the report will drive the development of new visitor journeys and accommodation across the region to support not only a future listing but also the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Brumby, who joined university and business leaders on a recent delegation to the UK said the impact of the Commonwealth Games on Birmingham and the Midlands had been extremely positive, but it highlighted the crucial importance of accommodation – for athletes, officials and tourists.

“There is no doubt in my mind that a big part of the challenge of delivering the Games in the regions for Victoria in 2026 is going to be the provision of accommodation,” he said.

“The combined impact of World Heritage listing and the Commonwealth Games will highlight and exacerbate the shortage of quality accommodation we have in regional Victoria. But if action is taken now by governments and private sector, we can address this issue.”

The third-placed South Australian team from Burnside. Andrew Gurr (captain), Dr Phil Roetman, Stephen Smith, Darren Baynes, Matt Deckert, Jaclyn Caskey and Barry Cant (mentor).

Top management The national final of the 2022 Australasian Management Challenge was held in Adelaide, South Australia on Monday 29 August.

The event was won by Western Australia’s City of Wanneroo team with Devonport City Council from Tasmania in second and South Australia’s Burnside in third.

The competition featured teams from all states, the Northern Territory and New Zealand. Each of the teams had won their state competition to be eligible to compete in the National Challenge.

As well as Wanneroo, Devonport and Burnside, the finalists were Darebin City Council (VIC), Brisbane City Council - Meanjin Team (QLD), Napier City Council - Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri (NZ), City of Palmerston (NT) and Ku-ring-gai Council (NSW).

The Australasian Management Challenge has been at the forefront of professional de-

velopment in local government in Australia and New Zealand for over 25 years.

The challenge is a simulation-based team building, learning and networking program using real local government themes – the types of issues that a senior management team in a council would most likely face.

The teams are challenged to respond to a series of tasks in a unique, fast paced, ‘pressure cooker’ environment.

Some tasks required written responses (such as a council report or recommendation document), some took the form of role plays or presentations and the teams are also scored on observations of how well they displayed energy, synergy, effectiveness and creative thinking.

SUSTAINABILITY Navigating Fleet Management to Net Zero 2050 3–4 November 2022 • Royal on the Park, Brisbane

Bringing together fleet managers across Federal, State and Local Government and examining the implications of: • • • •

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Registration includes two evening networking events and full access to the trade exhibition.

NPSFMC is the annual conference of Fleet Management Business Improvement Group.

Hosted by Q Fleet

REGISTER NOW

www.npsfmc.com 12565113-JC37-22

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 5

NEWS

Respect in Merri-bek Banners adorned with the name Merri-bek City Council have been unfurled and installed on Coburg Town Hall on 26 September, as the municipality celebrated official new name.

Merri-bek Mayor Mark Riley said he was thrilled that the new name is now in use and proudly displayed, after the State Government officially approved changing the name of the council earlier this month.

“We’re grateful that the State Government has joined us on this shared journey of reconciliation with Traditional Owners, by supporting our process to choose a name that unites our community,” Cr Riley said.

“I am honoured to be known as the Mayor of Merri-bek, a name which honours the rocky country of this land, and was chosen by our residents and Wurundjeri Elders.

“Welcome, to all residents and visitors to beautiful Merri-bek.”

Council has made modest updates to its branding, while retaining the existing logo, and will make changes to major signage and digital assets over the coming months.

Other council assets, like street signs and park benches will be replaced as they normally would be due to wear and tear, over the next decade or more.

Deputy Chair of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Uncle Andrew Gardiner said council has shown respect to the community.

“Moreland City Council have shown great respect to the ratepayers and residents of the local government area, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community by listening and understanding the negative history Moreland relates to in global slavery and racism and dispossession of traditional lands, not ceded, not sold and not given away.

“It is not good enough to just brush the past under the carpet and forget about it. Moreland City Council have stood up for all their constituents and have learned from the past, so that all people are treated equally and creating a more inclusive and just society.”

The council’s website has moved over to merri-bek.vic.gov.au, and social media channels have also transitioned to the new name.

Deputy Mayor John Moores.

Extra year The role of Cessnock City Council Deputy Mayor will continue to be held by Councillor John Moores following the September council meeting.

Councillor Moores’ contest for the position was unopposed and he will serve a one-year term, until the September 2023 council meeting. The role of Deputy Mayor at Cessnock City Council is elected annually by presiding councillors.

Councillor Moores said it had been a privilege to serve the Cessnock Community as Deputy Mayor.

“I am thrilled to continue in the role and work towards making more positive change,” Councillor Moores said.

“Having lived and worked in the Cessnock Local Government Area for almost 50 years, I am passionate about our area and love seeing growth, and giving back to the community.

“I look forward to working with Mayor Suvaal, the councillors, and the community in the year ahead as we continue to deliver positive outcomes.”

Cessnock City Council Mayor Jay Suvaal congratulated Councillor Moores on his continuation in the role and commended him for his passion and enthusiasm for the Cessnock Community.

Sign of the times.

City move Outback Queensland’s peak tourism body has moved to strengthen its partnerships with local councils by relocating its offices to Local Government House in Brisbane.

Deputy Mayor Andrew McTaggart.

The Victoria Daly councillors.

McTaggert is new Deputy Mayor Victoria Daly Regional Council has a new Deputy Mayor, following a unanimous decision to elect the Councillor for Milngin Ward, Andrew McTaggart, to the position during the September ordinary council meeting.

Deputy Mayor McTaggart replaces the Councillor for Timber Creek Ward, Shirley Garlett, who served in the position for the past 12 months.

Cr McTaggart said he was grateful for the nomination and subsequent election to the position.

“I am looking forward to being in the role, continuing to represent the interests of my constituents and supporting the rest of the council,” Cr McTaggart said.

6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

The meeting was held on Tuesday 27 September at the VDRC Regional Office with the Mayor, councillors and staff in attendance.

VDRC Mayor Pedwell thanked Cr Garlett for her commitment.

“Cr Garlett has given a lot during her tenure as the Deputy Mayor of VDRC, travelling great distances to listen and represent the people of Timber Creek Ward,” Mayor Pedwell said.

“She is a dedicated member of council and we all thank her for her dedication to the region.”

In addition to his appointment as Deputy Mayor, McTaggart has also recently been appointed as a member of the VDRC Audit and Risk Committee – which serves to monitor and review the integrity of the council’s financials, monitor and review the internal controls, and to make recommendations to the council for consideration.

Outback Queensland Tourism Association (OQTA) Chair and Blackall-Tambo Mayor Cr Andrew Martin said the strategic move would allow the organisation to work even more collaboratively with its 19 partner councils.

“Outback Queensland’s footprint covers more than 930,000 square kilometres and we rely on our partnerships with councils to deliver and sustain a vibrant and resilient tourism sector,” Cr Martin said.

“We had a vision to shore up these key relationships by co-locating with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and were able to negotiate an excellent outcome with LGAQ CEO Alison Smith.

“The LGAQ has been supporting and connecting councils for more than 125 years, and we’re delighted to be partnering with an organisation that shares our commitment to Outback Queensland’s communities and recognises the vital contribution of tourism to regional economies.

“The OQTA firmly believes in a fully networked approach to marketing, advocacy, product development and experience delivery, and we look forward to working side by side with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our region.”

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

NEWS

Inland Rail needn’t fail In last month’s column I pondered whether our nation was ready for a real nation building project, specifically a suite of dam upgrades to take pressure off our flood-prone coastal areas, while also diverting some flows inland.

A former senior federal official, Garry Reynolds, now based on the Sunshine Coast, tracks national issues closely. He read my column, and has offered a timely, alternative way of looking at things.

“Rather than all the eggs in one basket, a more strategic approach might be a series of integrated medium-scale, high-return projects where technology and skilled labour can be shared across regions. It might an option that’s more likely to get up politically and socially.”

Garry argues that this is now happening with the large metro congestion-busting rail projects in and around Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. “They address congestion and climate change as well as facilitating longer-distance commuting enabling equity and access for cheaper housing on the city fringes.

They use electricity increasingly produced by solar and wind power which addresses motor fuel prices and carbon impacts.”

Inland Rail Inland Rail - linking Melbourne and Brisbane is often lauded as a nation building project.

But it’s doomed to fail under current policy settings, due to transport policies that fail to recover the true costs associated with road transport viz. damage to roads, pollution, congestion, road deaths and trauma. The international literature is replete with the evidence.

In Australia we seem to avoid the issue. The trucking lobby is a powerful beast.

An alternative to a head-on political stoush is arguably some intelligent new-age industry policies to go with transport policies that enable Inland Rail to realise its inherent economic advantages on long-haul freight routes. The failure to do so will simply repeat the failure of the Adelaide-Darwin rail project, where the predicted freight traffic was never realised.

THE GOOD OIL ROD BROWN And what might these new-age policies be?

The first should be the introduction of stiffer road taxes to recover more of the damage that trucks cause, and to create a level playing field.

Local councils should be at the forefront of this agenda. Witness the billions of potholes that have emerged due to the twin effects of wet surfaces and heavy vehicle weights.

The second policy measure should be cluster programs to attract industrial investment in cities towns along the route, thereby increasing freight tonnages. We’re talking Albury, Junee, Parkes, Narromine, Dubbo, Narrabri and through to Goondiwindi in Queensland. Each of these places has varying degrees of potential for value-added agriculture, light manufacturing etc. and there’s a mood swing to buy Australian products. But the ‘invisible hand of the market’ is a slow process. Cluster programs would signal to investors that there is life beyond the Great Diving Range.

The third measure should be for state governments to introduce locational investment incentives. These are quite common overseas, where the aim is to reduce environmental pressure on major urban areas, while also creating jobs in the regions. This is directly relevant to us given the 800,000 jobs now forecast to dis-

appear in coal regions such as the Latrobe Valley, Hunter Valley, Bowen Basin etc.

Smart locational incentives don’t require massive government outlays - just enough to get city-based boardrooms to take a healthy profit on selling up and relocating to a lowercost and friendly rural environment.

Melbourne’s Inland Rail terminal One of the less obvious advantages of Inland Rail is that has the potential to reduce urban congestion.

To explain, a decision on the Melbourne terminal for Inland Rail is reportedly imminent.

The likely site is in Truganina (22km west of the CBD). Another site in Beveridge (55km north of the CBD) could conceivably house a second terminal a bit later on.The big benefit of these terminals is getting trucks off metropolitan roads. Containers trucked in from regional Victoria and interstate would be off-loaded at either or both of these terminals and then railed direct to the Port of Melbourne. The terminals in Melbourne and Brisbane will deliver localised congestion-busting benefits regardless of the freight tonnages between the two cities.

Where to now?

The current spirit of collaboration between the feds and that states can hopefully kick Inland Rail along. Imagine NSW, Victoria and Queensland agreeing to a new tax regime on trucks, a suite of cluster programs and incentives to locate industry in the regions. This would send a signal that Inland Rail and related regional development projects have some serious buy-in.

It would counter perceptions that the feds and state governments have never been fully committed. In this regard, the initial feasibility was undertaken in 2005, and it’s due for completion in 2027. That my friends is 22 years - a

glacial performance in a global context.

AAT farce Readers might note that Canberra’s political pundits are still agog at the Morrison Government’s brazen decision to make 26 appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, just 10 days before the last election. The special relevance is that the Minister involved was Michaelia Cash, and the overwhelming majority of her appointments are Liberal acolytes of one form or another, and the annual salaries are up to $496k.

Now Michaelia has a well-earned reputation for a lack of judgement, but this really caps them all. She’s up there with Stuart Robert, the former Minister with responsibility for the Robodebt scheme (now subject to a Royal Commission) and sundry other dubious events. The latter is now trying to claw back some support by sending out 70th birthday cards to voters in his Gold Coast electorate. My mate, who has never met him, was bemused.

The array of misdeeds by politicians in recent years will hopefully get attention from the upcoming federal Independent Commission Against Corruption, and it’s pleasing to see that Opposition Leader Dutton is backing the ICAC model that the Albanese Government has put forward.

Meanwhile, former Labor Minister Stephen Smith has been appointed High Commissioner to the UK. Smith is certainly well-credentialed, but now Kevin Rudd is being touted as our next Ambassador to the USA. Given that Albanese is pushing his integrity values, he might exercise caution here.

Rod Brown is a Canberra-based lobbyist.

Former senior federal official and OECD policy analyst. apdcockatoo@iprimus.com.au 0412 922559

Getting on top of mental health Need Help with Flood Management?

Winton Shire Council recently hosted an “Unwind with Mental Health Plasma Decorating Workshop” with the ever-talented Gidgee Smith.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

Are you a Local Government Councillor or Staff Member affected by recent floods? We invite you to share your experiences at the 2023 Floodplain Management Australia National Conference to be held at Luna Park Venues on Sydney Harbour, NSW, from 24 - 26 May 2023.

The Call for Abstracts opens soon, with 10 minute and 20 minute opportunities for Flood Case Studies and Stories.

This Conference is a must for all Councillors and staff needing for prepare their communities for future floods.

Details are at www.floodplainconference.com Floodplain Management Australia is the peak national body for flood risk practitioners in Australia. FMA members include over 170 local councils, catchment management authorities, federal, state and territory government agencies, businesses, and professionals involved in all aspects of urban and rural flood risk management.

Getting into the spirit of the workshop.

12569986-ET41-22

Council community welfare manager Shannon Van Bael said Gidgee, an inspiring and captivating speaker, spoke about her own struggles with mental health and how she and her family coped during the workshop.

