LG Focus - April 2023

Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper

Honouring a great Australian

The Northern Grampians Shire Council and Victorian Government have immortalised the late journalist, comedian and disability rights advocate Stella Young in bronze.

The statue of Stella is the first of six artworks to be unveiled over coming months as part of the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program – a $1 million investment.

A creative collective of artists Sarah Barton, Jillian Pearce, Janice Florence and Fayen D’Evie, alongside Lynne and Greg Young, developed the vision for the project and local sculptor Danny Fraser created it.

The statue, part of a program to recognise more women for their contribution to Victorian society, has now taken pride of place in Cato Park in Stawell becoming a popular attraction and talking point in the region not just furthering discussions on women’s achievements but also disability rights. “The project has, for us, highlighted how much work needs to be done to ensure true accessibility,” Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Kevin Erwin said.

“Let us all continue to appreciate and learn from Stella by recognising her achievements, remembering to push boundaries, fighting for what you believe in and always speaking our truth.”

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‘Not duly elected’

Current North-West Ward councillors will not lose their positions despite the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) ruling Milad El-Halabi - who resigned from the council in 2022 - was not duly elected as a councillor for the ward in the Merribek City Council’s 2020 local council general elections.

The tribunal made final orders in the proceeding, giving effect to its judgment in which it held that Mr El-Halabi benefited from ballot tampering conducted during the postal election for North-West Ward.

VCAT further held that the 2020 election of the three other councillors to North-West Ward was not affected by the inclusion of fraudulent ballots in the count.

The effect of VCAT’s decision is that the current councillors in North-West Ward maintain their positions on the council.

Acting electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming welcomed the decision validating the VEC’s concerns and in turn restoring confidence in the electoral process.

“In October 2020, our rigorous systems and alert staff detected some votes had been tampered with in the North-West Ward postal election for what was then Moreland City Council. By law, the VEC was required to declare the

result of that election,” Ms Fleming said.

By law, the VEC was required to proceed with the election and declare the result as soon as practicable, despite its concerns about the validity of some ballot papers.

Immediately after declaring the result, the VEC applied to VCAT for an inquiry into the election. Under the Local Government Act 2020, VCAT is responsible for hearing disputes about the validity of local government elections. The VEC had to comply with all its statutory obligations in relation to the election (including a countback) while supporting VCAT’s inquiry into the validity of the election.

“We immediately alerted Victoria Police to this matter, and within an hour of the election result being declared, we referred the matter to VCAT for an inquiry into the validity of the election,” she said.

“Since that point, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that democracy is upheld for

the North West Ward community. The VEC expended considerable time and resources in gathering and interpreting evidence to support this inquiry. I also note that all candidates were necessarily made parties in the matter. Their contributions ultimately assisted VCAT to reach its decision.

“Prior to the council elections in 2020, inquiries into the validity of elections were conducted by a Municipal Electoral Tribunal, which was stood up and given a strict timeframe to consider any disputes from elections. The VEC will make recommendations on the efficacy of the new system of review, noting that the additional obligations on VCAT coincided with increased pressures on the court system from the pandemic.”

Ms Fleming stated that she was confident that, based on the countback process that took place following Mr El-Halabi’s resignation from the council in February 2022, with votes redistributed according to voters’ preferences, the

current councillors in North-West Ward reflect the will of voters. This is supported by expert evidence presented before the inquiry, which was accepted by VCAT.

“While the proceeding’s outcome does not change the current council, it is worth noting that had Mr El-Halabi not already resigned from his position, the effect of this decision would be to remove him as a councillor,” Ms Fleming said.

“What this matter has demonstrated is that the VEC’s processes to protect democracy and electoral integrity work. However, we won’t be complacent, and we will work closely with Victoria’s local government sector, the relevant law enforcement agencies, and Australia Post to prevent this from occurring again.”

She said the VEC would not make public comment on the criminal proceedings related to this matter.

Madi Young blows a kiss to the statue of her sister, Stella Young, in Stawell.

EDITORIAL DESK

Electorate before ego

The final mainland Coalition government was swept from power late last month, completing a transformation in the political landscape with only Tasmania left with a conservative government.

However while the win wasn’t unexpected, the manner in which the contest was conducted by the two leaders (and subsequent speeches and meetings after the win) was a pleasant surprise.

The genuine respect shown between Chris Minns and Dominic Perrottet was refreshing and shows you can have differing opinions and ideology but still have productive discussions where the good of the state, country or local government area is the centre of attention and not egos.

- Tania Phillips

INSIDE THIS EDITION

COUNCILLOR PROFILES 4

THE GOOD OIL 6

INFRASTRUCTURE 12-13

ALGA CONFERENCES 15, 18

ASSET MANAGEMENT

CONGRESS 16

CONTACT US

Canberra trip big hit

Mayor Tyson Golder and CEO Edwina Marks met with key ministers to discuss critical issues facing the region.

Mayor Tyson Golder found the visit highly productive: “We had many great discussions throughout the two-day meeting including funding for Country University Centres, the social licence around carbon farming and net zero as well as the Murray Darling water buybacks, and our current housing crisis.”

The delegation met with key Queensland Senators to raise support for local issues such as rising insurance premiums, their current carbon farming study and the Murray Darling buybacks.

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DIARY DATES

National General Assembly

13-16 June

· Canberra

ALGA is now calling for councils to submit motions for the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA), which will be held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra this June. The theme for this year’s NGA will be “Our Communities, Our Future”.

ALGA is seeking motions that align with this theme and identify opportunities for new federal programs and policies that will support councils to build stronger communities.

A discussion paper providing further information, and outlining the criteria that motions must meet is available on their website.

Motions are due by Friday 24 March 2023 and must be lodged online.

National ALGWA Conference

They also met with Brendan Moon, CEO of the National Emergency Management Agency to discuss disaster management as well as the National Finance and Investment Corp to discuss potential solutions to the housing crisis

in Western Queensland.

A discussion took place with Minister Plibersek regarding the government’s commitment to carry out the Murray Darling Basin Plan, with a focus on advocating for effective engagement and compensation for communities affected by the plans.

The visit included a dinner meeting with Liz de Chastel, interim CEO of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and Kim Houghton, chief economist for the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) to discuss advocacy goals in the lead up to the Federal Budget and the new National Alliance for Regionalisation.

Maranoa Regional Council’s participation in the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (SWROC) visit to Canberra continues to provide a strong platform to discuss a wide range of critical issues facing their region.

Stella immortalised

Late journalist, comedian and disability rights advocate Stella Young has been immortalised in a bronze statue at Cato Park in Stawell as part of the State Government’s Victorian Women’s Public Art Program.

Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins joined Stella’s family, artists and the community in an official ceremony in Cato Park which included the performance of a song by Stella’s father, Greg Young.

“Stella was a force to be reckoned with. Through words and wit, through intelligence and humour, she called on society to raise its expectations about what people with disability are capable of,” Minister Hutchins said.

“She challenged our ideas and assumptions, demanded that we learn from people with disability’s lived experience, and then take action to build a better, fairer and more inclusive society.”

Their involvement led to the creation of features such as a porcelain QR code on the sandstone plinth near the statue for visitors

with low vision, which takes people through to a website about Stella, and audio that is triggered via motion sensors.

Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Kevin Erwin said the statue project had been an eyeopener for the council.

Member for Western Victoria, Jacinta Ermacora said it was important to honour women like Stella.

“As we work towards addressing the gender imbalance in public representation, towards our public spaces honestly reflecting our community, I can’t think of a more fitting Victorian woman to honour than Stella Young.”

The Victorian Government is ensuring the significant achievements of Victorian women, like Stella, are better represented and recognised under the landmark program.

17-20 May

· Mornington Peninsula

The 2023 National Conference, hosted by ALGWA and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, will be held from 17-20 May 2023 at RACV Cape Schanck Resort in Victoria.

The conference brings councillors and officers together from across Australia to advance female participation in Local Government and spotlight issues facing women in the sector.

Delegates draw inspiration from thoughtprovoking presenters, network with other attendees, and benefit from the tremendous peer support offered by ALGWA.

Water Management Conference

June 26-28

· Parkes Shire

The 2023 LGNSW Water Conference will run from Monday 26 June to Wednesday 28 June. Host council and destination will be Parkes Shire Council. #LGNSWWater2023.

The NSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference 2023

29-31 May

· Manly NSW

DVE 2023 will be hosted by Northern Beaches Council in Manly from Monday 29 May to Wednesday 31 May 2023. #VEC2023

Queensland Disaster Management Conference

30 May

· Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

The conference will be held on 30 May at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Glenelg Street South Brisbane.

IPWEA International Asset Management Congress

14 – 15 June

· Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2684-2690 Gold Coast Hwy

· Broadbeach QLD

NSW LGA Conference 12-14 November

The 2023 Local Government Annual Conference will be held from Sunday 12 to Tuesday 14 November at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

Greg Young plays Over The Rainbow at the unveilling of the tribute to his daughter, activist, journalist and comedian Stella Young in Stawell.

Maranoa Regional Council was part of the delegation from the South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (SWROC) that recently concluded a two-day visit to Canberra.

South West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (SWROC).

Two sphere co-operation

NSW councils’ peak body has congratulated NSW Premier-elect Chris Minns and his incoming government, and pledged to work with them to deliver for communities right across the state.

Local Government NSW president Darriea Turley AM said the 58th Parliament of NSW offered the opportunity for the two spheres of government to work in true partnership for the people of NSW, via a fresh Intergovernmental Agreement.

“Councils previously had an agreement with the Coalition government signed by former premier Gladys Berejiklian, but this agreement was disappointingly not renewed during the last Parliamentary term,” Cr Turley said.

“We’re delighted that the incoming Minns Labor Government has committed to signing a new agreement, which will provide the foundations for a more constructive way of working together.”

Cr Turley said the agreement was in keeping with the constructive and respectful election campaigns run by both Premier-elect Minns and former premier Dominic Perrottet.

“LGNSW looks forward to working in the same vein with all elected MPs: ALP Government MPs, Liberal and National MPs, minor parties, independents and crossbenchers,” she said.

“Above all, we remain firmly focused on the community-focused objectives that made up our election priorities and we will continue to

work constructively towards the achievement of those goals.