“The event was held over two days with 22 attendees coming from Winton and surrounding properties; it was fantastic to see a couple of men join in,” Shannon said.

“The plasma workshop involved participants decorating their own windmill blade, allowing them to learn new skills and let their creative flare to shine.

“Some found the workshop therapeutic while others found the workshop to be a positive social interaction that allowed them to walk away feeling accomplished.

“A special guest from Outback Futures joined the workshop and delivered the Head Yakka Program. Outback Futures is working with the Winton Shire Council to better understand, value and advocate for mental health and wellbeing in themselves, their families and the community as a whole.”

The Winton Shire Council hosted this workshop as part of the Community and Individual Support Program and it was free of charge to participants.

“It is great to be able to deliver these types of workshops to the community, free or of a small charge to those attending as it brings community members near and far together and allows them to experience activities, they wouldn’t normally indulge in,” Shannon said.

“Participants also helped decorate a windmill to be displayed in the community which represented the support of mental health awareness.”

For more information about FMA visit www.floods.asn.au

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 7

COUNCILLOR PROFILES

Region’s natural beauty

By Cr Laura Binks, Mayor, Strathbogie Shire Strathbogie Shire is located on Taungurung Country and Yorta Yorta Country in northeast Victoria, just 90 minutes’ drive from Melbourne.

The region is renowned for its exceptional wines, leading equine industry, and long sheep and cropping history, with many farmers embracing regenerative farming practices.

However, it is the natural beauty, majestic waterways, granite hills, incredible gum trees and abundance of native flora and fauna that draw many people to Strathbogie Shire.

My favourite after-work activity is rambling among the granite, gums and wildflowers in the Mount Wombat-Garden Range Nature Conservation Reserve.

DECOMPRESSING A MUST Decompressing from a busy Mayoral day in this gorgeous, yet simple, natural environment is essential to my wellbeing.

I was elected to council in November 2020 while participating in the Fairley Community Leadership Program. It was the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and my work situation had changed significantly by the time nominations came around.

Therefore, standing for council felt like a good opportunity to put my community leadership learnings into practice.

When not advocating for all matters Strathbogie Shire or reading briefing papers and agendas, I love working on the family farm, walking in the beautiful local bush, dancing to Lizzo and making time to work on my art practice, which has been rather neglected since I took on the role of Mayor.

COMMUNITY EXPECTATION ON A TIGHT BUDGET Being a small rural council, Strathbogie Shire has the challenge of maintaining our existing infrastructure and assets, and providing new and improved infrastructure and assets, on a very small budget.

We maintain 2204km of roads, (1469km unsealed, 735km sealed), 520 bridges and culverts, and 405 buildings and structures.

Keeping up with community expectation on such a tight budget is a constant challenge. We

Cr Laura Binks, Mayor of Strathbogie Shire, Victoria. take part in important advocacy work to ensure we can secure State and Federal funding.

We are currently advocating for funding to build the Greening Euroa Project pipeline which will see treated recycled water recirculated back through the township of Euroa.

This will ensure our schools, sports grounds, parks and award-winning Euroa Arboretum are kept green in times of drought.

The innovative, collaborative project is community led, climate smart and will demonstrate rural resilience.

You can find out more on our Council website about this fantastic community driven project which is a Victorian-first.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING We are proud at Strathbogie Shire Council to be the first local government area to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Taungurung Land and Water Council (TLaWC).

This important document is a significant step towards reconciliation with the Taungurung Traditional Owner Group and sets up guidelines as to how we can work with TLaWC achieve their goals of healing country, healing community.

I really enjoy the opportunities I have to advocate for the shire. Speaking to our many partners, supporters, stakeholders, and politicians in other levels of government about Strathbogie Shire’s important matters is a huge privilege.

My greatest challenge is assisting community understand that the role of councillors is to set the long-term strategic direction of Council, ensure good governance and the financial sustainability of the organisation, which means making tough decisions at times.

I am excited to see our future Community Panel come to fruition after it was recently endorsed by councillors.

The panel will ensure we are providing best practice community engagement and I’m looking forward to the increased participation such a panel will enable. Having community participate in our decision making process will enable us to make better informed choices for the future of this beautiful, vibrant area.

More than 160 cultures in Brimbank

By Cr Jasmine Nguyen, Mayor, Brimbank Have you heard? Brimbank is officially the centre of Melbourne’s booming west. I know many councils tout the multicultural strengths of their area but here’s why Brimbank is one of the most multicultural municipalities in Australia: Having one of the largest populations in Victoria (approximately 210,000 people), we are truly a melting pot with over 160 cultures represented! Two-thirds of our residents were born overseas and more than half of Brimbank speaks a language other than English.

From Ethiopian restaurants in Sunshine to the Vietnamese markets at St Albans, I love that we genuinely celebrate each other’s diversity. We’re down-to-earth and you can feel comfortable to be who you are in Brimbank!

ABOUT ME I was elected to council as a first-time candidate in November 2020. Having been born and raised in Brimbank my entire life, I was aware of Brimbank’s ‘rough’ reputation but the COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted how rough things could get.

The post-code lockdowns in Victoria were in Brimbank. There was harmful rhetoric in the media and general society blaming ethnic groups for the COVID outbreak. I felt this was an unfair blow to the hardworking CALD people in our community who couldn’t work from home or access supports due to systemic and cultural barriers.

Whether they were still at university or their first jobs, I also remember my friends expressing uncertainty about their future. At the peak of the pandemic, Brimbank had the highest youth unemployment rate of 19 per 8 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

cent in the state.

Looking at the council, I felt it was about time we had a stronger voice for the young people and multicultural communities of Brimbank.

I worked in marketing and operations at NBN prior to taking my ‘Mayoral Gap Year’.

I saw how the act of connecting people (digitally) can make such a positive change to their lives. This experience reaffirmed to me that whatever role I take on, it is important for me to have a purpose and understand the wider impact of what I do.

Whenever I have spare time, I enjoy catching up with my family and friends over a meal.

As an active volunteer in the VietnameseAustralian community, I love to connect with other young multicultural Australians through my role as an advisory board member of the Dual Identity Leadership Program. I also try to take nature walks at Brimbank Park with Mayor Momo (a.k.a. Councillor Corgi Momo).

COUNCIL GOALS, CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS It was disappointing to learn this year that Brimbank experienced one of the highest death rates for COVID-19 and held the highest pokie lossies in Victoria for over a decade.

Clearly before the pandemic, Brimbank was already struggling with lower than average socio-economic and wellbeing indicators.

These underlying issues make Brimbank more vulnerable to risks, but they also make it more challenging for our community to recover.

I believe council must play a role in addressing these disadvantages and deliver on initiatives that enable our wider community to prosper. For example, we’ve been using the Melbourne Airport Rail project as an in-

tergenerational opportunity to transform the Sunshine precinct into a regional transport superhub.

In my term so far, I’ve had some success in bringing more initiatives to improve the mental wellbeing of young people in Brimbank.

Last year I was able to get endorsement from council to initiate a review Brimbank’s mental health service offerings. This work put us ahead in the local government sector and lead to the development of Brimbank’s first Mental Wellbeing Plan in 2022, as well as the recruitment of two youth wellbeing development officers. Other achievements I’m proud of include our introduction of a $200,000 youth grant program to support young people throughout the pandemic in 2021, and the Brimbank Young People Idea’s Grant in 2022.

AND FINALLY When I walk into rooms, people don’t expect me to be the Mayor. Usually people tell me that they imagine Mayors to be an older person with “more experience” and are positively surprised to meet me. Occasionally I hear the “you’re too young” remark.

Overall, I found that it’s been enjoyable challenging the misconceptions on who a Mayor or Councillor should be. Whatever your age, gender, background or factor that makes you unique, we can all provide a valuable contribution.

Representation helps others see what is possible. I’m grateful to the Brimbank community and hope to bring the refreshing bold change we need. As Brimbank’s youngest and first Vietnamese-Australian Mayor, I hope to see more young multicultural people diversify our councils (if you’re keen, please feel free to reach me on my socials @crjasminenguyen).

Councillor Jasmine Nguyen, Mayor of Brimbank, Victoria.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

NEWS

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor and Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman with award winners.

City of Canada Bay’s Stephanie Kelly (left) and John Clark (right), with Young Achiever’s Award - Metro - recipient Kristyne Arneill, Support Officer at City of Canada Bay.

Inspirational achievement The winners of the NSW Ministers’ Women in Local Government Awards for 2021 were announced in September.

The awards commemorate and celebrating the significant contribution women make to the sector according to Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman who acknowledged the winners in an awards ceremony at NSW Parliament House.

“I’m so proud to announce last year’s winners today, and to thank these formidable and inspirational women who contribute so much to our local government sector,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“While the pandemic caused delays to the award recipients being recognised for their achievements, it by no means diminishes the major contribution to Local Government the winners today make.”

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the achievements of the winners highlight how

much women contribute to our local councils.

“All of these impressive women set an example for everyone when it comes to excellence in public service, and I commend them, along with all of the nominees,” Mrs Taylor said.

“They set a very high standard, and I encourage everyone to ensure other women doing great work in local government are also celebrated by nominating them for the 2022 Awards.”

The winners of the 2021 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government are: Alternative Pathways Award – Metro Priscilla Felice, Trades Supervisor, Asset Maintenance, Waverley Council Alternative Pathways Award – Regional/

·

Rural Belinda Thomson, Vegetation Maintenance Supervisor, Lake Macquarie City Council Champion of Change Award – Metro Marnie Mitchell, Manager, People and Performance, City of Ryde Council Champion of Change Award – Regional/ Rural (shared) Laura Black, Acting General Manager, Clarence Valley Council Helen McNeil, Group Manager, People and Performance, Rous County Council Elected Representative Award – Metro Councillor Clare Raffan, City of Canterbury Bankstown Council Elected Representative Award – Regional/Rural

· · · · ·

· Councillor Marion Browne, City of Broken Hill

Council Employment Diversity Award – Metro Wollongong City Council Young Achiever’s Award – Metro Kristyne Arneill, Support Officer, City of Canada Bay Young Achiever’s Award – Regional/Rural Shanon Gray, Cadet Accountant, Lake Macquarie City Council Councillor Lillian Brady OAM Award (formerly the Minister for Local Government Award for Women) Leanne Barnes OAM PSM, former General Manager of Bega Valley Shire Council

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Unique canvas for dazzling light show Eaton’s new $1 million skatepark is providing a unique canvas for a dazzling digital art installation in October when the Shire of Dardanup launches ‘EnLighten’ - a creative new event designed to shine light on the places, people and moments that cultivate happiness in the community.

The playful exploration of light and digital technologies came to life on the evening of Saturday 1 October with funding support from Lotterywest and creation by illuminart stories in light, who have worked on similar projects across Australia.

Dardanup Shire president Cr Mick Bennett said the event had been a truly collaborative community effort, not just within the Dardanup Shire, but across Bunbury Geographe.

“The finished result will be truly spectacular and I would encourage people of all ages to head into Eaton on the night for what promises to be a fantastic event,” Cr Bennett said.

Illuminart’s works tell stories through light

and they specialise in projection and immersive media.

Using exciting projection technology, the team produces a unique light installation that wraps over the sculptural forms of the skatepark, transforming it into an immersive digital landscape.

Through playful exploration of light, the event will also shine a light on mental health as community contributions explore our focus question ‘What brightens your mood?’.

The event will also feature an incredible line-up of Dinner at Dusk food trucks, live music and offer event patrons the opportunity to connect with mental health services, including Headspace Bunbury, LifeLine, SWAMS

and Bunbury Counselling Services.

Content for EnLighten has been community generated with contributions for the projection submitted by local organisations such as: Manea College – Graphic Design Students; South West Regional TAFE – Visual Arts Students; Grace Christian Primary School – Year 4; Dardanup Primary School; Kick Start My Art Project – BREC; Milligan House and South West Aboriginal Health Services.

Council acknowledged Lotterywest for making the event possible through its $20,000 grant toward the project.

More information about the event can be found on the Shire of Dardanup website: dardanup.wa.gov.au/events/enlighten/247

Skatepark mockup.

Concierge service

Decades of experience

Latrobe City Council welcomes the Victorian Government’s support of local business Good Land Brewing Co in Traralgon in its first year of operation.

Highly credentialed

The micro-brewery was supported with $45,000 through the Victorian Government’s Latrobe Valley Business and Creative Capability Fund.

The support has resulted in the successful business launch with nine new jobs which strengthen the local economy.

Latrobe City Council provided support through the business concierge service, which offers advice and assistance to those wanting to start a business or existing businesses looking for growth and development opportunities, in partnership with the Latrobe Valley Authority.

Mayor of Latrobe City, Councillor Kellie O’Callaghan thanked the Victorian Government for their support of local industry and congratuLGFOCUS.COM.AU

lated Good Land Brewing Co for their first year of operation.

“Council would like to thank the Victorian Government for their ongoing support through the Latrobe Valley Business and Creative Capability Fund. Congratulations to Jimmy Krekelberg and the team at Good Land Brewing Co for their success in their first year of business.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage any locals who have a business idea to access our Business Concierge service – as we are here to support you in your venture.

“Our concierge is ready to help you bring your business to life and join the 4,500 small businesses in Latrobe City,” said Cr O’Callaghan.

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October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 9

NATIONAL

State-of-the-art galleries open The National Museum of Australia in Canberra has launched two new state-of-the-art galleries in its biggest redevelopment since opening to the public in 2001.

In a $34 million revamp that reimagines more than one-third of the building, the museum has launched the groundbreaking Great Southern Land environmental gallery and the innovative children’s Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre.