“There’s still so much to do, particu-

larly around the financial sustainability of local government.”

Cr Turley said LGNSW would hold the incom-

ing government to account to ensure delivery of a wide range of election commitments, including promises to:

· Review the broken model which effectively works against the financial sustainability of councils.

· Develop and apply new, fairer grant guidelines.

· Require a mandatory 30 per cent of all homes built on surplus government land to be social, affordable and diverse housing.

· Implement all 44 recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry into rural and regional health services.

Introduce fair and transparent accounting rules that restore ownership of the so-called “red fleet” firefighting equipment to the Rural Fire Service.

“NSW Labor also promised an Emergency Road Repair Fund for regional roads worth $670m over two years, and this money needs to flow into the system as quickly as possible to assist councils in building back local roads devastated by floods and torrential rains,” she said.

“There is a very big task ahead of the incoming government, but I am confident that a fresh Intergovernmental Agreement is a strong first step in forging the good faith partnership our communities need and expect.”

Stronger population increase is recorded

The opening of Australia’s borders in early 2022 led to a much stronger than anticipated recovery in population growth according to the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’s (NHFIC) third flagship ‘State of the Nation’s Housing 2022-23’ research report.

NHIF CEO Nathan Dal Bon said the report provides data and analysis into housing demand and supply across Australia, as well as long-term projections, with a view to identifying potential drivers of, and challenges to, housing affordability.

“The rapid return of overseas migration together with a supply pipeline constrained by decade-high construction costs and significant increases in interest rates is exacerbating an already tight rental market,” he said.

NHFIC analysis shows housing affordability and supply are likely to remain challenging for some time, underscoring the need for a holistic approach to mitigate the housing pressures Australians are facing.”

The Centre for Population expects net overseas migration to increase by 268,000 between 2022 and 2024, with recent data suggesting this could be considerably higher. The rapid return of population growth is coinciding with the fastest increases in interest rates for several decades, undermining residential construction feasibilities and weakening the pipeline of new housing.

NHFIC modelling in the State of the Nation’s Housing 2022-23 suggests:

· More than 1.8 million new households are expected to form across Australia from 2023 to 2033, taking total households to 12.6 million (up from 10.7 million in 2022). These households are expected to comprise around 1.7 million new occupied households and 116,000 vacant properties (eg holiday homes).

· The much earlier increase in interest rates

Active transport cash

The Western Australian Local Government Association has welcomed the late March announcement from the State Government of $9.6m to support 47 new active transport projects across WA.

The Western Australian Local Government Association has welcomed the late March announcement from the State Government of $9.6m to support 47 new transport projects.

Some 37 local governments will benefit from the WA Bicycle Network grants which will enable more than 38km of paths and other infrastructure to be laid over the next two years, with the funding split roughly evenly between metropolitan and regional local governments.

WALGA president Cr Karen Chappel said many local governments have developed bike plans reflecting the importance of cycling and active transport in their communities and the bike path grants will play a pivotal role in delivering the objectives of these plans.

“With the number of children walking or riding to school declining by 50 per cent in the past four decades, it is important all spheres of government work together to make our communities as pedestrian and cycle-friendly as they can be,” she said.

“WALGA will this year lead consultation with local governments to identify local challenges, amend and develop new planning guidelines with a view to tackling issues such as pedestrian connectivity, parking demand, road safety and public transport access.

“This will support the important work the Department of Transport is doing in collaboration with other agencies to encourage more people to leave the car at home.”

(relative to previous Reserve Bank of Australia guidance) is adversely impacting supply. NHFIC expects around 148,500 new dwellings (net of demolitions) to be delivered in 2022-23, before net new construction falls to 127,500 in 2024-25. A recovery in supply is expected after 2025-26 on the back of changing macroeconomic conditions and stronger underlying demand.

· Slowing supply, together with increasing household formation is expected to lead to a supply household formation balance of around -106,300 dwellings (cumulative) over the five years to 2027 (and around -79,300 dwellings over the projection period 2023 to 2033).

· From 2023 to 2032, household formation is expected to be dominated by lone person households (563,600 additional households), followed by couples with children households (533,300 additional households). Within five years, it is expected lone person households will be the fastest growing household type across the country.

· NHFIC continues to expect a shortage of

apartments and multi-density dwellings for rent over the medium-term. Net additions of apartments and medium-density dwellings such as town houses are projected to be around 57,000 a year (on average) over the five years to 2026-27, around 40 per cent less than the levels seen in the late 2010s.

· The premium for space at home, with ongoing work from home arrangements following the pandemic has contributed to reducing average household size. This has been a factor in sharply falling vacancy rates. Analysis shows that decreasing household size since mid-2021 led to an additional 341,500 households forming, or around 103,000 in net terms since the beginning of COVID-19.

· NHFIC estimates that, conservatively, around 377,600 households are in housing need, comprising 331,000 households in rental stress and 46,500 households experiencing homelessness. Housing need across the country range from 208,200 households in highly acute rental stress to 577,400 households under less acute rental pressure.

The rapid return of population growth is coinciding with the fastest increases in interest rates for several decades.

Picture: AAP IMAGE/DIEGO FEDELE

Local Government NSW president Darriea Turley AM.

What makes Merredin tick?

Shire of Merredin President Mark McKenzie spoke to Local Government Focus about what makes his Wheatbelt shire special.

Tell us about your area: What makes your council special or different?

Our shire is a hub located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, halfway between Perth and Kalgoorlie, and acts as a base for major commercial and retail services for the region. Merredin’s population is 3200, however, we draw an additional 10,000 people from surrounding local governments stretching 100km in every direction. We also provide a range of government services and have the largest CBH inland grain receival point in WA. Do you have a favourite part/aspect/attraction in the council area?

My favourite part about the Shire of Merredin is its people. We have a multicultural society, and there are also generations of families living in town, many whose ancestors extend back to Merredin’s pioneer days. All of these people bring with them a wealth of knowledge of the area and have incredible stories to tell. Our residents also enjoy the rural living lifestyle with room to grow, reduced cost of living, and a personable community, while only being a stone’s throw away from Perth city. How long have you been on the council and why did you become involved in local government?

After 32 years working in the police force, I had a natural passion and drive for being a community leader. I’ve always had an interest in local government and was intrigued by the processes and decisions that were being made. Once I left the force and returned to Merredin, and after speaking with locals and listening to their concerns, my passion for being a leader only grew and I was elected to council in 2019. After two years of being a councillor, I put my

name forward for shire president. I knew I was the right person to guide the Council through a period of change with a new CEO and executive coming on board. Do you have another job? Tell us about that and how it contributes to your role/views as a councillor?

My wife and I purchased an existing funeral and stonemason business in Merredin five years ago which we renamed McKenzie Fam-

ily Funerals, and we run this business full-time. Working in this industry allows us to have a personalised connection with the community as we are directly involved in every job we complete. This, along with my policing background, means I can offer council many different perspectives and experiences to bring about positive changes and initiate informed debate. What are they key challenges facing you and your council?

It is difficult to attract qualified staff to a rural shire, especially in policing, education, childcare, local government and health. This problem stems from a lack of government housing availability, as well as limited positions being available at the local day-care centre. There are also a number of government facilities that are only able to offer restricted services which means dementia patients are unable to remain in Merredin to receive care, and expectant mothers are unable to give birth at the local hospital.

What innovative projects or policies is the council working on?

The shire has just completed the first stage of Merredin’s $9 million dollar CBD Redevelopment Project. Stage One of the project included the revitalisation of Pioneer Park, while Stage Two includes the Town Centre and Apex Park, which will be transformed into a multigenerational play and recreation area celebrating Merredin’s unique environment and natural history. This park will provide a safe space for the town’s youth and cater for people with disabilities and accessibility issues. The overall aim of this project is to create a vibrant and socially interactive town centre, with better accessibility and safer facilities. We expect that

this redevelopment will enhance Merredin’s growth as a tourist destination.

Merredin has also recently been selected as one of four locations throughout WA to take part in a desalination technology trial, in partnership with Water Corporation, Murdoch University, and DPIRD. This project will see the installation of a desalination unit which will treat brackish bore water to produce high-quality potable water that will be available for community use and improve water security for Merredin. This will in turn support the local agricultural industry in times of drought.

Tell us about a specific success you have had in local government.

The revitalisation of Pioneer Park was a huge success for our council. The space had previously been underutilised and did not provide benefit to our community. The project allowed us to create a beautiful natural environment with picnic and seating areas between two of Merredin’s most popular tourist destinations, the military and railway museums. The park has also been designed to showcase our iconic Water Tower, which is a major asset to our community.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future?

My vision for our town is that we continue to build our Wheatbelt hub status, and become a place that people come for apprenticeships, career prospects, and educational opportunities. As the shire president, I want to continue to provide leadership to our councillors, the CEO and the administration. I also want to ensure I remain an active part of the community, listening to what people have to say and offering guidance and support.

Looking to the future with confidence

How long have you been on council and why did you become involved in local government?

I was elected to council in 2017, and elected mayor in 2021.

Do you have another job? Tell us about that and how it contributes to your role/ views as a councillor.

I am a solicitor, practising in a range of commercial areas. A large part of my work concerns the governance of organisations.

I have also sat on some charitable/not-forprofit boards over the years. My legal training helps me navigate and analyse council matters - particularly when we are tasked with applying and making decisions under legislation. I always try to relate council’s role as a governing body back to best practice governance in the world outside of local government.

What activities do you enjoy outside of work hours?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and two (soon to be three) young children. They remind me why I do the work that I do.

Tell us about a specific success you have had in local government.

Each year, the City of Subiaco undertakes a Community Scorecard survey. In 2022 - the first since the elections held the previous year - we were thrilled to see the ‘Leadership by the Mayor and Councillors’ category receive an almost 70 per cent positive rating - up from somewhere below 50 per cent in the previous year.

What are the key challenges facing you and your council?

In 2022 a fire occurred in the roof of our council and administration building. It required the relocation of our staff (and for a period, council too). Next month we will move into commercial office space for a term of several years, while we plan for a council and administration building that will serve us well into the future. Council is currently treating this as a number one priority.

A constant challenge which we have faced in the past, and will continue to face, is the celebration and protection of Subiaco’s heri-

tage, while welcoming in the future. Subiaco (including the suburbs of Shenton Park and Daglish) are well known for their character, their streetscapes, and leafy tree canopies. Our job is to protect what has made Subiaco great in the past, over our 126-year history as a municipality, while facilitating progress in a way that will equip the city for success over another 126 years and beyond.

What is the best part about being a councillor?

As a council, we turn up each week for our community. We are in the privileged position of being able to plan, steer and make decisions which we then see come to fruition at a local level.

What is the worst part?

When we see decisions made by other levels

of government which appear to be at odds with our community’s wishes.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future?

I’d like to leave council and the city in a better position than it was in, prior to when I became mayor. And I would like to leave a legacy of good governance led by council, the CEO and our executive leadership team.

Local Government Focus catches up with City of Subiaco Mayor David McMullen.

Mayor David McMullen.

Shire president Mark McKenzie.

Hoenig becomes minister

The new NSW Premier, Chris Minns has announced his government’s first full Ministry just before Easter with Ron Hoenig MP being named Minister for Local Government and vice-president of the Executive Council in the announcement.

Mr Minns said the government will hit the ground running to get on with the job of governing for all of New South Wales.

The Premier said they had been given a clear mandate from the people of New South Wales to:

· Rebuild essential services;

· To invest in the people who look after us – our nurses, teachers, paramedics, police officers and firefighters by removing the wages cap;

· Deal with the crisis in schools and hospitals;

· Deal with the energy crisis; and

· Help with the rising cost of living.

The Minns Ministry is a reduced cabinet of 22 ministers, but for the first time in New South Wales history, will be 50 per cent women (excluding the Premier).

For the first time in New South Wales history, a woman will hold the position of Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

For the first time in New South Wales history, a woman will hold the portfolio of Energy (Sharpe), Police (Catley), Regional NSW (Moriarty), Finance (Houssos) and Regional Transport (Aitchison).

For the first time in New South Wales history, an Australian Minister was sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita (Mookhey), and a NSW Minister will be sworn in on the Quran (Dib).

Penny Sharpe will take on the responsibility of Energy and Climate Change, Environment and Heritage as well as Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council.

Yasmin Catley will take on the responsibility of Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism.

Jihad Dib will take on Customer Service and Digital Government, as well as Emergency Services and Youth Justice.

Tara Moriarty will take on Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW.

David Harris will take on Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Gaming and Racing, Veterans, Medical Research, and the Central Coast.

Chris Minns, NSW Premier said: “I’m proud of the team we have. We have a lot of hard work in front of us, and a big responsibility, but my team and I are up to the challenge.

“We have a clear mandate from the people of NSW to rebuild our essential services, to invest in the people who look after us – our

Discuss your connectivity issues,

“Regional

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The RTH is an Australian Government initiative run by the National Farmers Federation

nurses, teachers, paramedics, firefighters and police officers.

“Our priority is to help families and households deal with the increasing cost of living, the energy crisis and to fix our schools and hospitals.”

Ministers

· Christopher John Minns MP Premier

· Prudence Ann Car MP Deputy Premier Minister for Education and Early Learning Minister for Western Sydney

· Penelope Gail Sharpe MLC Minister for Climate Change Minister for Energy Minister for the Environment Minister for Heritage

· John Graham MLC Special Minister of State Minister for Roads Minister for the Arts Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy Minister for Jobs and Tourism

· Daniel Mookhey MLC Treasurer

· Ryan John Park MP Minister for Health Minister for Regional Health Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast

· Joanna Elizabeth Haylen MP Minister for Transport

· Paul Scully MP Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

· Sophie Cotsis MP Minister for Industrial Relations Minister for Work Health and Safety

The Honourable Yasmin Maree Catley MP Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism

· Jihad Dib MP Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Youth Justice

· Kate Rebecca Washington MP Minister for Families and Communities Minister for Disability Inclusion

· Michael John Daley MP Attorney General

· Tara Moriarty MLC Minister for Agriculture

Minister for Regional New South Wales Minister for Western New South Wales

· Ron Hoenig MP Minister for Local Government Vice-President of the Executive Council The Honourable Courtney Houssos MLC Minister for Finance Minister for Natural Resources The Stephen Kamper MP Minister for Small Business Minister for Lands and Property Minister for Multiculturalism Minister for Sport

· Rose Jackson MLC Minister for Water Minister for Housing Minister for Homelessness Minister for Mental Health Minister for Youth Minister for the North Coast

· Anoulack Chanthivong MP Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Minister for Industry and Trade Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Minister for Corrections The Timothy Carson Crakanthorp MP Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Minister for the Hunter

· David Robert Harris MP Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister for Gaming and Racing Minister for Veterans Minister for Medical Research Minister for the Central Coast

· Jodie Elizabeth Harrison MP Minister for Women Minister for Seniors Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

· Jennifer Kathleen Aitchison MP Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Parliamentary Office Holders

· Penelope Gail Sharpe MLC Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

· John Graham MLC Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council

· Ron Hoenig MP Leader of the Government in the Legislative Assembly

Mayors and Councillors join us at the 2023 Floodplain Management Australia’s National Conference

“Preparing for the unprecedented flood” to be held at Luna Park Venues on Sydney Harbour, NSW, from 24 - 26 May 2023.

This Conference is not just for technical people –it’s also for you.

• Voice your thoughts at the Councillor’s Only Session

• Hear case studies about recent floods: What happened, what worked, what didn’t and how to prepare better for next time

• Make valuable connections during informative networking sessions.

The FMA National Conference has been held annually for over 50 years and is the most respected flood risk management event held in Australia.

Details are at www.floodplainconference.com

Stay Connected in rural regional and remote Australia”

Keating’s historical foray

Former PM Keating’s foray into the feds’ $368 billion Virginia Class submarine deal is now etched in Australian history.

It’s the latest in a sequence of questionable decisions by our defence chiefs, viz., a proposal to buy Japanese subs that was scuttled, then a switch to French subs that was also scuttled and caused international embarrassment. Now back to square one with our Anglo Saxon colleagues.

Sadly it took the trenchant criticism from Paul Keating to generate the debate that we should have been having beforehand.

The core of the problem is that the Department of Defence has no checks or balances. It does what it likes, under the shroud of ‘national security’ and an existential threat. Contrast this with the primary and manufacturing sectors, which have the Productivity Commission and various parliamentary bodies questioning every dollop of federal assistance.

While there’s no turning back now, there are questions that will linger for years. And the Defence hierarchy owes it to the nation to begin answering them. Here’s just two.

Local content?

The first question is whether the manufacturing the subs in Adelaide was really the best option. Sure, we’ll get loads of jobs and economic spin-offs. But the better option – which we’ll never be able to measure – might have been to buy the submarines ‘off the shelf’ from the USA (at a lower unit lower price), and then use savings to seed-fund in manufacturing activities better suited to our competitive advantages.

Defence surely undertook a comparative analysis of the two options, but we’ll never know. Defence Minister Marles refused pointblank on ABC Insiders recently to disclose the cost breakdown, let alone any insights into the

THE GOOD OIL

ROD BROWN

economics of the project.

On the bright side, Adelaide has its longstanding Defence Teaming Centre – with a track record in clustering concepts and collaboration with overseas partners. And another bright spot is the new Minister for Industry Ed Husic. He was impressive at the National Press Club last month – a great grasp of new global technologies and how Australia can leverage them.

Impact

on other federal programs?

The second question is the likely impact of the submarine project on federal funding on health and education, as well on programs directly relevant to local government such as infrastructure and regional development.

Senior defence officials are running the line that expenditure on the submarines will be spread over three-four decades, and thus manageable within the federal Budget. The Department of Finance will have a different view, and with a likely $5 billion impact annually, programs outside the mainstream such as regional development will be under the gun.

Suggestions for local government

While the big winners are Adelaide and Perth, there is scope for other cities and towns to derive economic benefits. In the USA, for example, there are companies in many unlikely places involved in defence work. If you’re interested in this opportunity, you should talk to some of the defence primes. Matching their needs with your local capabilities is the basic aim. We have Cockatoo members who have assist in this regard.

Another opportunity might lie in Defence land sales. Although Defence has had a land sell-off in recent times, the Department of Finance would now be arguing for more. Perhaps I’m dreaming, but Defence has facilities on prime urban land that are an accident of history. Think about HMAS Penguin (14 hectares) near Taronga Zoo and Watsonia Barracks (55 hectares) in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. These facilities could arguably be moved to regional areas, and the sites turned over to medium density housing with parklands, and help address the housing shortage.

Ron Joseph – master lobbyist

The brains behind the emergence of North Melbourne FC in the late 1960s was the CEO, Ron Joseph. His death last month led to anecdotes about how he lured AFL greats to the club to activate things, viz., Ron Barassi, Barry Cable, Doug Wade and Barry Davis.

Ron’s key success factors were his passion, constant travel for face-to-face meetings, and appeal to the mindsets and egos of his targets. He kept using the same strategy when he became CEO of the Sydney Swans – they were also-rans in need a great coach and some

pizazz. He thus pitched again to Ron Barassi to coach Sydney, this time appealing to his nationalistic streak by arguing that a strong Swans Club was needed to consolidate the AFL as a national competition. And the rest is history.

There are direct lessons for councils and regional stakeholders trying to get projects off the ground. The first is those face-to-face meetings, especially with politicians and their advisers. The second is to think about your targets, understand their mindsets/egos and pitch accordingly.

An example here is the ANU footy club pavilion. I’m currently helping them pitch for a new grandstand – the current one is 70 years and is embarrassingly unfit for purpose. The ANU has spent $700 million - $800 million in recent years on capital works, but seemingly isn’t convinced about $3 million for a decent pavilion.

I’m thus hunting around for a new-age Ron Joseph to lobby Julie Bishop, the ex-Foreign Minister who is now the ANU Chancellor. I’m thinking that the pitch to Julie is that it’s NOT just a pavilion – it could be an iconic piece of infrastructure in a fantastic setting. It could host cricket matches between embassies or between ACT characters and international teams (similar to the Lords Taverners), or simply cater for afternoon gatherings of embassies or community groups. If you think that’s wild, who thought up $368 billion worth of submarines?