The Great Southern Land gallery was designed by the renowned New York-based Local Projects, best known for their acclaimed work on the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York.

The Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre is a fun, immersive play space designed and curated for children aged 0–6, their families and carers.

Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke welcomed the redevelopment.

“I’m thrilled to see these galleries open today, which showcase our unique environment and natural history,” Mr Burke said.

“I’m particularly excited about the role they will play in showcasing the connection First Nations people have to country.

“I’m confident that audiences of all ages will walk away feeling educated and inspired by the diverse cultural experiences on offer,” Minister Burke said.

National Museum director, Dr Mathew Trinca, said the two new galleries represent a major new offering to the Australia public.

“This is a pivotal moment in the history of the National Museum, and I am thrilled to see the years of hard work and planning come to fruition in the incredible Great Southern Land environmental gallery and the remarkable Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre.”

“The National Museum is celebrating more than 20 years of engagement with the Australian public and these new developments will see it go from strength to strength in the decades ahead,” Dr Trinca said.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Tim and Gina Fairfax, and all the experts who supported and worked on both galleries for many years, for their generous guidance and expertise,” Dr Trinca said.

The Great Southern Land gallery explores our fundamental relationship to the land, incorporating the stories of the First Peoples who have lived on the continent for at least 65,000 years and the stories of all those who followed.

National Museum Council member and Indigenous Reference Group chair, Fiona Jose, said the new gallery celebrates the stories of Australia’s deep history and First Peoples.

“Stories of how First Nations peoples have belonged to, and cared for, Country over countless generations are woven throughout the gallery. This new gallery shows how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge of this ancient continent is a heritage all Australians can draw on, and key to meeting our shared responsibility to heal and nourish the land,” Ms Jose said.

The Great Southern Land gallery explores

Covid-19 response extended The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of investing $1.4 billion to extend Covid-19 response measures.

As part of the package announced by Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler, ore than $142 million will go towards Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items and rebates from 1 October 2022 for the testing of Covid-19 and other respiratory viruses.

In addition: $48 million will be dedicated to extending around 100 GP-led Respiratory Clinics; $5 million invested in extending telehealth MBS items to prescribe antivirals; $5.5 million spent on additional rebates for face-to-face GP visits for patients with Covid-19; More than $235 million will go towards ensuring personal protective equipment, treatments, rapid antigen tests and other supplies from the National Medical Stockpile for aged care, primary care, disability care and First Nations health services and frontline healthcare workers.

RACGP president Adj. Professor Karen Price welcomed the announcement.

“Our health system is under tremendous strain and these measures will make a real difference,” she said.

“GPs, practice managers, nurses, receptionists, and administrative workers are doing a tremendous job after a gruelling two-and-a-half years. We need all the support we can get so the measures announced today are timely and most welcome.

“I stress that the pandemic is not over, and we can’t be complacent. It’s vital to keep fighting this virus and do all we can to keep vulnerable members of our community, including older people and the immunocompromised, as safe as possible.

“I encourage everyone to help limit the spread of this virus and ease pressure on our entire health system. So, please get vaccinated and boosted, wear a mask indoors or where social distancing is challenging and take those extra steps necessary to keep vulnerable members of our community safe. We all have a role to play, it’s as simple as that.”

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Shell specimens from along the WA coast, where the warm Leeuwin Current flows, and dhufish ceramics. The dhufish were donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Trevor Kennedy.

Picture: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA the vast and complex Australian continent, its ancient origins, geological features, unique species, natural forces, and the part humans play in the ecosystem. It features exciting interactive and immersive digital experiences relating to Australia’s unique environment and natural history.

The gallery features more than 2000 objects, and rich multi-sensory experiences show how the continent has changed over time and how those changes can guide the nation through future challenges.

The Discovery Centre invites children to explore Australia’s iconic animals and stories, including kangaroos and bunyips, an early explorer’s cat, and social media star Chris the sheep.

Leading Australian philanthropists Mr Tim Fairfax AC and Mrs Gina Fairfax AC supported the development of the new dedicated children’s play and education space and said they are delighted to see the new Discovery Centre open to the public.

“This new centre was designed to engage children with Australian stories and the work of the Museum. It provides interactive educational play onsite, and facilities to reach regional and remote communities,” Mr and Mrs Fairfax said.

As part of the Great Southern Land gallery launch, the National Museum will display in its Gandel Atrium, a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 synthesiser, which is the same model of instrument used by Iva Davies, from the iconic rock band ICEHOUSE, to compose the 1982 hit song of the same name, ‘Great Southern Land’.

“Back in 1982 when I created the title ’Great Southern Land’ for a song I was writing, I had no idea what an impact it would have on listeners everywhere, and especially Australian listeners,” Iva Davies said.

“To have the song included as a part of the incredible project, that the National Museum of Australia has undertaken, to trace the history, diversity and the magic of our country is very humbling.”

“My thanks to the great team, who have put together the gallery and exhibition, for all their work and for including my song as part of their study of our Great Southern Land,” Mr Davies said.

When Icehouse started out in 1977, synthesiser technology was still relatively new.

“The Prophet 5 is so called because it could play five notes at a time, and this meant that it could play a full musical chord. It also could store the sounds you created on it in “memory” slots, and this was incredibly useful especially for live performing,” Mr Davies said.

“The first song that was produced in that exploration was “Great Southern Land” and the Prophet 5 sound is the backbone of that song.

You’ll recognise the sound of that very first long note immediately as coming from the Prophet,“ Mr Davies said.

To coincide with the gallery launch, ICEHOUSE has announced a one-off concert, supported by Mix106.3, as part of its national Great Southern Land 2022 - The Concert Series which will be held at the National Museum of Australia on Friday 4 November 2022.

· ·

SafeTea campaign for safety commitments SafeWork NSW is urging workplaces to host a SafeTea event this October during National Safe Work Month.

Head of SafeWork NSW Natasha Mann said Safe Work Month is the perfect time for businesses to commit to building a safe and healthy workplace, and a conversation with a cup of tea in person or online is a great place to start.

“The way we work has changed the past couple of years and our safety and wellbeing has never been more important,” Ms Mann said.

“Every workplace has risks. As part of National Safe Work Month, in October all businesses from accounting firms to construction are encouraged to host a SafeTea event 10 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

at their workplace. So, grab a cuppa, gather your team, and start an important conversation about health and safety at work.

“SafeWork NSW has a range of SafeTea resources to download on the SafeWork NSW website including instructional posters to help drive conversations.

“This year’s theme is ‘Know safety, Work safely’. Last year in Australia 163 people died while doing their job. No job should be unsafe, and no death or injury is acceptable. This October is the perfect time to look at your workplace, understand the risks and make simple changes to improve safety because a safe and

healthy workplace benefits everyone.”

For further information about Safe Work Month and to plan your SafeTea event visit the SafeWork NSW website: safework.nsw.gov.au/ advice-and-resources/campaigns/Safe-WorkMonth

SafeWork NSW has a range of SafeTea resources to download on the SafeWork NSW website.

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QUEEN ELIZABETH II TRIBUTES

TURF TALK

Braving the rain Richmond Valley residents braved the rain at Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino, for the National Day of Mourning for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Formerly known as Carrington Park, the park was renamed for Her Majesty following her visit to Casino in 1954, with the ceremony taking place under the two Bunya pines The Queen and Prince Philip planted during the official civic reception.

Casino RSL Sub-branch secretary Owen Newell, Richmond Valley Council Mayor Robert Mustow and Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan gave words of tribute to the monarch, praising her service to the Commonwealth over her long reign.

Along with community members, they laid floral tributes after a minute’s silence was observed.

The original flagpole used during The Queen’s visit was restored by the Casino Men’s Shed and installed for the ceremony.

All of the people present at the ceremony that were at the Queen’s Visit in 1954, Richmond Valley Council.

Mayor Robert Mustow and Deputy Mayor Stephen Morrissey lay a floral tribute.

The floral tributes left at the flagpole at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Coming together for the Queen Temora Shire held a memorial service in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mayor Rick Firman said the shire councillors and staff had a close working relationship with Temora Shire’s Ministers Fraternal.

“We worked closely together to host today’s stirring ceremony, attended by over 150 locals and visitors,” he said. “The Memorial Service was held at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Temora, given Her late Majesty was the Head of the Church of England.”

From left, Pastor Darren Kupke (Lutheran Church), Sharon Coleman (Sacred Heart Catholic Church), Joy Cornford (Baptist Church), Pastor Patricia Morris (Kings Christian Church and Chairman of Temora Ministers Fraternal), Mayor Rick Firman OAM (Temora Shire), Auxiliary Lt Caleb Smith (Temora Salvation Army Corp), the Reverend Nathan Manwaring (St Paul’s Anglican Church) and the Reveren Derek Yu (St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church).

The right herbicide Why are pre-emergent herbicides important?

Before turning to any chemical for any reason, it’s important to make sure you have good cultural practices in place, simple things like washing down machinery between fields and hand weeding before the problem gets out of hand.

So what are pre-emergent herbicides?

They are a form of chemical weed control which prevent germinated weed seedlings from becoming established.

The most important thing to understand before using any herbicide to control a weed is what is an actual weed.

A weed is a plant considered undesirable where you don’t want it to grow.

Once you know the weed you are targeting, you can then move onto the next step by choosing the right chemical for the job. There are many ways your sports surface, grassed area or lawn can be infested with weeds. Things like the following - weed seeds falling off footwear or machinery from other areas or sites; flooding with flood waters or storm water run-off bringing in weed seeds; bird droppings and pets; wind blowing seeds onto your surface and grass stolons and rhizomes (runners).

Using a pre-emergent herbicide can protect your surface from situations out of your control - especially in open spaces to the public and flood-affected areas where seeds can float onto your surface.

If you have areas that have great coverage and low traffic, you should be able to manage weeds manually by hand as weeds will mainly take advantage of a weak point in your surface - giving it a chance to thrive. But if you are in a highrisk area of weed seed contamination, a pre-emergent herbicide could be a great choice. It is always important to remember not to apply any pre-emergent herbicide if you want to re-seed any areas as pre-emergent herbicides prevent seeds from germinating.

Pre-emergent herbicides are available in liquid and granular form from the home lawn to sports fields. It is very important to choose the right one for your situation as majority of them cause root shearing where roots from stolons (runners) cannot anchor down into the soil. So, if you surface is highly used your options shrink compared to an area where the grass coverage stays the same all year.

For more information on Pre Emergent Herbicides check out our website for your free International Greenkeepers - 2022 Turf Pesticide manual: internationalgreenkeepers.com/free-education If you are still uncertain on what path to choose, please do not hesitate to contact International Greenkeepers for some great free advice.

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Clock crowned early The Clocktower in the Grafton CBD was crowned to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

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nity and devotion to her duty throughout her 70-year reign.

“The swift collaboration to organise the logistics of erecting the crown is a credit to all involved including council staff, the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, Wicks and Parker Cranes and AS Sound Solutions.“ The crown will now remain on top of the Clocktower until the end of the Jacaranda Season. The Clocktower was cleaned by council Sunday 18 September in order to ensure it is well presented when visitors come to the city for this year’s Jacaranda Festival (28 Oct - 6 Nov).

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The clocktower in Grafton is usually crowned in honour of the Jacaranda Festival but the crown went on a month early in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.

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The iconic structure on the roundabout intersection of Prince Street and Pound Street is traditionally crowned in October to mark the start of the Jacaranda Season.

However, Clarence Valley Council at the request of the Jacaranda Festival committee organised for the crown to be erected a month earlier.

“The Clarence Valley community joins the Royal Family and fellow citizens of the Commonwealth in mourning the passing of our Queen,” Mayor Ian Tiley said.

“As the longest-service monarch in British history, Her Majesty displayed unwavering dig-

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QUEEN ELIZABETH II TRIBUTES

Visit recalled Queen Elizabeth II was remembered by the Northern Beaches Council on the day of her passing.

Wreaths were laid for the Queen.

Lifetime of service City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM was joined at Elizabeth Knight Reserve by Mr Tony Pasin, Member for Barker and Travis Fatchen on behalf of Mr Troy Bell, Member for Mount Gambier, and other dignitaries to lay a wreath to celebrate the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II following her passing on 8 September 2022.

The City of Mount Gambier chose the site where students from Reidy Park Primary School recently planted a canopy of trees to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to commemorate her passing and her enormous contribution to society.

Queen Elizabeth II was Patron of The Returned & Services League of Australia and Mount Gambier Community RSL President Robert Sandow laid a wreath in memory of The Queen.

District Council of Grant CEO Darryl Whick-

er also laid a wreath and Parish Priest Father Neil Fernando paid his respects on behalf of the Anglican Church of Mount Gambier.

Members of the public are invited to lay their floral tributes to Queen Elizabeth II at the site until Monday 26 September. The Royal Family have noted that instead of leaving floral tributes, Australians may wish to consider making a donation to a charity of their choice.

Lynette Martin, Mayor of Mount Gambier, said at the ceremony that Queen Elizabeth II has a special place in the hearts of Mount

Gambier residents, especially those who remember her visit in February 1954.

“As Mayor of the City of Mount Gambier, it is important that as a city we acknowledge the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and to provide a place where our residents can place floral tributes to honour her passing,” Mayor Martin said.

“We give thanks for an extraordinary life and for a lifetime of service to the Crown and as Queen of Australia and her other realms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth.”

Bell rings 96 times for each year As the Commonwealth and the world mourned Queen Elizabetth’s passing, flags outside the City of Rockingham Administration Building were flying at half-mast.