Rod Brown is a Canberra-based lobbyist specialising in industry/regional development. Email apdcockatoo@iprimus.com.au

Dual naming policy approved for six sites

This milestone was achieved after receiving formal approval from the Government of South Australia, and is being celebrated by the community.

In February 2022, council adopted a Dual Naming Policy that paved the way for Bunganditj language - the language of the Boandik peoples - to feature alongside the place names of six local sites including, Umpherston Sinkhole, the Cave Garden, Leg of Mutton Lake, Browne Lake, the Valley Lake and the Blue Lake. Implementing dual names for sites of cultural significance was a key action within council’s inaugural ‘Yerkalalpata’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) adopted in early 2020.

Over the past few years, the City of Mount Gambier has worked alongside Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation and the Bunganditj Language Reclamation Committee to determine the appropriate sites and names for the provision of the new dual names. Once confirmed, a formal application was submitted to the South Australian Government. The

names were considered by the minister and additional public feedback sought, before being formerly approved this week.

“Language is significant to the identity of our First Peoples, not only in our region but in uniquely defining the many nations and language groups located across Australia,” City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM said. ‘‘It has been a significant achievement of many cultural leaders within our community who have worked tirelessly to reclaim the Bunganditj language, and it’s appropriate that these names are given back to prominent local sites to acknowledge the connection and custodianship of these places by our Boandik peoples for tens of thousands of years. I’ve been proud to be working alongside our cultural leaders to see this long-term shared goal come to fruition and I think this is a significant moment for our city.

“The dual naming process will incorporate both the known European place name and the place name in Bunganditj. When referencing the areas both names will be used and

displayed on signage throughout the city, for example: Blue Lake/Warwar.”

Boandik Elder Aunty Michelle JacquelinFurr says that Dual Naming is very important to Aboriginal People.

“Not unlike many areas around Australia, colonisation significantly impacted our language as our people were told that we were not permitted to speak or sing Bunganditj,” said Aunty Michelle. “As a result, some words, songs, even lullabies for our children were lost, but together with the support of language experts, we’ve been working steadily for many years to reclaim our language. It’s been a process and we’ve been working at gradually reintroducing Bunganditj, starting initially with our people.”

The names of the six sites are as follows:

Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul (BahLoombool) - Buttercup Flower.

Cave Garden/Thugi (Th-Oo-Gi) - Bull Frogs.

Leg Of Mutton Lake/Yatton Loo (Yah-TonLoo).

Blue Lake/Warwar (Waa-Wore) - Crow

Country.

Browne Lake/Kroweratwari (Kroh-WehRat-Wah-Ri) - Emus, Their Tracks.

Valley Lake/Ketla Malpi (Ket-Lah Mah-LPi) - Sacred Talking Tree.

Bunganditj language coordinator at Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation, Tara Bonney says that she feels a great sense of pride in seeing dual naming occur at these sites.

“By having dual names introduced to the community in an obvious way such as signage, it reminds both indigenous and nonindigenous people that this is Aboriginal land, and we have a language that has been spoken here for thousands of years. The challenge that I put forward to our community is to become an ambassador for our language by having a go at the dual names and adopting them in reference to these important places moving forward,” said Tara.

The formal approval of these names results in the legal reference to these sites being updated to include both the European and Bunganditj name immediately.

The City of Mount Gambier, in collaboration with Traditional Owners and cultural leaders, is pleased to announce the successful implementation of dual names for six significant cultural sites.

Former PM Paul Keating.

Picture: MICK TSIKAS/AAPUS President Joe Biden.

LEVEL UP

MOTOR GRADER R R JOB SITE AUTOMATION

NEVER IDLE

Connolly new CEO

City of Parramatta Council has appointed Gail Connolly PSM as its new CEO.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Donna Davis said Ms Connolly was selected by council following an extensive national search and brings with her more than 30 years’ experience in the public sector.

“I am delighted to welcome Ms Connolly to the City of Parramatta. Council looks forward to working closely with Ms Connolly as we continue to deliver valuable services and important projects for our community,” Cr Davis said.

“Ms Connolly’s extensive leadership experience in local and state government will be an asset to our council. With her deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead of us, we are confident Ms Connolly is the right person to lead the City of Parramatta through this unprecedented period of transformation and growth.”

Ms Connolly, who earlier this year was awarded a highly coveted Public Service Medal as part of the Australia Day Honour Awards, was most recently general manager of Georges River Council, where she successfully led the council during its amalgamation. She was previously general manager at the City of Ryde and has held senior executive roles at several other large local government organisations including City of Gold Coast, City of Sydney, and Campbelltown Council.

Ms Connolly said she was honoured to accept the role and looked forward to serving the

people of Parramatta and working in partnership with the community to achieve outstanding outcomes for the city.

“I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to lead the City of Parramatta through its next

Roper returns to council

Kate Roper has been elected as the new Watson Ward Councillor for the Mornington Peninsula Shire.

She was set to be sworn in as a councillor at a council meeting in April.

Roper was previously a councillor for Cerberus Ward from 2016 to 2020.

Mayor Councillor Steve Holland welcomed Cr Roper’s return.

“On behalf of my fellow councillors, I’d like to congratulate Kate and welcome her back to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

chapter. I look forward to working with the Lord Mayor, councillors and staff in creating a dynamic organisation that continues to prosper and serve the diverse and vibrant community of Parramatta,” she said.

Council staff step up with care

Kalkarindji, Daguragu, and Nitjpurru (Pigeon Hole) residents were evacuated from their communities in early March following severe flooding across the region.

Council staff members were also evacuated from the affected communities will reside in the CNR until safe to return home.

Victoria Daly Regional Council Mayor, B Pedwell, thanked staff for their hard work.

“I can’t thank all the VDRC, Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation, Katherine West Health board, Northern Territory Government staff and many other organisations working within CNR for their hard work and dedication during this period.”

VDRC Night Patrol, Community Development Program (CDP), aged care and NDIS departments are now directing their services and support normally delivered in communities towards those staying in the CNR.

A Night Patrol model has been established within the CNR through the support of patrollers who have been evacuated to the facility.

Female and male Night Patrol teams are providing valuable support and engagement with evacuees at the CNR.

They are also receiving additional staff-

guards in action.

ing support from the CDP team to help with the patrols. Night patrol team members have established and strong community connections, making them well placed to provide support and care for their Countrymen and women living in the facility.

CDP staff are engaging participants of the program in activities and training whilst they are away from their communities. Several participants are undertaking a Civil Construction training program, equipping them with the skills to help rebuild their communities once they are safe to return to with Palmerton Bunnings donating equipment

for the course.

Painting, craft, and jewellery making activities are also being run by CDP staff, as a way of positively engaging community members.

Age care and NDIS services: VDRC aged care residents are currently receiving welfare checks each morning from VDRC aged care staff.

Food hampers, extra blankets, towels, and microwaves have also been delivered to the CNR, ensuring participants have access to everything they need to be comfortable in their temporary accommodation. A weekly shuttle service from the CNR to Darwin is in the works, enabling elderly residents to safely leave the facility for shopping, socialising and medical appointments.

Residents are also engaging with arts and crafts activities via the pop-up art space coordinated by the Karungkarni Art Centre.

There is currently one NDIS participant in the CNR. They do not have complex needs and are receiving support from a carer who is also staying in the centre. NDIS participants with complex needs are in respite care in Katherine.

Positive staff survey from shire

Wollondilly Shire Council’s latest independently run Employee Engagement Survey, released in late March, has revealed a continued high level of engagement and commitment to the Wollondilly community across all divisions of council.

The November 2022 survey was carried out by the independent provider who has run the survey in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The results reported to a recent council meeting show a culture of increasing trust, job satisfaction and advocacy within the organisation.

CEO Ben Taylor said: “We’re striving for excellence. To be the best council we can possibly be for our community and shire.”

“It is great to see that Wollondilly remains in the top 10 per cent of benchmark councils, even though we have had significant change through the implementation of a new organisa-

tional framework and the challenges of multiple natural disasters over the past few years.”

“I’m extremely pleased to see we are one of the top councils in the country and continue to be grateful every day for the wonderful people here who proudly serve the Wollondilly community.”

Mayor Matt Gould said: “I would like to commend the CEO on his extraordinary efforts at building such a healthy, positive culture at council. Since day one, Ben Taylor has demonstrated the highest levels of integrity and care for people, which to this day

has never wavered.

“Council recognises that increased staff engagement translates directly to increased performance and improved service delivery and quality, which is why we set staff engagement as a key performance measure for our CEO.

“These results demonstrate an ongoing high level of employee engagement across all divisions of the organisation.

“Thank you to all our staff on behalf of council for everything you do for our community.”

“Her previous experience as a councillor will be invaluable and I look forward to working with her to support the Watson Ward community and improve life for all local residents.”

The Watson Ward extraordinary vacancy occurred due to the resignation of former councillor Paul Mercurio after he was elected as the Member for Hastings at the 2022 Victorian election.

To fill the vacancy, the Victorian Electoral Commission held a by-election. Full results can be found online at vec.vic. gov.au

Van Berkel joins from Mildura

Troy Van Berkel will join Riverina Water as director engineering in May.

Mr Van Berkel is currently employed as the general manager service delivery and operations at Lower Murray Water, based in Mildura.

Prior to joining the Victorian industry leader in 2013, Mr Van Berkel was a water quality engineer and then the wastewater team leader at Central Highlands Water in Ballarat.

“Troy brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise and we are delighted that he will be joining our award-winning team,” Riverina Water CEO Andrew Crakanthorp said.

“He has 15 years’ leadership experience in the water sector managing large and diverse teams, while identifying, planning, and delivering required strategic initiatives.

“Troy joins us at an exciting period in our history, with our region experiencing significant growth and our organisation adapting and changing to meet the future needs of our customers and community.”

Mr Van Berkel has a Masters of Civil Engineering from Federation University and an MBA, among other qualifications.

“My family and I are really excited to be moving to Wagga Wagga,” Mr Van Berkel said.

“I’m looking forward to supporting the team at Riverina Water and identifying opportunities to continually improve our service delivery to our customers.”

Mr Crakanthorp thanked manager operations Jason Ip, who will continue to act in the director role until Mr Van Berkel commences on 15 May 2023.

With hundreds of people temporarily living in the Howard Springs Centre for National Resilience (CNR), Victoria Daly Regional Council staff are working hard to provide care for displaced community members.

The night

Gail Connolly PSM.

Million-house goal a must

“Passage of the Housing Australia’s Future Fund Bill 2023 is an important step toward addressing ongoing decline of housing affordability across Australia,” said Ms Martin.

“An inadequate supply of additional housing over many years has led to a situation where there is intense competition to secure housing, amongst limited options. The intense competition is evident across the spectrum of the housing market.

“Tackling housing affordability starts with making the supply of housing a national priority and improving affordability can enable more households to own their own homes.

“Housing Australia’s Future Fund Bill 2023 is an important step toward achieving this goal.

“To abandon the plan to build the one million private and 40,000 social houses, will mean Australians will undoubtably face higher rents and pay more when buying a house in the future, as supply falls well short of the dedicated target.

“Building 200,000 new homes per year will not be sufficient to satisfy the enormous, and growing, demand for homes across Australia.

“All sides of politics should view the passing of the housing the Housing Australia Future Fund bill as the first step in a long journey to bring affordability and housing supply under control.

“Private and social housing work hand in hand, the more homes on the private market mean cheaper rents for those that can’t afford to buy a house but want to save for one.

“The Federal Government’s housing bill is is a good, solid start to ensuring access to a home even though it may not be the answer

to all the problems that are facing the housing industry now.

“The bill will not only enable more homes to be built in Australia, but it also seeks to create important advisory bodies such as the National

Housing Supply and Affordability Council, that will advise government on how and where to create more housing supply.

“It is important that the role of the Australian Government in addressing the affordability

challenge continues to grow with the passage of this legislation.

“It should be supported by all the political players, housing affordability cannot be treated like a political football,” concluded Ms Martin.

Masterly Mustafa

Before turning to CQUniversity to complete a Master of Project Management, alumnus Mustafa Duzcu worked with a project management team in Georgia in the oil and gas industry.

“I realised how I enjoyed working in that field with my engineering background,” Mr Duzcu explained.

“I started to research about an education in project management and thought studying a master’s would be a good achievement for my career journey.”

Mr Duzcu completed his masters at the end of 2022 and said the qualification had helped him land the position he now has as an electrical and electronics engineer for a large electrical and communications company in Sydney.

“Doing the master’s provided me with a lot of skills such as scheduling and time management, working on a team, critical thinking and problem solving,” Mr Duzcu explained.

“My master’s helped me to get my job even before I graduated,” he said.

Mr Duzcu said he chose CQUniversity because the staff were friendly and knowledgeable.

“I visited a few universities and the staff at CQU were really helpful and friendly. I remember asking about the differences between project management and engineering management and they gave me really clear and good briefs about everything so I decided to apply.”

Mr Duzcu provides some sound advice for future project management students.

“Always have a clear goal and use each goal you reach as a step towards new goals,” he said.

“Have good relationships with lecturers and surround yourself with positive and successful people to keep you motivated.”

To find out more about CQU’s study options in Project Management, visit cqu.edu.au

He learned the skills of project management on the job, but a master’s degree is what got Mustafa ahead in his career.

A

master’s degree is

what got Mustafa ahead in his career.

Master of Project Management alumnus Mustafa Duzcu.

The government’s goal of building one million private homes and 40,000 social and affordable homes in the next five years should not be abandoned and is the correct path to ensuring that housing supply in Australia is able to keep up with demand, according to Housing Industry Association policy and industry deputy managing director Jocelyn Martin.

Tackling housing affordability starts with making the supply of housing a national priority, according to Housing Industry Association policy and industry deputy managing director Jocelyn Martin.

A vital upgrade

Snowy Monaro Regional Council has successfully completed major upgrades at Jindabyne’s major recreation and sporting ground – John Connors Oval.

Funded under the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund – Round 2, Wollongong-based contractor Davone Constructions performed the work to overhaul this vital community facility.

The project saw the gut and refurbishment of the home and away changerooms, which were in a state of disrepair with significant mould issues.

A new undercover seating area with lighting has also been built to protect players and spectators from the sun, rain and snow.

The response from the Jindabyne and wider Snowy Monaro sporting community has been overwhelmingly positive, with athletes and supporters alike enjoying the benefits of a safe and modern sporting facility.

Plans for these upgrades have been in place since 2019 and Snowy Monaro Regional Council extends thanks to the NSW Government for their support.

Towards a safer facility

The Rokewood Recreation Reserve Netball and Tennis Court

Upgrade

The upgrade will also see the installation of new fencing, undercover benches for players, coaches, timekeepers, and spectators. An additional storage structure will also be introduced to increase storage of sporting equipment by user groups.

The works commenced in late January and are on track to be completed and open to the public in May.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham recently visited the construction site at the Rokewood Recreation Reserve and was delighted to see the upgrade works get underway.

“The upgrade project at the Rokewood Recreation Reserve supports users of the Rokewood Recreation Reserve and addresses issues related to the previous court’s proximity to the adjacent creek.

“The new netball and tennis courts will provide a safer, more comfortable facility to support participation and will complement the $3.96 million Rokewood Community Hub project to see Rokewood Recreation Reserve become a truly first-class sporting facility for all users.

“Council is pleased to partner with the Victorian Government to fully fund and deliver this project for the residents of Rokewood, and visitors.”

The $751,000 project received $433,666 from the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund Female Friendly Facilities category.

Using turf pigments and paint

By Daryl Davidson

Their technology has evolved over the years although all of these products use a base pigment called Green Seven.

In recent years innovations such as incorporating biostimulants, adjuvants and Quick Dry Technology have all improved their performance.

User error is, unfortunately, still the major cause of problems when you use these. In order to avoid issues it is very important the label is closely followed.

To answer some tough questions I have reached out to Gilba Solutions whose experience with turf pigments goes back to the introduction of BASF’s Vision Pro and more recently developed Vertmax and Vertmax Duo pigment.

Q. What is a pigment?

A. The term turf pigments refers to either the pigments or colourings found in grasses and other turf plants or turf colourants used to mask turf and improve its colour. The main pigments found in turf are chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins and flavonoids.

Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives grass its green colour and is responsible for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy. It is found in plant cells and has magnesium as its central atom.

Carotenoids are pigments that give turf a yellow or orange hue. These are responsible for absorbing excess light energy and protecting the plant from damage. They are also known to have antioxidant properties.

Anthocyanins give turf a red or purple colour

and are produced by plants in response to environmental stress, such as high light intensity or drought.

Flavonoids are pigments are responsible for a range of colors, such as red, purple or blue, and are also known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The presence and concentration of these pigments can vary depending on the species of grass and the environment it is grown in.

A Turf colourant or turf paint or turf dye is a product that is used to change or enhance the colour of turfgrass. It is typically a liquid which

you apply to the turf through a sprayer. The colourant is usually made of organic or inorganic pigments that are safe for use on turf. It is designed to be long-lasting, weather-resistant, and easy to apply.

For more information, go to gilbasolutions. com/guide-to-turf-pigment-and-paint-7

Q. Will it stain clothing or pets?

A. If the directions are followed and they are given time to dry properly no they won’t. Always be aware that drying time is often affected by the temperature. Also some products don’t incorporate stickers to speed up the drying time.

Q. Can it be used all year round and what are the benefits?

A. Green Seven as a stand-alone application helps screen UV light and basically filters out the “bad stuff”. Products like Vertmax Duo incorporate a biostimulant and an adjuvant to help turf even more. The biostimulant helps with root growth and acts as an elicitir of plant response that helps turf fight against st biotic stress.

Q. What situations should it be used in?

A. As a supplier all situations lol. Honestly though they can be used in all situations are probably most effective on warm season turf heading into dormancy.

Jerry Spencer BSC Hons Soil Science, Grad Dip Gilba Solutions Pty Ltd Website: gilbasolutions.com

For other great content on turf check out the International Greenkeepers website at internationalgreenkeepers.com

In addition, council has contributed $317,334 to complete the funding for this partnership project with significant project delivery support also provided by the user groups at Rokewood Recreation Reserve.

is well under way and is set to be complete by early May.

Turf pigments and grass paints have become very popular and are being used by home lawn owners and professional turf managers.

The new undercover seating area.

Athletes and supporters alike have welcomed the safe, modern sporting facility.

The project saw the gut and refurbishment of the home and away changerooms.

Before and after shots.

FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE

Excellent projects

The Robinson Park subdivision and park development also won the Best Public Works Project Greater than $5 million Award (Metro), Excellence in Innovation Award (Metro) and Excellence in Environment and Sustainability Award.

The city’s work on a roundabout at the intersection of William Street and Camberwell Road in Beckenham won the Sarkis Petrossian Award for Innovative Practice in Traffic Safety Management and was highly commended in the Excellence in Road Safety Projects Award category and the Best Public Works Project Less than $2 million Award (Metro) category.

City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes said the awards were an acknowledgement of the high calibre of work undertaken by the city.

“Robinson Park has been a significant success story for the city,” she said.

“What started as a 5.6ha space with a small ageing playground and large trees but no irrigation has been transformed into a 42-lot residential subdivision overlooking extensive landscaped parkland, an all-abilities playground and an off-leash dog park.

“The subdivision funded the project, brought new housing to the local market and improved community safety, with all new homes overlooking the park.”

Work at William Street included the realignment of Bickley Road to create the four-way roundabout, replacing the two previous T inter-

sections. The project was funded by the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program, with work undertaken by the City of Gosnells.

“The William Street project has created a

Nature strip tips

Surf Coast Shire

is

on their nature strip following council’s adoption of its new Nature Strip Policy and Guidelines.

The policy is based on five principles; that nature strips:

· Are a public space that contribute to a sense of place and community.

· Should be safe and accessible spaces.

· Contribute to a healthy environment for people, flora and fauna.

· Play an active role in supporting council’s climate change response, including the management of the risk of fire to community and infrastructure.

· Are a location of essential services to the community (water mains, gas, power, etc).

safer intersection for drivers, passengers and pedestrians and provided improved access to local businesses and the Beckenham Train Station,” she said.