In line with protocol a single bell was rung 96 times at the City’s Administration Building from noon the day she died in recognition of each year of the Queen’s life.

City of Rockingham Mayor Deb Hamblin said the passing of the Queen was felt across the community.

“Queen Elizabeth II dedicated her life to duty and for many community members she was the only monarch most of us have ever known,” Mayor Hamblin said.

“The City of Rockingham mourns and remembers her historic reign.”

Selfless serviceg

By Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson

Rockingham Administration Building.

Orange Mayor Jason Hamling has paid respect to the Commonwealth’s longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth ll.

12 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

Queen Elizabeth II and her daughter, Princess Anne, visiting the Far West Children’s Health Scheme, Manly, May 2nd, 1970. Following the visit the prefix “Royal” was granted in recognition of the unique, long-standing services the Far West provide. Image courtesy of Northern Beaches History Hub.”

On behalf of Alice Springs Town Council, I offer condolences to all members of the Royal family and all those mourning.

Condolences to the Royal Family “On behalf of the Orange community and Orange City Council we send our condolences to the Royal Family. While Queen Elizabeth was a monarch, we shouldn’t forget she was also a mum, grandmother and great-grandmother,” Cr Hamling said.

“By all accounts she was an extraordinary human being and leader who lived and led through an extraordinary period in our history. It

The Queen visited the LGA back in 1970 to officially recognise the Royal Far West Children’s Health scheme in Manly while the region is also where the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee State Coach was built.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said many the community remember her visits to the region fondly.

“Today Australians join the world in mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” Mayor Regan said on the day of her passing.

“For more than 70 years she has been a constant in our lives, an incomparable example of dedication to service and duty.

“She epitomised grace and dignity and has provided a steady hand through decades of turbulent times.

“The Queen... graced our shores in 1970 when she visited children at the Far West Children’s Health Scheme in Manly and granted the hospital the official name of Royal Far West, recognising its longstanding services to the community.

“On behalf of the Northern Beaches community we send our most heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family.”

seemed at times she would be with us forever.”

“We wish King Charles lll all the best in this challenging role,” Cr Hamling said.

The Queen visited Orange on 30 April 1970 and was escorted by Mayor Ron Thomas as she visited the then Emmco factory.

For many years there’s been a note on display in the foyer of the Orange Civic Centre written by the Queen’s private secretary, on the

Royal Yacht Britannia in Sydney Harbour.

“The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh greatly enjoyed seeing Orange and much appreciated the very warm welcome given to them,” the note states.

A now very large Oak tree, planted at the coronation in 1953 still stands in Robertson Park southeast of the rotunda. Coronation Drive was also named in her honour.

Her Majesty was a figure that meant so much to so many people, truly capturing the hearts of people across the Commonwealth.

Like most, I do not know a world without Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty devoted her life to a selfless service to the Commonwealth across 70 years. The impact The Queen has had on Australia and the entire Commonwealth is immeasurable.

She will be missed.

An online public condolence book has been established by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for members of the public to express their condolences on the recent passing of Her Majesty.

If you wish to share a message of condolence, you can do so by visiting govhouse. nt.gov.au LGFOCUS.COM.AU

QUEEN ELIZABETH II TRIBUTES

Albany pays tribute

King Charles III and members of the Royal family follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign\’s orb and sceptre, as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey after her State Funeral, in London, Monday, 19 September, 2022.

Picture: DANNY LAWSON/POOL PHOTO VIA AP

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin being pulled in London after her funeral service in Westminster Abbey.

Picture: VADIM GHIRDA/AAP

Darwin remembers Queen Elizabeth II It is with great sadness that the City of Darwin acknowledges the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. City of Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis offered his deepest condolences on behalf of the City of Darwin.

Mr Vatskalis also recognised Her Majesty’s close connection to the people of Darwin, particularly after Cyclone Tracy.

“During the Royal visit to Darwin in 1977, Her Majesty graciously unveiled the memorial to the victims of Cyclone Tracy here at the Civic Centre,” the Mayor said.

“As she mourned for our losses then, we now join the world in mourning for the loss of this great monarch after her long life of service to our country and the Commonwealth. May she rest in peace.”

He said Her Majesty ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much loved and respected figure across the globe.

The Mayor said her extraordinary reign saw her travel more widely than any other monarch, undertaking many historic overseas visits.

Known for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service, she was an important figurehead for Australia and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.

On her 21st birthday, Her Majesty stated, “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”.

She lived a life of exemplary service to Australia and the Commonwealth, and was tireless in her role as the Royal Patron or President to over 600 charities, military associations, professional bodies and public service organisations.

Britain\’s Queen Elizabeth II looks up and waves to members of staff of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office as she ends an official visit which is part of her Jubilee celebrations in London.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a symbol of stability across much of a turbulent century, died on Thursday, 8 September, 2022. She was 96.

Picture: AP PHOTO/ALASTAIR GRANT

A memorial service honouring the life of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, was held at Toowoomba’s St Luke’s Anglican Church from 9.30am on Thursday, 22 September, 2022.

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Albany had the privilege of hosting visits

by Her Majesty in 1954 and 1977 so as a mark of respect across her funeral week, the Town Hall lit up in purple.

The lights were switched on 18 September and ran through to Friday, 23 September.

There was also a community book of condolences for the Queen currently in the Town Hall, which was also open from 11am to 5pm on the National Day of Mourning, for anyone wanting to leave a message.

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said the City of Albany wanted to play its part in honouring Queen Elizabeth II and had invited anyone in the community who wanted to pay their respects to visit the Town Hall.

“The book of condolences was available in the Town Hall all week so anyone who wants to leave a message we welcomed people to do so,” he said.

“Queen Elizabeth II was a much loved monarch and respected the world over and her passing is a sad time for many and we wanted to offer our community a place to go to reflect and remember her reign.”

Geelong lights up

Church service in Toowoomba Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said residents were welcomed to attend the public service that coincides with Australia’s national day of mourning for the late monarch.

Mayor Antonio said the thanksgiving service would be livestreamed.

“Toowoomba Regional Council was pleased to work with St Luke’s Anglican Church, led by St Luke’s Rector, the Reverend Canon Paul Mitchell, to arrange an appropriate service where residents can pay their respects to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II,” Mayor Antonio said.

Albany Town Hall honoured the late Queen Elizabeth II on her National Day of Mourning by lighting up in purple and opening its doors for the community to sign a book of condolences.

“As our Constitutional head of state, the service is a fitting way to recognise the late Queen’s extraordinary service, which spanned more than 70 years. By any measure, this is a fine achievement.

“Aside from the longevity of her service, it was the Queen’s unwavering devotion to duty and her many personal attributes that endeared her to so many people across the spectrum of society that have been fondly recalled in the wake of her death.

“Toowoomba residents of a certain age will recall when the Queen and her husband

Philip, who was then the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the city during their 1954 tour to Australia.

“I remember my mother bringing me to Toowoomba to join the crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the royal party.

“The remarkable scenes surrounding the official events that have occurred across the United Kingdom over the past week, combined with the tributes from around the world, reinforce the end of a significant era in history.”

Geelong’s City Hall lit up in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on two occasions during the week of her funeral as the local community joined those around the world in mourning her passing.

A special projection was featured on the building’s façade from 8pm on the night of the Queen’s funeral (Monday 19 September) and on the National Day of Mourning (Thursday 22 September).

On both of these nights other public lighting, including the catenary lights at the intersection of Malop and Moorabool Streets and various points along the Geelong Waterfront, featured a display royal purple.

City Hall had hosted floral tributes for the Queen since her passing, while condolence books continued to be available for the community at all of the City’s customer service centres and libraries. Mayor Peter Murrihy said the City Hall projection was a fitting tribute.

“The Queen’s passing has been deeply felt here in Geelong,” Mayor Murrihy said.

“She was a loved and respected leader, and the week provided an opportunity for us all to reflect on her wonderful life and say farewell.

“The projection and lighting are our way of publicly acknowledging the two significant occasions this week, as I’m sure cities all over Australia will do.”

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 13

FOCUS ON INNOVATIVE SUMMITS & COURSES

‘Moo-ving’ forward His business career has been unconventional, but CQUniversity’s unique Master of Business Administration (Leadership) is helping serial entrepreneur Lawrence Fox grow his most creative and ‘cow-raeous’ project yet.

Lawrence began CQU’s ultra-flexible MBA at the start of 2020, while living on a friend’s Far North Queensland farm.

The burnt-out business strategist was also spending time with the farm’s cows and finding mental health benefits from connecting with the big, gentle creatures.

“When I found out they were going to be sold for beef, I used my savings to buy them,” Lawrence said, and mental health social enterprise Cow Cuddling Co was born.

Designed to promote calmness, and help unemployed people grow skills and find jobs, the innovative project was a good fit with Lawrence’s degree.

“My first unit was Strategic Marketing, so I developed a plan for promoting Cow Cuddling Co within my studies,” he explained.

The Cow Cuddling Co launch attracted international headlines, enthusiastic cow-cuddlers, and franchising interest.

Working in a finance company after high school, then founding a software company, and climbing to a senior strategist role, the determined innovator said he was hitting “glass ceilings” because he didn’t have a degree.

Lawrence was excited to be accepted for CQU’s MBA and have his management experience recognised to gain direct entry.

The Community Engagement Summit is back.

Inspiring speakers The ever-popular Community Engagement Summit returns to Sydney on 23-25 November 2022.

Unconventional Lawrence Fox. “The flexibility was incredible, knowing there was no pressure to sacrifice the success of my business to meet university deadlines,” he said.

Like Cow Cuddling Co, CQUniversity is a social enterprise – a business that operates for social, community and environmental benefit.

The MBA (Leadership) is delivered entirely online and allows students to self-pace around their schedule.

Priced at just over $18,000 with pay-asyou-go and FEE-Help options, CQUniversity is proud that the quality MBA is like no other.

Visit cqu.edu.au/courses/master-of-business-administration-leadership for more information and to enrol and get started now.

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Earthquakes in Australia

By Paul Uno Most Australians have never experienced an earthquake and are glad of that fact. Our neighbours in New Zealand have not been as lucky. This is due to the geological situation where New Zealand is located on the boundary of two tectonic plates. Australia on the other hand is fortunate to be located in the centre of the Australasian plate and as such does not experience the magnitude or frequency of earthquakes as our neighbours across the ditch.

Australians however should not be complacent when it comes to designing for earthquakes. We have an Australian Standard called AS1170.4 which addresses the design of structures to accommodate earthquakes. Unfortunately, many engineers tend to not concern themselves with earthquake design due to infrequent earthquake experiences. As a result, most engineers focus on the Wind Code and the other Standards for their design process which leaves us vulnerable when the infrequent larger earthquake does hit us. This is markedly different in New Zealand where every engineer is familiar with NZS1170.5 (their EQ Code).

Australia has experienced many earth-

quakes over the period of measuring for such events in the past 200 years but the magnitude of our major earthquakes has primarily been in the 5.6 to 6.8 Richter Scale range. This is small compared to countries like NZ, Japan, Chile, USA, Japan where magnitudes of seven and eight can be recorded (these values being a logarithmic scale).

I personally have experienced two earthquakes in my lifetime – the first when I was a young lad living in the Western Suburbs of Sydney. The second one I felt was the Newcastle earthquake in 1989 (even though I was living in the northwest suburbs of Sydney, nearly 150 km from Newcastle). The magnitude of the Newcastle earthquake was 5.6 on the Richter Scale and resulted in 13 deaths and millions of dollars of damage to buildings and infrastructure that were not designed or built adequately to resist an earthquake of this magnitude.

Our current Australian Standards for Earthquake design uses ground accelerations rather than Richter Scale values to determine the forces liable to damage our buildings. The minimum acceleration coefficient (Z factor) prior to 2018 used to be 0.03 for cities like Hobart whereas in areas like the Gold Coast, Coffs

Harbour, Lismore and even Brisbane it used to be 0.05.

In 2018 there was a revision of AS1170.4 whereby all cities and towns across Australia that had the previous minimum acceleration limits between 0.03 and 0.07, were now raised to a new minimum of 0.08. This may not sound like much of an increase but for areas like Brisbane and the Gold Coast an increase in the acceleration coefficient (ie Z factor) from 0.03 to 0.08 meant an increase in design force of 266%!

Buildings that were originally designed to withstand the force of an earthquake in those regions now have to withstand a force nearly 2.7 times higher than in the past. Many Council staff, Government official and even design engineers may not be aware of this change in the Code.

We at ETIA aim to educate the engineering, construction and building industry to ensure that designers know of these changes when designing their structures accordingly.

On Wednesday 16 November, we will conduct a basic course in Earthquake design (Module One) to the Australian Standard AS1170.4 (R2018). The speaker for this course will be the

well-known and well-respected Professor of Earthquake Engineering, Mr John Wilson. John has had many years of research and practical input as chairman of the EQ Standards Committee. He has been invited to present papers in countries around the world that experience regular earthquakes (especially New Zealand).

For engineers who want to get more involved in the structural calculations required for earthquake analysis then ETIA will be conducting a separate course on Thursday 17 November (Module Two). This course will allow engineers to develop a better understanding of the theory and thus perform tutorial exercises addressing the various elements of earthquake design. Topics such as determination of natural periods of buildings and the soils they are founded on; centre of mass vs centre of rigidity of structures; structural design processes for mode of vibration and damage in buildings will all be covered. This course will be presented

by Paul Uno, who is one of the authors of the textbook “Reinforced Concrete -The Designers Handbook”.