Exciting stormwater system

The Tarralla Creek stormwater harvesting system is being delivered by Maroondah City Council in partnership with the Victorian Government (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning), Yarra Valley Water and Melbourne Water.

This investment aligns with council’s Water Sensitive City Strategy and Maroondah’s long-term plans to implement a stormwater harvesting system to reduce potable water usage.

This system will capture, treat and reuse stormwater to irrigate the following four surrounding sports fields in Croydon: Fred Geale Oval, Croydon Oval, Springfield Park and Town Park sports field.

Identified as a key deliverable as part of the multi-agency Re-imagining Tarralla Creek project, the system will sit 300m from the creek at Town Park in Croydon, underneath the athletics track and sports field.

Maroondah’s integrated water engineer Luke Ervine has led the project and explains that once completed this system will be a unique addition to Maroondah.

“This system will save approximately 13 million litres (five Olympic-sized swimming pools) of drinking water per year”.

“It’s been an exciting project to work on

and the funding we’ve received from the various stakeholders shows what an important investment this project is.”

Construction began in March 2022 and is expected to be completed shortly, after facing unexpected delays due to the inclement weather late last year.

Works have included bulk excavation for the underground storage tank and installation of the 60m long and 23m wide arch storage system while water transfer pipelines have been installed underground to allow the treated stormwater to be pumped to the two northern sports fields across Mt Dandenong Road.

Council’s sportsfields team will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the system to ensure the project continues to support council’s commitment to a clean, green and sustainable Maroondah.

Child road safety first in Casey

The City of Casey has joined forces with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation and the University of NSW – Transport and Road Safety Research Centre on an innovative new program to help improve child pedestrian safety around local kindergartens.

The Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation is a notfor-profit organisation dedicated to protecting child pedestrians from the ever-present danger of roadways and moving motor vehicles through a program of community education.

City of Casey chair of administrators, Noelene Duff PSM said Casey was proud to be involved with the project.

“Council is committed to improving safety for children and this partnership with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation will help put pedestrian road safety at the top of all our minds,” Ms Duff said. “Council is installing ‘Hold My Hand’ signs, created by the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation, outside ten City of Casey kindergartens to encourage greater awareness about pedes-

trian road safety. We have also purchased the Little Blue Dinosaur’s picture book, Tom’s Holiday, as part of a road safety kit for every City of Casey kindergarten to support discussions with children about pedestrian safety.”

The foundation was established in 2014 by Michelle McLaughlin, following the death of her four-year-old son, Tom McLaughlin due to a pedestrian-motor vehicle crash that occurred during a family holiday. Ms McLaughlin said research showed land transport crashes were the leading cause of death for Australian children aged between one to 14.

“Over the last decade from 2013 to January 2023, 587 children aged 0-16 years were involved in a road fatality crash, with 22 per cent of these fatalities occurring when the child was a pedestrian or a cyclist. On average, one child per week dies in Australia this way, and it’s entirely preventable,” Ms McLaughlin said.

The guidelines provide straight-forward information about permitted uses, including approved surface treatments, plant heights, growing of edible plants, installations and maintenance responsibilities. The policy and guidelines will not be applied retrospectively, however council may direct a resident to remove any structure or planting deemed to be a safety risk.

Under the policy:

· Well-kept grass and modest plantings are preferred due to their environmental benefits, their ability to reduce radiated heat and to soften streetscapes.

· Hard surfaces such as gravel are no longer permitted as they lead to more stormwater run-off and materials being washed into downstream water bodies.

· Mulch is permitted under and around plantings but should not take up the entire nature strip.

· Residents wishing to undertake works varying from the nature strip guidelines will need to seek a permit so Council officers can individually assess the proposed works against the guidelines and council’s broader principles and requirements.

· Property owners or occupiers are required to maintain nature strip grass and any plants excluding street trees, which are solely council’s responsibility.

· The guidelines differ between areas that are inside and outside of the Bushfire Management Overlay.

· Parking on nature strips is illegal under road rules.

Surf Coast Shire Deputy Mayor Cr Mike Bodsworth said the new policy and guidelines gave residents clear directions, while providing flexibility in certain situations.

“With so many different landscapes and town characters, we know that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t appropriate,” he said. “So if someone wants to undertake works on their nature strip that vary from the acceptable standard treatments in the guidelines, they can apply for a permit, which will take into account council’s broader principles. We realise that many nature strips throughout the shire do not comply with these new guidelines, and we have no intention of retrospectively applying them, unless there is a clear safety risk.”

The draft policy and guidelines were placed on public exhibition during July and August last year. “During this time we received 113 survey submissions and eight written submissions, which have been reviewed and some modifications made.‘‘

Joining forces for road safety.

residents now have clear direction about what landscaping

permitted

Tarralla Creek.

City of Gosnell projects have won five awards and received two high commendations at the 2023 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) WA Excellence Awards –including the prestigious GK Watters Local Government Engineering Excellence Award, for Robinson Park.

City of Gosnell scooped the pool at the 2023 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) WA Excellence Awards.

Upgrade for walk

‘Wombats’ lauded

Willoughby City Council was awarded a Highly Commended for Excellence in Road Safety Engineering for the School Children Safety Wombat Crossing Program by the Institute of Public Works Engineers Australasian (IPWEA) State Conference in March 2023.

Willoughby’s wombat pedestrian crossing program has been funded through the Federal Stimulus School Zone Infrastructure Program, with funding of $1.95m received from both state and federal governments.

The program has seen 12 raised “wombat” pedestrian crossings installed including upgrades to 10 existing crossings and two new crossings.

This large program of work was delivered over 18 months with extensive community and

stakeholder engagement throughout to ensure effective project delivery and positive safety outcomes.

Wombat crossings installed near schools are used throughout Willoughby. The new crossings are located adjacent to schools or on routes used by school children to walk to school.

They give pedestrians right of way and increase pedestrian visibility. The elevated speed hump and 25km/h speed limit signs, help to

ensure vehicles slow down and stop for all pedestrians including school children.

The upgrade improves safety for all pedestrians both during and outside school zone times.

The enhanced safety created by the Wombat Crossing Program also encourages walking to school through better safety and greater amenity.

Wombats are definitely winners!

Redlands zeroes in on dumping

Mayor Karen Williams said the one-year fulltime position was made possible through a $172,239 grant under the Queensland Government’s Local Government Illegal Dumping Partnerships Program.

“Illegal dumping doesn’t just look bad in our naturally wonderful landscape, it’s also harmful to our environment and costs council, and therefore ratepayers, a lot to clean up,” Cr Williams said.

“This grant funding will enable council to do more in-depth investigations into illegal dumping.

“As well as funding the full-time position for 12 months, the grant will allow us to buy a vehicle, surveillance cameras and equipment,

which will be set up in identified hotspots.

“With these extra tools and surveillance, council is confident we can reduce the amount of illegal dumping on Redlands Coast.”

Redland City Council received 220 complaints of littering and illegal dumping in 2022, including bags of rubbish and garden waste, household goods such as mattresses and furniture, building material, abandoned cars and car parts, and hazardous waste such as asbestos and tyres.

“Green waste is one of the biggest issues we have in terms of illegal dumping, with lawn clippings dumped in park reserves and around trees,” Cr Williams said.

“We discourage this as grass clippings

placed around trees can heat up and cause collar rot to the base of the tree.

“There is also a large amount of dumping in bushland areas on the islands.

“Illegally dumped waste is commonly found along roadsides, in parklands, car parks, vacant blocks of land and beside charity bins.”

Cr Williams said the new compliance officer would reinforce council’s focus on encouraging residents to recycle more, both general recycling and green waste.

“The most important message to the community is dispose of your waste at one of our eight recycling and waste centres, or risk a fine for illegal dumping,” she said.

Top honours for Central Coast

Central Coast Council’s $9 million landfill cell at its Buttonderry Waste Management Facility has been awarded the Environmental Enhancement Project Award at the 2023 NSW and ACT Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) Engineering Excellence Awards.

Designing for the new cell commenced in June 2019 with construction completed in August 2022.Council undertook the construction of the new cell, as council’s existing landfill cell, constructed in 2013, was reaching its end of life. The new modern engineered landfill cell - approximately five hectares, or seven football fields, in size – has been built to meet the community’s waste disposal needs for approximately the next four-and-a-half years.

Council’s manager waste and resource recovery Andrew Pearce said the award is testament to the commitment of council to not only provide a facility for the community’s waste disposal needs, but is also an example of best practice and the successful collaboration between council operational staff and contractors given the works were carried out within an active waste management facility.

“Council’s team, together with our contractors, faced many challenges during the project including Covid-19 impacts to contractor staff, higher than average wet weather and two significant natural disaster events, but have succeeded in delivering the project on time, on budget and meeting expectations.

“However, while the new cell has enormous

capacity and is needed as an important facility for the community, council also wants the community to be aware of alternatives in reducing waste.

“Council, through its Resource Management Strategy, wants to educate the community to look at alternative ways of avoiding the generation of waste and to recycle and repurpose wherever possible.”

Mr Pearce said the new cell design sought to maximise the selected void space whilst working within site constraints which included proximity of groundwater, riparian zones, boundary geometry, high voltage power lines, neighbouring organics processing facility, and potential future undermining from longwall coal mining operations.

“This project was challenging on many levels, with the priority always to ensure the new cell met all environmental requirements and community expectations.”

The works on the project included:

· The excavation and stockpiling of around 415,000 m3 of soil and rock

· The installation of three engineered leachate barrier liners totalling 153,000m2 designed to protect the environment. These are a geo-

synthetic clay liner, high density polyethylene liner, and a cushion geotextile

· Placement of 20,000 tonnes of leachate gravel, 1.8km of leachate collection pipelines, and a leachate pumping station

· Access roads, stormwater management infrastructure, electrical poles/lines, and litter fencing

“The cell has a total airspace of 820,000m3 which is the equivalent to 430 Olympic-sized swimming pools. However as already noted, the best outcome would be that this cell is never filled. Rather, we want to work with the community to reduce waste in landfill.”

Central Coast Council administrator Rik Hart said the award is a significant achievement for council, and congratulations must go to the entire team who worked on the project.