For further information on these two upcoming ETIA courses, readers should refer to etia. net.au/events/course-list

Excellence in communication innovation The City of Joondalup has been selected as an ABA100 Winner for Comms Excellence in The Australian Business Awards 2022.

The Australian Business Award for Comms Excellence [COM] recognises organisations that have successfully implemented initiatives that demonstrate excellence in communications.

The City received the award for an innovative Valentine’s Day 2022 promotional and publicity campaign, where Field Officers hit the Joondalup City Centre with a new lovethemed style of caution notice.

The notice featuring a quirky poem, a social media hashtag, a pay it forward message, and most importantly, no fine.

The City coincided the promotion with a strategically targeted media campaign which resulted in talkback radio coverage, a story on Channel 7 news in Perth, and features in local newspaper Perth Now as well as their online arm.

The story was received positively by the community, with an overwhelming number of likes, loves, shares and positive comments on various social media channels The City received an advertising space rate (ASR) or unpaid media of almost $50,000.

The #Nofinetoday hashtag generated social media interest, and the combined Facebook channels of 7 News Perth, Perth Now and

The City of Joondalup has taken out a major award.

City of Joondalup resulted in a combination of 446 likes, comments, and shares.

LinkedIn posts resulted in a combination of 533 likes, comments, and shares. Eastern states local governments also tagged in comments, including the Lord Mayor and CEO of City of Melbourne, and other high-

profile local governments executive and elected members from across Australia, with Joondalup setting the bar for peer local governments to follow.

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said the Valentine’s Day initiative was in line with a change in approach to parking offences at

the City, with a focus on education rather than enforcement.

“The restructure of the Rangers, Community Safety and Parking Team was the ideal time for the City to look at making a change away from parking enforcement in favour of education,” Mayor Jacob said.

“This resulted in the recruitment of fifteen Field Officers with a focus on customer service experience, to replace the traditional Rangers and Parking Inspector roles.

“This helped us to implement cultural changes that saw a shift away from a strict law enforcement approach towards a greater emphasis being placed on educating and informing the community.

“I congratulate all involved in this great success story for the City, particularly our Community Safety and Communications and Stakeholder Relations teams.

“It is testament to the professionalism and expertise of our team at the City that they have beaten many marketing and PR agencies and private businesses across Australia who entered these awards.”

Further unique communication strategies will be undertaken following the success of the Valentine’s Day communications campaign.

Dye assists in tracking Australian sea lions An innovative new project is using human hair dye on Australian sea lions at Carnac and Seal Islands off the coast of Perth to track and learn about the local population.

Edith Cowan University (ECU) are jointly leading the project with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) marine researchers, in collaboration with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).

The Australian sea lion (ASL) project forms part of the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) Westport Marine Science Program.

“The hair dye marks are temporary and completely safe, just like hair colour on a human, but for a period of about two months it allows us to identify each sea lion and monitor how often they move amongst the six haul-out islands, such as Carnac Island and Seal Island,” ECU Associate Professor Chandra Salgado Kent said.

“This project also enables monitoring of the total numbers that occur in the Perth metropolitan area when the animals are at their peak numbers, which is anticipated to be around LGFOCUS.COM.AU

A tagged sea lion.

December or January.”

The marking method, which has been applied to other species of seals and sea lions elsewhere, is non-invasive and does not harm the animals in anyway.

Marine biologists use human hairdye to tag sea lions.

It only takes a matter of minutes, less than an appointment to the hairdresser!

“A layer of dye is spread on numbers with foam material on them, and the numbers are mounted on a plate attached to a long pole,

we then press the plate onto the sea lions back or side. The poles allow us to keep our distance to create minimal disruption to the sea lions,” Associate Professor Salgado Kent explained.

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 15

FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Review commissioned An independent review of the national Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme (TPSS), administered by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), shows commendable work has delivered public benefit at small cost to the economy but that the Scheme has reached a turning point according to TSA CEO Lina Goodman.

The review was commissioned by TSA to satisfy the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) requirements of authorisation.

It involved a close examination of efficiencies and operations and consultation with key stakeholders from: Federal, state and territory and local governments.

Industry sectors including tyre importers and retailers, manufacturing, mining and other off-the-road tyre segments, vehicle fleet operators and the tyre resource recovery sector.

Global circular economy and stewardship peers.

ESG advisors and researchers.

Top-line findings of the review include: The public benefits of the TPSS very significantly outweigh any public detriment.

TSA has administered the TPSS commendably to improve environmental stewardship.

SA exhibits a high level of corporate governance understanding and practice in its administration of the TPSS. hat under its current voluntary scheme structure, the TPSS has reached a plateau which limits its capability to do more and poses an existential risk of financial non-viability were a contributor to depart. hat a regulated scheme structure would enable the TPSS to significantly expand its activities and pursue strategic opportunities and innovation for stakeholders in the circular tyre economy and bring it line with the ‘cradle to grave’ approach taken by other schemes around the world.

“This is a hard-core scorecard for the

· · · · · · ·

Picture: UNSPLASH

· ·

Scheme’s successes and failures,” says TSA CEO Lina Goodman.

“It shows us what our stakeholders need from a product stewardship organisation, where there are failures which impact the recovery of end-of-life tyres in Australia and provides recommendations that will advance Australia’s product stewardship of tyres locally.

“It also raises some critical questions for TSA, as the administrator of the Scheme, for the regulators and for all the stakeholders in the

circular tyre economy.

“Has a voluntary scheme for end-of-life tyres reached the peak of its ability to make a difference? Who is being left behind under the current structure? How can true circular economy principles be supported and advanced through a product stewardship organisation?

“What are the potential opportunities a regulated scheme would allow us to pursue, particularly for regional, rural and remote stakeholders?

Local Councils are pivotal in leading Australia’s sustainable future as they can influence where used tyres end up and how our local waste tyre market operates.

“Can we do more to foster local manufacturers to use tyre derived material? Is there a need to think about a scheme design that supports investment for greater local recovery of used tyres?

“It is questions like these which we now need to explore with all the stakeholders in the circular tyre economy, both within Australia and globally.”

Read the full report at tyrestewardship.org. au/assessments

CONTRIBUTE TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Use TSA Accredited tyre brands on Council vehicles Use TSA accredited retailers to buy tyres for Council vehicles Use TSA accredited recyclers for end-of-life tyre management at Transfer Stations Get Council’s fleets TSA Accredited Procure companies that utilise Australian tyre-derived products

APPLY NOW FOR TSA ACCREDITATION AND REGISTER YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES FOR AUSTRALIA’S USED TYRES

Facilitate changing of road / asphalt specifications to ensure Australian tyre derived materials are utilised

To register you can also email

getonboard@tyrestewardship.org.au

12555936-DL29-22

16 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

FOCUS ON COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPPORTING YOUTH

Inspiring women Kempsey Shire Council was among several employers who joined the big turnout at the School and Industry Connection Day for secondary students on Wednesday 10 August at the Slim Dusty Centre.

Organised by Training Services NSW, the event brought local employers and high school students together to showcase the wide range of employment opportunities the Macleay Valley has to offer.

Leading the way for council were trainee Grace Kuhnell and apprentice Vivien Partridge, sharing their experiences working in council’s Water and Sewer team and guiding students through hands-on activities.

“It was really great to speak to students about water processes and the different pathways available to them,” said Ms Kuhnell.

“Some students really thrived in the practical side when we were testing water and changing a water metre. Others were more interested in theory, so it was great to explain that there are opportunities to pursue both sides at council.”

A highlight for both staffs was seeing the number of young women approaching them interested in taking up a trade qualification.

“While there may not be a huge amount of women tradies in our local area, there is definitely interest and opportunities popping up across the shire,” said Ms Partridge.

“There is a wider female tradie community out there. I’m a member of a women in trades Facebook group dedicated to supporting each other and it’s a reallywelcoming network.”

The main message to not only women wanting to do a trade but to anyone was ‘give it a go!”

“My team are so supportive and encouraging. It’s a work environment you can really thrive in so it would be great to see more wom-

Youth strategy discussions.

Youth strategy call out The Surf Coast Shire Council is calling on the community to have a say on its draft Youth Strategy 2022-2025.

Grace and Vivian at the School and Industry Connection Day. en giving it a go,” said Ms Kuhnell.

“Apprenticeship and traineeships are an awesome way to get your foot in the door in a

life-long career where you learn both the theory and practical task at the same time,” said Ms Partridge.

Youth mental health programs Mosman Council Youth Services have been working to improve mental health outcomes for young people in Mosman through innovative programs in response to increasing mental health concerns as a result of COVID-19, and a major consultation conducted in 2020-2021.

Over 300 local young people participated in the consultation which highlighted mental health as the highest concern for local youth, initiating a more targeted approach to preventative activities that aim to foster resilience, improve social connection and wellbeing.

The team has aligned a variety of programs that already existed within the service and initiated several new programs which aim to improve resilience, connection and wellbeing.

New programs include Aunty Time with local indigenous organisation the Gaimaragal Group, utilising First Nations perspectives to challenge toxic cultural ideas and stereotypes and provide a space for young people to share stories and open discussion to support wellbeing and foster resilience. The program was previously piloted in June 2022 and will return due to pop-

ular demand, including an Ochre ceremony, wellness weaving and rock art symbol painting to create a welcoming space to talk through issues in a supportive environment.

A Year 12 and Beyond program is also being delivered to support students commencing the HSC year, in partnership with Phoenix House Youth Services and PeerLink EnactusMQ. The program will work through topics to support challenges for the incoming Year 12 cohort including workshops on Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle Balance, Resilience Building, Navigating Relationships and Pathways Post-HSC. Existing programs such as the Green Thumbs youth volunteer gardeners, and the Dungeons and Dragons social group have also been aligned to improved mental health outcomes for participants with programs measuring impact in

the areas of social connection, wellbeing and inclusion, with significant levels of improvement being measured across these domains for participants since the start of the year.

The 2020-21 youth consultation also identified a need for a greater understanding and upskilling of the community that support young people on a day-to-day basis through targeted training delivered to youth supports (such as teachers), parents, and community stakeholders such as sporting coaches and youth pastors, and the team has commenced a mapping process to identify community members best placed to undertake Youth Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Prevention training.

For more information about Mosman Youth Services or if you would like to read the consultation report, visit mosmanyouth.com.au

The draft strategy, which has been informed by community consultation, aims to create a community and environment that empowers young people to thrive.

It includes six focus areas: recreation, arts, culture, mental health support, alcohol and other drug support and environment.

Cr Gary Allen said the Surf Coast Shire is home to around 5,200 young people aged 12 to 25, who make up 14 per cent of the local population.

“The issues that young people face now are vastly different to those of the generation before, so the strategy is tailored to the needs of today’s youth,” Cr Allen said.

“It has largely been informed by the results of our Surf Coast Youth Census, completed late last year.

“A total of 1,084 young people from across the shire completed the questionnaire component of the survey, which equates to just over 20 per cent of our youth population. Pleasingly, 97 per cent described living on or near the Surf Coast as good, great or amazing, and 95 per cent said they were excited about the future.”

A number of key themes regarding what matters to young people emerged from the Youth Census, including environmental issues, a need for diverse recreation facilities, and support for social and emotional issues.

Cr Allen said the draft strategy set the direction and long-term structure for the Council’s work with young people.

“It sets out how we will partner with experts, other organisations and groups to ensure our young people can reach their full potential in life.”

Exercise your emotional mindfulness Black belts in karate were more than optional for the Southern Downs Regional Council’s Martial Arts for Mental Health program.

All that was needed was for participants to be ready to get physical and have fun! As part of 2022 Queensland Mental Health Week, SDRC were combatting mental health by offering a fully-subsidised self-defence course for young people aged 15 – 25 years.

Southern Downs Councillor Sheryl Windle encouraged the region’s resilient young people to exercise their emotional mindfulness with a martial arts workout.

“Checking in with yourself doesn’t come in a ‘one size fits all’ package. For some people craft, quiet activities or introspective moments are the best way to take time for LGFOCUS.COM.AU

mental health,” Cr Windle said.

“But what about moving, making noise and taking up space as a way to make a connection between your life and your needs?

“Martial Arts for Mental Health is a free program designed to give young people aged 15–25 the opportunity to engage in a martial arts course designed for them and the challenges life may throw at them, in a private, safe and comfortable environment.

“I encourage our young people to balance body and mind and take advantage of these free sessions.”

Martial Arts for Mental Health promotes the following: Alleviate stress Increase self-esteem Boost your focus Calls for self-reflection Encouraging connection to your own body Understanding what safety looks like to you.

Classes will be limited to six participants per class.

Participants needed to be able to commit to a two-hour session per week for four weeks.

Sessions will be scheduled based on availabil-

· · · · · · ·

ity and the Expressions of Interest process.

There was also be the opportunity for participants who get hooked to continue training and information will be available on local martial arts trainers. Queensland Mental Health Week is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing.

The theme for 2022 is ‘Awareness, Belonging, Connection’, reflecting the important factors that help people maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.

Queensland Mental Health Week 2022 is held from Saturday 8 to 16 October 2022.

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 17

FOCUS ON PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health first aid Golden Plains Council is again delivering free online mental health first aid training for eligible community members.

Expressions of interest are now open for eligible community members wanting to gain their mental health first aid accreditation. Participants will learn how to assist a friend, family member or other members of the community who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The skills learnt in the course can be applied in any setting, with the course content tailored for delivery in a community setting.

The course will be delivered by Digging Deeper and there is no cost for participants.

The program consists of two mandatory components: Self-paced interactive eLearning (up to five hours – to be completed prior to the group session); and Instructor-led video conferencing group session (five hours).

The group session will be held on Wednesday 26 October from 9.30am to 3pm. There will also be an optional 10-minute session held online prior to the training on Wednesday 12 October at 7pm to discuss the first component.

· ·

To ensure this evidence-based training effectively reaches and benefits the shire’s communities, first preference will be given to participants who demonstrate a defined connection to a community or community group (i.e. volunteer, coach, community coordinator, teacher, etc). Community groups and organisations may register a maximum of two participants.

Mayor Cr Gavin Gamble said the council was pleased to offer the free course to the community again in 2022.

“Successful sessions have been held in 2020 and 2021, and it is fantastic that we can

now provide more residents with this valuable training,” he said.

“It is vital that residents have access to mental health support, and this free training program means there will be more support available within Golden Plains from friends, family and community members.

“Knowing how to support someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis is an invaluable tool and I encourage all residents wanting to gain accreditation in this area to take advantage of this free program.”

Work culture health initiative awarded Staff at Southern Rise Kindergarten, operated by Wodonga Council, have provided a shining example of how easy it can be to implement a simple change to aid in embedding a strong and positive working culture for the future.

The Southern Rise Kindergarten team recently won council’s Excellence in Safety Award for taking learnings from health and wellbeing sessions provided by the council in an approach driven by the team and for the benefit of the team.

At the end of each day, the team implemented a 10-minute team debriefing session after all students had left and before staff headed home, to support their resilience at work and daily transition from work life to home life.

The team implemented the simple practice of having a cup of tea, coffee or water and taking the time to unpack the challenges of the day in a supportive and understanding environment where they were there to support one another.

The time was also used to highlighting the wins for the day so that employees headed home with a positive mindset.

The council has a 12-month program with a local physiotherapy practice focusing on employee health and wellbeing.

It aims to promote a strong organisational safety culture that moves beyond mitigation of workplace risk to also positively benefiting individuals in their commitment to full and healthy personal and professional lives.

Wodonga award winners.

Lake Macquarie takes a colourful stance Lake Macquarie City Council staff were wearing some louder than usual workwear in recent weeks.

Indoor and outdoor staff alike were sporting bright and funky shirts as a catalyst to “start conversations around mental health”.

It’s a crucial topic given the Australian Bureau of Statistics found more than two in five Australians experienced a mental health disorder at some time in their life.

Risk Management group leader Caitlin Botha said almost 60 staff members, as well as health and safety reps, had the option of wearing the shirts.

“All staff that have completed the Mental Health First Aid Training have been issued a shirt and business cards including a QR code linking to additional resources to help those in need,” Ms Botha said.

“The goal is that these shirts will open up the conversation surrounding mental health, and where needed, the person wearing the shirt can refer people on to further support.”

Chief executive officer Morven Cameron said initiatives like this were vital in breaking down the negative stigma surrounding mental health.

“We want to create an open and honest workplace which normalises discussions about mental illness and mental health – so that everyone feels comfortable, safe and valued,” Ms Cameron said.

“We enjoy our work more and perform our best at work when we take the time to get to know one another and can bring our whole self to work; our history, our family, community connections and our passions.”

Vegetation maintenance coordinator Paul Pafumi was one of the first employees within 18 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

Colourful conversation starting shirts for Lake Macquarie council workers. council to complete the training.

“I have a number of friends and colleagues that are impacted by a wide range of mental illnesses,” Mr Pafumi said.

“I have always thought and asked the question – how could I help?

“This training has given me the knowledge and confidence to offer assistance.”

Council staff were offered the opportunity to attend a two-day Mental Health First Aid course that teaches people how to provide support to someone who is experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. Organisational Capability Partner Belinda Leck said participants learned about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in adults,

how to provide help, where and how to get professional help, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation.

“So far about 60 staff members have participated and we want to double that number by the end of 2022 so that 10 per cent of the workforce will be up to speed,” Ms Leck said.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Rail plans concern ‘salad bowl’ council A small South East Queensland council holds grave concerns for the future of their community as Inland Rail proceeds full steam ahead with plans to bring rail through Gatton.

Looking to protect the disaster fatigued region from yet another blow, Lockyer Valley Regional Council is calling on the State and Commonwealth Governments to ensure the nation’s salad bowl doesn’t pay the price for the project’s convenience.

Reflecting on the growing frustration of her council and community, Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan noted the region’s substantiated concerns appear to be falling on deaf ears.

“Our region has been put through the ringer with overlapping natural disasters and soon we’ll have infrastructure of national significance dividing our towns in two and creating further hurdles to overcome on our journey to flood resilience,” Mayor Milligan said.

“It doesn’t matter what part of the process you look at; the proposed route will have serious generational impacts on our townships, and decision makers designing the railway are not taking our concerns seriously.

“We have been raising our concerns since this project was first announced and continue to advocate for our community in our ongoing objection to the unreasonable impacts of Inland Rail.

“Despite repeated requests, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has been unable or unwilling to provide council with key information such as costs of the planned infrastructure and the alternate route, specifics of the assessment process used by ARTC to compare options or even revised traffic modelling and safety assessments.

“The decision on alignment will affect the safety, amenity and liveability of our community for 100 years - yet councillors have been given platitudes rather than facts.

“We understand this is vital transport in-

Lockyer Valley Regional councillors voice rail concerns. frastructure and we aren’t saying ‘not in my backyard’, but we are saying it must be moved outside of our townships.”

Deputy Mayor, Cr Jason Cook said council had been demanding explanations on behalf of their community, but the ones they’ve been provided aren’t making much sense.

“We understand it might cost a little more to move the route outside of the Gatton township, but when picturing two kilometre long, double-stacked freight trains roaring through the centre of a busy town more than 40 times per day, realigning the route just seems like a no brainer,” Cr Cook said.

“Surely reducing the enormous impacts on our community is a reasonable investment by the government, and the explanations and justifications we are being provided by Inland Rail just simply don’t stack up.

“The current proposal is likely to add insult to injury with increased flooding risks, as our community recovers from a spate of three severe weather events in the last 12 months.

“Beyond that, reduced connectivity between the two sides of the rail line is likely to create a ‘wrong side of the tracks’ social issue as well as genuine health concerns from the noise impacts.

“In full flight the Inland Rail project is tipped to disrupt the ability to sleep for hundreds of residents living within a kilometre of the rail corridor – which is both a health and wellbeing issue and an unsettling truth about the project.”

Mayor Milligan called on the Australian and Queensland Governments to come to the region and ground-truth the impacts of the project for themselves.

“I am calling on all layers of government to listen to our concerns, and demonstrate their respect for Australia’s rural towns,” Mayor Milligan said.

“Seeing the project on the ground is very different to viewing concept plans on a screen and is a sure-fire way to ensure all stakeholders in the project are informed on the long-lasting impacts it will have before it is too late.

“While we are a small piece in a large national scale puzzle – that shouldn’t discredit our concerns and we deserve both a voice and a platform to be heard.

“Inland Rail offers no benefits whatsoever to our community and contrary to what some members of our community are mistakenly led to believe, it does not include passenger rail.

“All we’re asking for is a fair go, and for the route to be adjusted so our liveability and ability to respond to natural disasters are not so severely impacted.

“This project will be devastating for our community unless the reference design is improved substantially to address Council and community concerns.

“ARTC doesn’t seem able to appreciate the impacts this route will have on the future of our region, and I invite relevant State and Commonwealth ministers to meet with us and hear first-hand of our concerns so that the right decision can be made.”

Mayor Milligan noted that her statements were not made by or on behalf of ARTC.

Support for interstate program Swan Hill Rural City Council supports upgrading the interconnector capacity between Victoria and NSW as part of the VNI West project.

Council recognises that the energy landscape across the National Electricity Market is changing and that well-targeted and timely invested in the transmission network is required to keep pace with these changes.

Acting Mayor Cr Bill Moar said council supported the proposed preferred option VNI West as identified in the VNI West Project Assessment Draft Report.

This new high capacity 500 kV double-circuit overhead transmission line will connect the Western Renewables Link (north of Ballarat) with Project EnergyConnect (at Dinawan) via

new stations near Bendigo and Kerang.

“Council strongly supports upgrading the interconnector capacity between Victoria and NSW as part of the overall upgrading of the transmission network and agrees with the proposed preferred option,” Cr Moar said.

Cr Moar said that the VNI West project aims to unlock additional renewable energy projects from existing and future renewable energy zones in Victoria and New South Wales, as coal-fired power stations close.

“This project will increase the capacity for

sharing electricity between Victoria and New South Wales, improving the reliability and security of electricity supply for both states, while also reducing carbon emissions, and helping to achieve state-based renewable energy targets,” he said.

Cr Moar said while council is supportive of the preferred option, it considers VNI West to be a minimum augmentation option, where additional capacity is required to accommodate and maximise the potential of the Swan Hill region and the wider Murray River Renewable Energy Zone.

Let the tri-state games begin The annual week-long sporting event for people with disabilities, the Tri State Games is coming to Cobram/Barooga, Yarrawonga this November, 2022 and again in 2023.

Cobram Barooga Business and Tourism Inc (CBBT) in conjunction with Berrigan and Moira Shires, Barooga Sporties, Cobram PALS, YMCA and Valley Sport are thrilled to announce the 2022 and 2023 Games will be held in Cobram, Barooga and Yarrawonga.

The games are held in early November each year and after having to cancel the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions they will attract up to 300 athletes, plus around 100 coaches and family and support staff.

Moira Shire Mayor Cr Libro Mustica said one of the main attractions of the Tri State Games is it offered an opportunity for people with a profound disability to participate in competitive sporting activities in a friendly and supportive environment.

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

The 2019 winning captains from Providing All Living Supports, Andy Allert and Nicole Pizinni.

“We hope the athletes will be excited to come to our region.”

The Tri State Games provides disabil-

ity awareness opportunities to the community hosting the games through the training and inclusion of local volunteers, sporting and service clubs and community groups.

The games begin with an opening ceremony that includes a street parade and the raising of the Tri State Games flag.

Mayor of Berrigan Shire Cr. Matt Hannan said it was a great cross border effort to make a successful pitch for this event that would see the whole region buzzing for a full week of competition.

“This early announcement will give everyone involved, from volunteer groups to our main street traders and accommodation providers, time to prepare and offer the athletes and their families a truly memorable experience.”

Rainbow a point of pride Daylesford has been named the home of The Big Rainbow, Australia’s first “big” landmark dedicated to the celebration of regional LGBTIQA+ pride and inclusion, which was designed with members of the LGBTIQA+ and First Nations communities.

Daylesford was chosen after 16,000 public votes were cast ahead of fellow shortlisted towns Broome (WA), Hay (NSW) and Katherine (NT).

The Big Rainbow was first unveiled in its temporary home in Sydney in March ahead of a call for submissions to find its new home somewhere in regional Australia. The Big Rainbow Project is an initiative by Tinder Australia.

Mayor Cr Tim Drylie said it was brilliant to see The Big Rainbow coming to a town that is considered by many to be the rainbow capital of regional Australia.

“Daylesford is the home of the Chillout Festival, the longest running regional LGBTIQA+ festival in Australia, and home to many rainbow families,” said Cr Drylie.

“Council will soon initiate a period of community engagement to tap into the community’s local knowledge and perspectives about the best suited location for the Big Rainbow which will celebrate our vibrant and inclusive community.”

“We are so grateful for the support that people across the country have shown us in voting for Daylesford to be the home of The Big Rainbow. We have a long history of supporting our LGBTIQA+ community and visitors to our town, and we hope that The Big Rainbow will be an example of what it means to show love and support to everyone. We’re looking forward to having the community help us decide where the Big Rainbow will live,” said Cr Drylie.

Bradley Thomas, CEO, said that while the rainbow is a symbol of inclusion, he envisages it also being a tourism drawcard for Daylesford.

“We see people seeking out the Big Pineapple in Queensland and the Big Merino in New South Wales, we believe The Big Rainbow will continue to add to our visitor experience in the beautiful Daylesford and Hepburn Shire.”

Kirsten Hardeman, Tinder Australia Director said they are absolutely delighted that so many Aussies took part in the search for The Big Rainbow’s new home and that Daylesford has been named as the fitting regional home.

“This impressive landmark will live in the town as a beacon for diversity, inclusion and self-expression for the regional LGBTIQA+ community. We’re really looking forward to working closely with the passionate people of Daylesford to bring The Big Rainbow home over the coming months.”

Over the coming months, council will be working with Tinder on the logistics of installing The Big Rainbow, which is 12 metres wide and six metres high.

As part of The Big Rainbow Project, Tinder has also pledged to donate $100,000 to support regional organisations who deliver services to LGBTIQA+ people across Australia.

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 19

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Right to access Cessnock City Council is a proud champion of Right to Know Week 2022 and is committed to supporting the protection of information access rights of local citizens.

Council workers brighten lives.

Bright staff change has heads turning A visit to the Circular Head Council offices in recent times or taking in some of Council’s outdoor workforce out and about would have been a colourful surprise for most.

The council workers have been wearing very bright and colourful shirts.

The new shirts come from TradeMutt, which is a social enterprise workwear company who create eye-catching tradie workwear designed to start and normalise conversations about mental health and suicide. For several years, on the last Friday of every month, Council office staff have been leaving their more formal

office-wear at home and dressing casually for their monthly charity fundraiser day.

Now, with the help of TradeMutt, the casual dress day can be transformed into eye-catching funky shirt day as well.