“The construction and delivery of the new Buttonderry cell, is an important achievement as it ticks off a major project by council, as well as delivering an important essential service for the community.”

Mr Hart added the project was fully funded by council from revenue received in prior years from the operation of councils waste management facilities.

It is the latest section of the larger Waterfront Promenade network project with the boardwalk connecting the NQ Stadium Precinct, Central Park, Reid Park and Central Development site already delivered.

These boardwalks will not only link the Flinders Street and Palmer Street dining and entertainment precincts, but also provide improved connection between the Queensland Country Bank Stadium Precinct and The Strand. The pedestrianonly boardwalks will also provide a safer option for people crossing the creek and making their way around the city.

The East End Boardwalk project is part of council’s commitment to Grow Townsville, building a city of the future that connects you to what you need at the time you choose. Once complete, the East End Boardwalk project will deliver a 5m wide, 280m long boardwalk along the Ross Creek commencing from the Flinders Street East carpark spanning through to the Reef HQ. Construction of this section of the Waterfront Promenade network (known as the East End Waterfront Precinct) has an investment of $6.2 million and been made possible due to funding by the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program in association with Townsville City Council.

The East End Boardwalk construction and associated works are anticipated to be finished in May 2023.

Top nod for play

The Ku-ring gai Council has won two top engineering awards.

The council was recognised for the Lindfield Village Green and the regional playground at St Ives Showground.

The awards were presented to the council in mid-February week by the Institute for Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA). The IPWEA is the peak body for public sector engineers across Australia and New Zealand.

Ku-ring-gai Council was awarded the 2023 IPWEA Engineering Excellence Award for the Lindfield Village Green project in the Multi-Disciplinary Project Management category.

Lindfield Village Green opened in February 2022 on the former site of the Tryon Road car park. It has a large area of open space for events and socialising, a cafe with outdoor dining and three levels of underground car parking.

The car park was built under a partnership with Transport for NSW and the council, with reserved areas for commuter parking. There are also electric vehicle chargers for visitors and commuters.

The council also received a highly commended award in the $500,000 to $5 million projects category for the regional playground at St Ives Showground, which opened in December 2020.

Redland City Council is reinforcing its commitment to stop illegal dumping on Redlands Coast through the appointment of an officer dedicated to enforcing compliance on the issue.

Townsville City Council is currently undertaking works to construct the new East End Boardwalk, located along the Ross Creek at Flinders Street East.

FOCUS ON PARKS AND GARDENS

Upgrade for popular park

Along the expansive Sunshine Coast coastline, just metres from the squelching sand, lies a leafy pocket in need of a revamp.

Warana’s John Hotton Park is a place many locals seek shelter in the shade, hit pause after a surf at the beach or seek adventure if you’re young at heart.

It is located along Oceanic Drive opposite Lapoinya Crescent at Beach Access 232 and provides a playground, picnic tables, sheltered barbecue facility, public amenities and on street parking.

Now the park’s future is in the spotlight, with Sunshine Coast Council encouraging the community to provide feedback on potential improvements before 17 April, 2023.

Sunshine Coast Council Division Four Councillor Joe Natoli said the local-level park served the Warana community and was a popular link to the beach and the future Coastal Pathway.

“Council aims to enhance the park experience and address the challenges currently facing it,” Cr Natoli said.

“This open green park was named after a prominent local resident John Hotton who passed away in 2004. John was a council employee who cared for the park during the Caloundra City Council days.

“The care and connection given to this park by members of our community is important to continue and recognise.

“I encourage our community to consider how the park is being used, how we can further develop its identity and how we can enhance the space for the benefit of local residents and the wider community.

“Although there is no budget to upgrade John Hotton Park at this time, your feedback will assist council in preparing a concept plan based on the input received from the community.

“However, funding has been allocated to renew the park’s public amenities building this year.”

Bag breakthrough

Leading manufacturer and eco-conscious warriors, Biogone, have created Australia’s first landfill-biodegradable dog waste bags that are considered to break down 90 per cent faster than conventional plastic bags.

Biogone’s lower cost landfill-biodegradable dog poop bags have been designed to biodegrade 90 per cent faster than conventional plastic bags and the home compostable dog poop bags biodegrade within a few of months in landfill, compared to regular pet waste bags that can take up to hundreds of years to fully decompose. Biogone dog waste bags are also made from recycled plastic.

To help meet sustainable goals, Biogone have both landfill-biodegradable and home compostable council parks and gardens dog waste bags available, along with

mountable dog bag dispensers.

Equally important for environmental considerations, landfill-biodegradable bags do not have a limited shelf life, and they do not fragment into microplastics over time.

Save time - Biogone now also have a larger sized roll of 800 dog poop waste bags available and larger sized bag dispenser, so now spend half the time refilling the dispensers.

To learn more about Biogone sustainable plastic products, including bin liners, garbage bags and office packing products visit www.biogone.com.au

Warana’s John Hotton Park is a place many locals seek shelter in the shade.

Mel Jones joins line-up

Broadcaster and former cricketer Melanie Jones has joined the line-up of guest speakers at this year’s ALGWA 2023 National Conference on Victoria’s Morning Peninsula in mid-May.

Jones, who played alongside modern cricketing greats Karen Rolton, Belinda Clark and Cathryn Fitzpatrick, will speak to the delegates as well as taking part in the Women in Sport panel.

Since retiring from her playing career, she has focused on the next chapter of her professional life aiming to support, develop and expand opportunities and careers for women in sport both on and off the cricket field.

Also joining as a guestspeaker is Liana Thompson who has one of the more unique stories in the sector, having served as councillor, a mayor and a CEO in local government.

Liana is currently president of Local Government Professionals (LGPro) and Director City Life at Wyndham City Council. Liana will present to our delegates about challenges in the sector and will also join our Women on Boards panel.

The Hon Julie Bishop will be the keynote speaker at the 2023 National Conference hosted by ALGWA Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula Shire from 17-20 May.

The conference brings together councillors and officers from across Australia to advance female participation in local government and put a spotlight on issues facing women in the sector.

Ms Bishop was one of Australia’s most recognised and respected politicians at home and abroad with a 20-year parliamentary career which saw her achieve her goal of being Australia’s first female Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as serving as Deputy Leader of the Federal Liberal Party for 11 years. She is currently the first female Chancellor of Australian National University, appointed in 2020.

She will be joined by Tasneem Chopra, a highly sought after MC and keynote speaker, whose skill as a cross-cultural consultant inform her stage presence of impeccable wit and deft understanding. She imbues issues of di-

versity, identity and inclusion across frontiers of leadership, innovation and disruption.

This year’s event is being held at the RACV Cape Schanck Resort on Victoria’s stunning Mornington Peninsula, offering a chance to not only network and benefit from the peer support offered by ALGWA but also linger a little longer on the Mornington Peninsula and explore the natural wonders, tour the world-class wineries and visit the many attractions.

Bookings are currently open for the event with delegates having several options to choose from Pick your conference package based on your preferred inclusions, Choose your experience from the Friday activities on offer and Select a gift from local Mornington Peninsula produce

To book for only the Welcome Function (Wednesday) or Gala Dinner (Friday), please contact Mornington Peninsula Shire directly.

Please note that only one registrant can be booked per transaction.

National Conference

The Hon Julie Bishop

RACV Cape Schanck Resport Tasneem Chopra

Mel Jones is among the guest speakers.

Picture: TWITTER/MEL JONES

This year’s event is being held at the RACV Cape Schanck Resort on Victoria’s stunning Mornington Peninsula.

The Hon Julie Bishop will be the keynote speaker at the 2023 National Conference hosted by ALGWA Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula Shire from 17-20 May.

The 2022 conference.

FOCUS ON ASSET MANAGEMENT CONGRESS

Technology set to lead

When organisations and societies have focused on boosting productivity, they have usually looked to labour to provide the gains

The thinking has been that more educated and well-trained workers, or fewer workers toiling harder, are the answer to productivity issues. The equation has been to produce more with less. The human as the engine of productivity growth, however, is faltering.

In Australia, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers made a speech in March which noted that Australia’s productivity had fallen to its lowest level in 60 years, averaging 1.1 per cent in the last five years.

Today, technology presents as the biggest opportunity for improved productivity. Skilled labour is short, the population is ageing, organisations want to cut down on costs, and automation in particular offers scale and efficiency. The cost of technology is coming down.

Automation though, does not exist by itself, it is enabled by the expanding world of the Internet of Things, where data is collected and can then be analysed and crunched to set the business rules around the automation.

This is not necessarily bad news for humans. The upside is that automation frees people from the drudgery of mundane work and enables them to skill up and also become more productive at the pointier end of their professions.

All this also applies in our world of asset management, where professionals are working with an unprecedented quantity of data to make more informed decisions.

The sharing of data and its use in digital twin environments for example, presents as an effective response to future challenges and uncertainties in asset management, according to KPMG’s Paul Low.

Low, who is KPMG’s National Industry Leader for Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare and a partner in Planning and Infrastructure Economics, advocates rigorous governance around data which can be brought into

digital environments and shared to “align people around the shared outcomes” and goals of the organisation.

Paul’s colleague, Richard Threlfall, Global Head of Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare at KPMG, agrees, and will be developing the theme of governance in his upcoming keynote at the IPWEA International Asset Management Conference in June.

“We are moving from a world where project prioritization is based on mainly financial and commercial considerations, to a world where the impact of projects, from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, must prevail,” says Threlfall.

Growcom CEO, and former North Burnett Regional Council mayor, Rachel Chambers continues on the theme of governance.

From a small business background, Chambers found herself the most senior elected official of an organisation with around $1.1 billion in assets, an annual budget of around $50 million and 10,000 ratepayers across six small population centres.

“Elected officials are in a unique position. You have engineers who are experts and finance people who are experts and professional risk people and then you’ve got an elected official who just has to be operating without a criminal record, and that is the person making the final decision.

“So there’s a huge knowledge gap in that and a potentially high level of risk, so upskilling has to be a big focus.”