The shirts have ‘This Is A Conversation Starter’ (TIACS) embroidered across the back and are designed to make an invisible issue impossible to ignore.

When the QR code sewn into the front left pocket is scanned it sends you directly to a website containing TIACS information and contact details (tiacs.org).

Through the sale of workwear, TradeMutt helps fund TIACS, which is a free mental health support service direct to counsellors, which can be reached on 0488 846 988 from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Friday.

Sprouting interest in plants A new program to ‘sprout’ an interest in nature and gardening will start at Cairns Regional Council’s Green Space education garden in October.

Presented through the Green Space Our Place volunteer initiative, Little Sprouts is aimed at kindy-aged children and builds on the highly popular Little Taccas initiative for under-fives.

Under Little Sprouts, kids and their caregivers will spend two hours in the Green Space education garden and surrounding parklands fortnightly learning about the tropical environment through games, craft, story time and getting their hands dirty to grow seeds.

Mayor Bob Manning said Little Sprouts was a great opportunity for kids and caregivers to connect with nature and their community.

“The lush fruit and vegetable plots in the Green Space education garden are perfect for this kind of hands-on activity,” Cr Manning said.

“Kids will have the chance to search for insects and plant seeds, as well as take part in nature-based crafts such as painting and clay pottery.

“I’m sure caregivers will also pick up a growing tip or two while the kids are getting their hands dirty.”

Sessions will include a chance to explore the Nature Play playground and Centenary Lakes precinct.

20 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

There’s nothing quite like fresh produce from the garden.

The program, held in Jess Mitchell Park on Greenslopes Street (opposite Nature Play), Edge Hill, runs fortnightly on Thursdays, from 10am to noon, during the school term.

Little Sprouts builds on the award-winning Little Taccas program, which continues on alternate Thursdays in the Cairns Botanic Gardens for children under five.

Right to Know Week is an international campaign that aims to encourage NSW public sector agencies to improve their knowledge of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act). It also aims to raise awareness of a person’s right to access government held information in NSW. Right to Know Week runs from 26 September – 2 October 2022 and the theme this year is ‘Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance and Access to Information: Next steps in NSW digital government’.

As governments continue to provide digital solutions to citizens, there is a requirement to preserve and promote the public interest, accountability, transparency and citizens’ right to information.

Cessnock City Council’s general manager Ken Liddell said the Right to Know remains crucial in this digital age.

“Government service delivery in NSW is increasingly digital, and more information is being collected, stored and applied using digital technology,” Mr Liddell said.

“Cessnock City Council is committed to assisting the community to access information about Council, and there are a number of ways to do this.”

Residents can access information about Cessnock City Council via council’s website, or by making an informal or formal request. Visit cessnock.nsw.gov. au/InformationAccess to find out more.

Scooted Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has made the decision to defer plans for an E-Device Trial.

In voting on the matter, TRC Infrastructure Committee Portfolio Leader Cr Melissa Taylor said councillors believed the timing wasn’t quite right.

“We had an amazing response from the community on this topic and I’d like to thank everyone who provided feedback,” she said.

“Throughout the engagement period we had 1285 members of the community respond to the survey with an almost even split of people in favour of the trial to those who were against it.

“There was also a large portion of people who said they were unaware of the road rules regarding E-Devices.

“The State Government has drafted new laws for E-Devices and the roll-out of this legislation is being planned for November 2022.

“Given the above, we believe the timing is not right to undertake the trial yet, but believe it may be an idea worth pursuing into the future.

“These new laws would assist with mitigating some of the risks which were raised during our survey period and once residents have had time to familiarise themselves with the updated rules, we could potentially look at a trial in 2023/24.

“While we won’t be progressing plans in the immediate future, E-scooters and E-bikes are transport elements that have been identified in the current refresh of the Toowoomba Region Sustainable Transport Strategy.

“We want to see less cars on the road and will continue pursuing options to make this an active and healthy Region.”

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Video for a cause To address the concern for baby animals being removed from the wild, Roper Gulf Regional Council’s Animal Management Program has created an animation which launched 4 October.

Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell and filmmakers Madeleine and Luke Chaplain invite the world to film in the region.

Picture: PETER WALLIS

Theft into a movie The story of how in 1932 on election night, five thieves broke into the strong room of the National Bank in Cloncurry in Outback Queensland and made off with £11,000 is being made into a movie.

The story of the five thieves, six stolen keys, slumbering bank managers and the missing money is being told as a short film and, because of the Cloncurry Shire Council’s innovative Film Incentive Program, it’s been filmed right where it all happened.

Cloncurry is rolling out the red carpet for film makers, encouraging them to make the most of its remarkable outback location by providing important and needed film incentives. Cloncurry Shire Council is one of only two Queensland Council’s that is actively collaborating with producers to film in the region.

On the back of being the spectacular location for Channel 10’s Survivor in 2021, this small Outback Queensland town of some 3,000 people is currently starring in The Bank Manager, a short film about the legendary robbery by Quamby Studios’ Luke and Madeleine Chaplain.

Filmmakers, writer, producers and actors, Luke and Madeleine, grew up on Malakoff Station outside Cloncurry hearing about the legend of the bank robbery. They were motivated to capture the story on film, to ensure the folk legend lives on, and to film authentically in the town and on the ground where it happened, rather than on-location elsewhere or in-studio.

In perfect timing, the filmmaker siblings are the first to make the most of the local initiative.

“It’s quite revolutionary what Cloncurry Shire Council is doing with their film incentive.

It’s been a collaborative approach from the

very beginning. Their willingness to pivot and adapt is a huge incentive for filmmakers. This problem solving attitude, along with the region’s diversity of architecture and landscapes, makes it the perfect filming location,” said Luke Chaplain, who now splits his time between Cloncurry and Brisbane, where his sister lives.

The Bank Manager is a comedic drama that tells the story of the 1932 Cloncurry bank robbery. The film storyline is based on real events, and will focus on key moments that led to the successful robbery.

The all Queensland cast and crew have just spent five days filming in Cloncurry, with some $40,000 spent directly in the region, in addition to the indirect economic injection the production represents. Fifty extras and 10 crew were all sourced locally.

The cast includes Logie award-winning Gyton Grantley (Underbelly, House Husbands), Jason Wilder (Kidnapped 2021, Great White 2021, We Were Tomorrow 2021), Paula Nazarski (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Second), fellow North Queenslander Jordan AbbeyYoung (Thor: Ragnarök, Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan), and the filmmakers themselves in Madeleine and Luke Chaplain, who have been told by family they are related to some of the alleged robbers, although unlike the robbery, nothing has been proven!

Luke and Madeleine are 2022 AATCA Pitch: Regional Landscapes finalists for the screenplay.

Unlike the Cloncurry Bank Robbers, Cloncurry Shire Council does not want its landscape and community to remain a mystery.

Cloncurry Shire Council Mayor Greg Campbell said to have The Bank Manager film in Cloncurry was a boon to the region, economically, but also culturally as it is a legend of the region.

“There are not many backdrops as dramatic as the rugged outback landscape of Cloncurry.

The red ranges, spinifex and waterways have already played host to Channel 10’s Survivor in 2021, and now in a wonderful seredipity, we have The Bank Manager, written and produced by two brilliant Outback Queenslandf-born creatives, and starring some of Australia’s best known actors,” he said.

“Cloncurry has a truly unqiue landscape and is one of few places that can offer extraordinary terrain, open plains and waterways all in one location. It also offers a range of local businesses that are able to support film making in the region.

“We are the only small local government offering financial incentives to film in the shire, and as a council we are committed to this program as we can see the benefit it brings to our community.

“We welcome any film makers to consider Cloncurry as a film location and encourge them to make the most of council’s support.”

The animation called ‘Baby Animals Belong in the Bush’ is available in both English and Kriol.

Baby Animals Belong in the Bush is a fun, kid friendly video that has been created to reinforce the important message about leaving baby animals with their mother to stop serious health risks and problems for both animals and people.

The video is being shown to local schools as part of the Animal Management Program and has been shared to a wider audience online.

The animation was funded by the Northern Territory Animal Welfare Grant Program and was created by Christian Carbajosa at Carbajosa Design.

Roper Gulf Regional Council would like to thank Meigim Kriol Strongbala and ARDS Aboriginal Corporation who assisted with the Kriol translation and voice recordings.

They would also like to thank Dr Samantha Phelan and Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) who wrote the script and supported the project through the development stages.

Mayor Tony Jack spoke about the importance of this video for the region.

“We are always dealing with problem pets in communities including pigs, horses and buffalo, which can create a number of safety issues for residents,” Cr Jack said.

“Often people take young animals from the bush and when they grow up, they are unsuitable for community life.

“This video will help educate children and people from communities to better understand the risks with taking wild animals as pets.

“I would like to thank Kay and everyone involved in the creation of this valuable resource and look forward to its launch online and in local schools,” Cr Jack said.

The animation was shared on council’s website and Facebook page on Tuesday 4 October, World Animal Day. World Animal Day is a social movement charged with the Mission of raising the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.

History set to come to life in Augusta A local working group is set to bring history to life with a special event at the Leeuwin Lighthouse in Augusta, to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the mapping of Cape Leeuwin.

A community day will be held on Sunday 30 October from 11.30am to 2.30pm to acknowledge the historical event with a range of activities for all ages.

The working group behind the event, which is made up of the Augusta Community Resource Centre, Augusta Community Development Association, Augusta Historical Society, Shire of Augusta Margaret River and Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association, have collaborated to bring the historical event to life with a range of community activities, as well as LGFOCUS.COM.AU

historical talks at the Colourpatch Cafe.

Shire of Augusta Community Development Officer Rebecca Young said the event was a collaborative effort of the group and aimed to bring together people of all ages and cultures to recognise shared stories.

“Leeuwin 400 is a free and inclusive community event with something for everyone,” she said.

“The community day will be a celebration that is unique, rich in history and offers opportunities for everyone to get involved.”

The Leeuwin 400 event will include a Welcome to Country by Iszaac Webb and will see the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands attend and unveil a commemorative plaque. As well as food and coffee vans, The Anchormen sea shanty singers will perform, and a photography exhibition, community art project, animal nursery, face painting, rope tying and reed rope making with Undalup Association will make for an entertaining day out.

Those with a keen interest in the history of the milestone event are encouraged to book

tickets for Maritime Stories In Conversation at Colourpatch Cafe in the afternoon from 4pm to 6pm, to listen to shared stories of Dutch maritime exploration, history and Wadandi Pibelmen perspectives. Former ABC presenter, author and historian Bill Bunbury will interview special guests including Maritime Archaeologist for the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Martjin Manders, Wadandi Pibelmen Cultural Custodian Iszacc Webb, Maritime Archeology - WA Museum Jeremy Green and Historian Nonja Peters.

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 21

METRO AND SUBURBAN

Popular pump track Liverpool residents and visitors are in for a ‘wheelie’ good time with the opening of one of the biggest pump tracks in Australia, as part of a $2.2 million modernisation at Schoeffel Park, Horningsea Park.

“We’re excited to open Schoeffel Park to our community. The pump track will be a popular attraction and add another dimension to having a great day at the park,” said Mayor of Liverpool, Ned Mannoun.

Pump tracks enable wheeled sports equipment like BMX and mountain bikes to be used without pedalling or pushing and are an innovative and inclusive amenity in modern parks.

Building a pump track puts Liverpool in the forefront of providing the latest recreational amenities for residents of all ages to enjoy.

Key elements in the redevelopment of Schoeffel Park includes: Family picnic areas with table settings and shelter.

Imaginative children’s play area.

Exercise fitness equipment.

Open space for community events.

“Liverpool continues to grow and evolve into a destination of leisure and recreation for

· · · ·

not just those locally but across Sydney. I can already envisage all the BMX and mountain bike enthusiasts from all over Greater Sydney that will be visiting to give these unbelievable new facilities a go.

“Schoeffel Park has been transformed into a formal parkland aesthetic that will cater to the diverse needs of the local community of Horningsea Park well into the future,” said Mayor Mannoun.

The high-quality recreational venue received $1.4 million in funding under the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program to fast-track its delivery.

The LRCI 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.

City of Newcastle (CN) will bring together 100 people from all walks of life to help shape how the community’s voice can best be heard to guide the city’s future.

Deputy Mayor Karress Rhodes and Mayor Ned Mannoun with the Schoeffel Park official plaque.

Night time economy crucial The City of Hobart’s Night Time Economy (NTE) is a key strength of the capital city and these businesses continue to emerge from the impacts of Covid-19 and adapt to changes in consumer demand.

Arguably, no sector was hit harder than arts, entertainment and hospitality during the past two years, but the report ‘Measuring the Australian Night Time Economy 2020-21’ shows the industry is bouncing back.

The report, a project for the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors released Wednesday, September 21, is the annual analysis to measure the size of the Australia’s Night Time economy including Hobart’s.

According to the report, while all states and territories have seen an increase in employment, establishments and turnover, Hobart had the highest percentage growth in entertainment establishments (12 per cent) of all 14 cities examined, almost double the national average (7 per cent). This equated to an additional 15 businesses bringing the total to 141.

Tasmania’s strong growth (+25 per cent) in core NTE employment means jobs in the sector has increased by 13 per cent since 2018-19 statewide, but Hobart has outperformed this growth with a 19.7 per cent rise thanks to strong growth in food and drink businesses.

Since 2009 Hobart’s NTE establishments have grown from 452 to 616 in 2021, a 36 per cent increase, while overall the sector’s turnover has jumped from $551m to $780m, a rise of 42 per cent over this period.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said while the figures were encouraging, the council understood it was still a challenging

Hobart in the evening. environment for the sector.

“Council’s own more recent data tells us that the annual night time spend is increasing with a total local average spend from our residents and visitors in 2019 of just under $17 million growing to over $24 million in July 2022,” Cr Reynolds said.

“From this report, we know Hobart’s night time economy is heading in the right direction but we acknowledge what the sector has endured and that there is still more

100 voices heard

to be done.”

The City also provides grant programs aimed at supporting businesses participating in the night time economy and through dedicated projects like those to expand outdoor dining in the city.

The City of Hobart will continue to support business and is currently developing new strategies, in collaboration with the sector, to help attract more people to the city and strengthen the sector further.

‘Your Newcastle, Your Voice’ is a public workshop to be held at Wallsend Library on 15 October as an initiative to inform CN’s new four-year Community Engagement Strategy.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said CN’s approach to engagement was based on inclusiveness, transparency, and responsiveness and the new strategy would build on this to ensure all Novocastrians feel a part of the Council decision making process.

“By involving the community in shaping our community engagement strategy, CN will better understand how the community want to be engaged but also if there are barriers to participating in providing feedback that will help us adapt our approach,” Cr Nelmes said.

“We are committed to genuine consultation beyond any statutory requirements because we recognise the immense value of engaging early with the community to achieve better planning outcomes.”

Earlier this year, CN released its Community Strategic Plan, Newcastle 2040, which was developed based on the input of 4500 people from a broad representation of the community who shared their aspirations and priorities for Newcastle’s future.

“Whether developing key strategies like Newcastle 2040, or major projects like Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade, we achieve better outcomes with the community actively engaging in decisionmaking,” Cr Nelmes said.

“We want all members of our community to have the opportunity to shape the future of this city and through the ‘Your Newcastle, Your Voice’ workshop we will hear directly from the community about the best ways to achieve this.”

Using a series of past project case studies, the ‘Your Newcastle, Your Voice’ workshop will seek feedback from community participants on what has been effective and where CN can improve engagement with the community.

The ‘Your Newcastle, Your Voice’ community workshop will be held on Saturday 15 October from 10am to 1pm at Wallsend Library. The community can express their interest to participate in the workshop via City of Newcastle’s website.

In the black: Adelaide’s operating surplus The City of Adelaide has recorded a $977,000 operating surplus after operating at a deficit for the past nine years, according to the city’s independent Audit and Risk Committee (ARC).

The City’s chief executive officer Clare Mockler said this was an especially significant achievement given the impacts of COVID-19 and the support council has provided to our businesses and community and to attract people back into the city including a support package of more than $20 million.

The Audited Financial Statements were presented to ARC at the end of September, with highlights including: Operating surplus of $977,000 delivered, a significant improvement on the prior year’s deficit of $6.933 million, and the first surplus in nine years.

·

22 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

of a $4.75 million budget repair · Achievement target. of a capital program of more than · Delivery $45.2 million up from $32.3 million the previous financial year.

· Reduction of debt balance to $8 million. of more than $2 million in Reignite · Delivery Adelaide initiatives. $21 million in council’s Future Fund · Invested through sales of underperforming property assets.

“After several tough years due to COVID, the CEO and Council have been very effective in turning around the financial result of the City

of Adelaide,” ARC Presiding Member David Powell said.

Ms Mockler said she was proud that hard work over a sustained period had delivered a strong financial result.

“What is most pleasing is that we have achieved these results and delivered on the great services our community expects while delivering vital COVID recovery support for city businesses through our Reignite Adelaide program,” she said.

“By driving a financially sustainable approach to asset renewals; growing depressed revenues, ensuring maximum return on our in-

vestments, and prioritising our projects and efforts, council’s efficiency and budget repair targets have all been met and we have exceeded our surplus estimates.

“A purposeful focus on steadily improving council’s financial position paired with a commitment to community safety, growth and prosperity, sees our organisation and our city emerging stronger from the pandemic.

“We will continue to support our community while delivering on city shaping major projects such as Eighty Eight O’Connell and Market Square and unlocking the potential of the former Bus Station site.”

LGFOCUS.COM.AU

METRO AND SUBURBAN

Mayors continue rail link campaign The Mayors of Moonee Valley City Council and Brimbank City Council have urged Member for Niddrie Ben Carroll to keep fighting for a new train station in the Airport West/Keilor Park area.

Moonee Valley Mayor Cr Samantha Byrne and Brimbank Mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen met with Minister Carroll at the site long earmarked for a station - to present him a box of more than 500 postcards sent by residents backing the development.

The Airport Rail project provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a railway station in the north west – in an area that would benefit enormously from a public transport boost.

“Six new stations will be delivered in Melbourne’s Eastern and South-Eastern suburbs with the Suburban Rail Loop. The growing North-West will feel all of the negative impacts of the Airport Rail Link and Suburban Rail Loop projects – both the construction and the ongoing noise impacts. Our community should also be able to reap the benefits with our own station that would link the north-west to the City and the Airport,” Mayor Byrne said.

A train station has long been earmarked on land bordering Airport West and Keilor Park.

“We have residents in our respective com-

Moonee Valley Mayor Cr Samantha Byrne, Niddrie MP Ben Carroll and Brimbank Mayor Cr Jasmine Nguyen. munities who moved into this area over 40 years ago, and at that time they were told a train station was being planned,” Mayor Byrne said.

Brimbank Mayor Nguyen said a strategic, future-focussed public transport plan for Mel-

bourne is incomplete without a railway station in Keilor Park/Airport West.

“An area of this significance without access to the train network requires a solid commitment from the State Government about a time frame for delivery.

“This new railway station would provide a massive economic benefit to the northwest metropolitan region and a drawcard for future business investment and employment,” said Mayor Nguyen.

The Mayors agreed the development of a new station would have enormous economic benefits for both communities.

Part of each council’s commitment to sustainable transport is ensuring our communities have access to public transport networks and services. Despite being identified as a key aviation, technology and employment precinct, Airport West, Essendon Fields, Keilor East and their surrounding suburbs in Keilor Park, Keilor and Tullamarine remain a rail transport black hole.

Brisbane prepares for summer With another wet summer predicted for the East Coast, Brisbane City Council has decided it is best to be prepared.

The city prepared for the early storm season by having a Super Sandbag Weekend and allowing residents to collect sandbags over 1-2 October from 9am-4pm.

SES volunteers and Brisbane City Council officers were also on-hand to provide practical advice on sandbag storage and use. Super Sandbag Weekend locations included Darra, Morningside, Newmarket and Zillmere.

Sandbags can be used to reduce the impact of flooding on homes or businesses.

Sandbags will not stop flood water entirely but can reduce the amount of water entering premises.

Brisbane City Council provides pre-filled sandbags to residents and businesses in the council area.

Pre-filled sandbags are available for collection 24 hours a day, seven days a week from September to March and also when there is severe weather predicted (e.g. higher than normal high tides, heavy rainfall events).

After collection, sandbags must be stored in a cool, covered area out of direct sunlight and protected from the elements. If sandbags are not stored properly, deterioration is likely to occur. Sandbags must be discarded if they show signs of deterioration.

When stored correctly, sandbags should last up to 12 months before use.

The council website - brisbane.qld.gov.au - has a link to show residents how to use the sandbags properly.

Innovative shark alert system Sorrento Beach is one of several locations along the City of Joondalup’s coastline to benefit from new shark monitoring infrastructure this summer, including a Shark Warning System tower.

This new tower, one of four to be installed, uses lights, sirens, and audio broadcasts to warn beach users of shark activity in the area.

It acts on information sent to it from a network receiver that was formerly 2.5km off Mullaloo and has been moved 5.63km south, and inshore, to its new location off Sorrento.

After the removal of the Sorrento Beach Enclosure in November last year, the City of Joondalup has worked closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) on alternative shark mitigation measures.

To expand and improve the network coverage along the local coastline, two other receivers were also relocated.

The Ocean Reef receiver is now 700 metres south of its previous location, while the Mullaloo (North) receiver was relocated about 200 metres north. The location of the receiver at Mullaloo (South) has not changed.

Each solar-power receiver features the latest technology and connects to a digital phone network.

The towers, located at beaches adjacent to each receiver, are activated automatically if a shark is detected in the area.

From October to April, the towers are activated daily from 5am-7pm. For the rest of the year, they operate between 6am-6pm.

City of Joondalup Rangers can manually activate each tower from a mobile device, following any reports of a shark sighting.

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said the LGFOCUS.COM.AU

Authorities gathered to talk about the new shark monitoring infrastructure.

City’s positive working relationship with DPIRD had resulted in a great outcome for local beachgoers.

“By working collaboratively with the State Government, we are providing a safer swimming environment for the tens of thousands of people who will visit our coastline this summer.

“Joondalup is an innovative local government and the use of state-of-the-art technology, as part of a holistic approach to shark mitigation strategies, is something we endorse.”

Surf Life Saving WA receives partial funding for patrolled beach lifeguard services at Mullaloo and Sorrento from 1 November to 30 April.

Coastal aerial patrols have commenced and will run until April 30, 2023.

DPIRD has tagged 152 white sharks in WA

The new tower is one of four to be installed. waters since 2009, with 91 tagged since January 2017. The research data collected helps to inform their evidence-based shark mitigation strategy.

The City of Joondalup has installed 65 Beach Emergency Numbers (BEN) signs at local beaches to help improve emergency response times.

Grand Organ’s 150th It is the striking centrepiece of the City of Hobart’s magnificent Town Hall ballroom and now – finally – it has received the celebration it deserves.

The visually and audibly spectacular Grand Organ was played by internationally acclaimed Australian concert organist Thomas Heywood to mark its 150th anniversary on Sunday, 25 September.

Originally set for 2020, the event was postponed for two years due to COVID, but now the people of Hobart came to witness this incredible instrument played by the only musician in Australia capable of the feat.

The organ was ordered from London’s JW Walker and Sons in 1868 for a princely sum of £950 (more than $200,000 in today’s Australian currency) with the following strict instructions from the City of Hobart’s first organist Frederick Packer in 1868.

“I cannot again too strongly impress upon you the necessity of avoiding anything screamy or noisy in tone,” Mr Packer wrote.

“The Hall is a magnificent room for sound and a noisy Organ would be a perfect abomination in it.”

JW Walker and Sons certainly fulfilled its brief as, upon arrival in 1870, it was dubbed the second-best instrument of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Sydney-based Mr Heywood said it was an honour and a privilege to be part of the celebration of such a magical instrument.

“The 150th anniversary concert’s going to be showcasing the magnificent, varied and unique history of the Hobart Town Hall Grand Organ,” Mr Heywood said before the event.

“When the City commissioned (wife) Simone and I to make the first DVD/CD of the instrument, we called it ‘The Heart of Hobart’ as that’s exactly what these wonderful musical instruments were designed to be - the musical and cultural heart of the city.

“They can reach out to, and entertain, the widest possible audience, and take people to another world - if even for a short time.”

While no two organs were the same, he said the City of Hobart Grand Organ was an exquisite example of its era due to its craftsmanship and maintenance.

“The Hobart Town Hall Grand Organ is a particularly fine example of a concert pipe organ,” he said.

“It was no-expense-spared stuff back in the 19th-century, when it was ordered and shipped at great expense from England, and that it survives to this day speaks volumes about the build-quality of the instrument, and the care given to it over the last 150 years.

“Instruments like this need major attention about every 50 years which, when you think about it, is incredible.

“What else can you work on, and then use regularly, that lasts for half a century without needing major work?

“And that’s another wonderful thing about these instruments - it’s like one generation’s gift to the next.

“Here are we, in 2022, benefitting directly from all the hard work of the council and first Hobart City Organist, Mr Packer, back in the 1860s.

“It really is a special and precious living tradition.”

October 2022 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS 23

NEWS

Cricket great honoured One of cricket’s most lovable larrikins is now forever honoured after Townsville City Council officially named Riverway Stadium’s grandstand after the late Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds.

There has been overwhelming support in the community to commemorate the former Australian international cricketer after he died in a car crash at Hervey Range earlier this year.

Mayor Jenny Hill said Andrew Symonds was a legend of the sport and a significant contributor to the Townsville community.

“Roy was a proud North Queenslander who gave back to the Townsville community through charity and his involvement in junior sports,” Cr Hill said.

“He was also a great friend to many people and would light up any room he was in.

“Roy’s passing has been a tragic loss to our community, and I know his absence is felt far and wide across the country.

“We have had several requests to name the grandstand at Riverway Stadium after Roy to commemorate his contribution to cricket, charity and sports in the city, nationally and internationally. “I sincerely want to thank Roy’s wife Laura, their children and his family for their support of the proposal.”

Community Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee chairperson Maurie Soars said this was a fitting tribute for a legend of the game.

“Not only did Roy wear the baggy green with pride and distinction, but he also was a prominent figure in the community,” Cr Soars said.

“The work he did around the city with the juniors and the local cricket scene was beyond compare and he did it quietly, ensuring he never took the focus away from our Townsville up-and-coming players.” Council moved to officially name the Riverway Stadium’s grandstand ‘The Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds Grandstand’ on 30 September with his children and mother doing the honours, cutting the ribbon on the new name.

The Symond’s family, sister Louise, mother Barbara and wife Laura Vidmar with Will and Chloe and the new sign.

Roy’s mum Barbara with his children eightyear-old Will and 10-year-old Chloe Symonds.

Barbara, Chloe and Will Symonds in front of the newly renamed stadium.

The plaque explaining the new name.

APRIL 2022

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12547050-CG20-22

24 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOCUS October 2022

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