Rachel Chambers, Paul Low, and Richard Threlfell will be keynote speakers at IPWEA’s International Asset Management Congress to be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland from Wednesday 14 to Thursday 15 June, 2023. Find out more at www.amcongress.com.au Technology

BY

THE IPWEA ASSET MANAGEMENT PATHWAY FEATURES COURSES FOR EVERY INFRASTRUCTURE ASSET PROFESSIONAL AND IS UNDERPINNED BY IPWEA TOOLS AND RESOURCES SUCH AS NAMS+ AND E-BOOKS+

www.ipwea.org/pathway

IPWEA+ TOOLS & RESOURCES

NAMS+ is the guided online toolkit that provides the tools and templates to write, maintain and improve your Asset Management Policy, Strategy and Planning documents.

E-BOOKS+ is the go-to resource that provides 24/7 access to IPWEA’s suite of manuals and practice notes, including the IIMM and IIFMM.

holds the key to the future of Asset Management.

Geelong honours youth

Young people making an outstanding contribution across Greater Geelong have been recognised at the annual Geelong Youth Awards.

The City of Greater Geelong presented awards in 10 categories at Friday night’s ceremony at Geelong West Town Hall, recognising the contributions of young people aged between 12 and 25 years who live, work, learn or play in Greater Geelong.

The awards ranged across the areas of leadership, cultural awareness, community work, sport, arts, music and youth development.

Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan congratulated the award recipients and said it was vital for the City to acknowledge the outstanding role that the region’s young people play. The 2023 winners, selected from 89 nominations (young people were able to be nominated in up to two categories) across the 10 categories, include:

· Active Achievement - Competitive hearingimpaired swimmer Dylan Logan, has a reputation for encouraging and inspiring other children with disabilities to participate in sports, be involved in their sporting community and strive for excellence.

· Arts and Music - Kai D’Orsa, spent seven months planning sessions to inspire and engage young people in Geelong to be involved in an innovative arts project at the Geelong Gallery.

· Citizenship Group - 1st Belmont Venturer Unit Ukraine Fundraiser – Group members Kaitlyn Biro, Angus Taylor, Liam Biro, Miri Barnes, Alistair Breaky and Will Cole completed odd jobs in the community to raise $3000 to support youth in Ukraine.

· Citzenship Individual - Arhlia Cvetkovski, has developed a community group, that focuses on health and wellbeing through regular exercise. Drawing on the support of sponsors she has built a group of 50 who meet at Point Lonsdale beach front each Sunday morning to

walk or run together.

· Cultural Awareness - Dedicated to ensuring his community felt connected to their new country, through sport and various activities, Moo Thay Wyar Blue, was instrumental in the organisation of the largest sports tournament within the Karen and Karenni communities. Over 1500 people attended from Victoria and New South Wales.

· Inclusion - Sarbjeet Singh has demonstrated commitment and determination in supporting international students to settle in Geelong.

Salter Point spit’s future looks bright

The project is helping to protect the spit from further erosion and preserve vegetation in the area. Works included repairing old brush logs; installing rock pitching on the point and coir matting around tree roots; planting of native vegetation; and formalising access to the river to protect the surrounding vegetation and habitat.

The project is part of the city’s ClontarfWaterford-Salter Point Masterplan, a plan which provides a consolidated management strategy and recognises the ecological, cultural and recreational values of the stretch of foreshore from Clontarf through to Waterford and Salter Point.

This area consists of a network of natural reserves, estuarine conservation wetlands, Bush Forever site 333 and public open space. These are the most extensive wetlands in the lower reaches of the Swan

and Canning Rivers and there is no similar foreshore vegetation elsewhere along these rivers.

The foreshore has been reserved for conservation and passive recreation under the Metropolitan Regional Recreation Scheme. It encompasses wide open spaces for leisure and recreation activities, sites of significant aboriginal heritage and stunning river views.

The Salter Point spit restoration project is funded by the City of South Perth and a Riverbank Grant from the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions.

The Riverbank Program provides grants to state and local government agencies managing land in the Swan Canning Riverpark. The funding is available for projects that protect or enhance the environmental, recreational and cultural values of the rivers.

· Inspiration - Proud aboriginal young person, Jonathon Kelly connected with the broader community by sharing his culture and supporting the Aboriginal community to engage in cultural activities, sporting carnivals and activities.

· Leadership - Breanna Beckley has made a significant impact on gender equality in the community, hosting the first Female Festival of Sport in the Barwon region, supporting young women to participate and be celebrated for their successes in both football and netball.

· Unsung Hero - Jasmine Van Der Muellen, is currently studying VCE, whilst juggling the role of a young carer for her family, particularly her two younger sisters, who both have ASD. · Volunteer - Lottie Hughes. Impacted by the number of people struggling to feed their families during covid lockdown, Lottie partnered with the Drysdale Foodbank by riding her bike, with trailer attached, to collect donations for delivery to the Foodbank.

Geelong honours its impressive young citizens.

Salter Point restoration.

The future of Salter Point spit is looking bright thanks to significant restoration works undertaken by the City of South Perth.

The Federal Government announced it will reestablish the ACLG – to be held on Friday 16 June 2023 in Canberra – as part of its commitment to bring local government back to the table as a trusted delivery partner of services to local communities.

This is an important moment for local government in Australia after the ACLG forum was

dissolved in 2013 by the previous government.

The ACLG was first established as an annual meeting by then Minister for Local Government, Anthony Albanese in 2008.

To be held at the conclusion of the 2023 NGA, the ACLG provides a unique opportunity for mayors, shire presidents and local government stakeholders to meet directly and engage with Commonwealth ministers as well as the Prime Minister.

ALGA president Cr Linda Scott said: “This is a valuable opportunity for Australian councils to speak directly to Federal Ministers about the key issues and opportunities for our communities. Importantly, the ACLG will follow and be informed by the discussions at our NGA, which is the biggest annual gathering of local government leaders in Australia.”

Federal Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said: “This is an opportunity to bring local councils to Canberra to speak directly with Ministers and myself over the pressing issues impacting the sector. We will give local government the central role and seat at the table it deserves, and draw on the local know-how to deliver our shared priorities.”

Federal Local Government Minister Kristy McBain said: “Bringing back the ACLG recognises the important role local governments play in delivering services to our communities, and the benefits of partnering together at all levels of government.”

Registrations for the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government are now open.

This year’s National General Assembly (NGA) will mark the historic return of the Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG), which will meet for the first time in more than a decade.

Tyre Stewardship team: Michelle Rodler and Tolga Huseyin at 2022 National General Assembly.

Democracy Matters team Sandy Killick and Nicole Davidson at the 2022 National General Assembly.

Graham Curley and Amit Tandel from Atturra at the 2022 National General Assembly.

The Optus Team atthe 2022 National General Assembly: Kiristin Taner, Kate Dalby, Patrick Heyen and Rebecca Treloar

RURAL AND REGIONAL

Increasing ponds capacity

Throughout Moora, in the Wheatbelt of WA, there are seven sewage and wastewater pump stations. The location of each one has been selected based on topography, distance from each other and the amount of wastewater generated in the area.

Water is automatically pumped from one station to another until it eventually reaches the first wastewater treatment lagoon.

There are five lagoons in Moora.

Each one has a role to play in allowing a series of natural biological and mechanical processes to take place to separate and break particles down. Once the water is fully processed, it is used to irrigate Apex Park, the football oval and hockey fields.

Earthworks have been carried out around the wastewater treatment lagoons to improve capacity and staff access.

A salt-chlorination system has been installed at the fifth lagoon, in lieu of gas-chlorination. A grant of $100,000 was received from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) as part of their Community Water Supply Program. The grant has allowed the shire to future proof and ensure reliability, safety and cost-affectability by building-in redundancy and installing the most advanced technology suitable for our system.

Solar panels are being installed at the second wastewater treatment lagoon and the swimming pool. They are currently waiting on the installer to carry out the work, once this has been completed a high-volume PVC pipe will be placed between some of the lagoons to increase the amount of treated water available to the town.

A trenched irrigation system has replaced the water-cannon on the hockey fields. This will improved water coverage and allow irrigation to occur at night, via a new automated system.

Apex Park will be greener in summer, because we have access to a greater amount of irrigation water. It will be on a set watering system each week, along with the football oval and hockey fields.

New cat law in place

A new Cat Local Law 2023 has come into effect in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River to improve cat management practices to help protect the natural environment, and the health of individual cats.

The law seeks to promote responsible cat ownership and will include three major changes for the community, including:

· Control of cats creating nuisance (in public and other spaces).

· Cat prohibited areas in the shire.

· Modified penalties imposed for non-compliance.

Ranger services coordinator Narelle Grauer said these measures will give rangers greater power to deal with stray cats in public places and other people’s yards.

“The community asked for better management of cats throughout the district and implementing these measures is an important step towards protecting our natural environment and keeping domestic cats safe,” Narelle said.

“The new law will specify where cats are prohibited in the shire and focus on the control of cats creating nuisance. It will also require cat owners to have a permit to keep more than three cats.

“Roaming cats often kill and disturb the region’s native fauna and are at risk of harm by traffic or fighting with other cats and wild populations.

“For many community members, cats are much loved household companions. This is not about banning cats – it’s about making sure they are kept safely on your property to avoid detrimental impact to your pet, neighbouring properties and native wildlife.”

Line unlocking power

The project will deliver high voltage power lines from Hughenden to both Townsville and Cloncurry, and another from Cloncurry to Mount Isa, to connect to the largest renewable energy zone in the nation and more than $500 billion in critical minerals.

CopperString will connect vast renewable wind and solar resources with critical minerals mining and processing that can be used to make batteries and renewables in North Queensland.

Hughenden and Flinders Shire will be the renewable superhub on the CopperString line, with more than 300 jobs in the area for construction phase of the project.

In addition, each new wind farm will require over 200 workers for construction.

sectors to use renewable energy for their mining projects and opportunities.

“This project presents great opportunities for the shire for employment, businesses, accommodation, and other support services,” said Cr McNamara.

“This project is a result of the passion and tenacity of the O’Brien family and other supporters over the past 12 years.

“It is exciting to see this project come to fruition as a major development milestone for the future of North West Queensland and the North West Minerals Province.

“Thank you to the Queensland Government for supporting and taking on this major nationbuilding project.”

The owner of any registered cat found roaming will be subject to a $200 fine.

Picture: UNSPLASH

Domestic cats over six months old within Western Australia must be sterilised, microchipped, wearing a tag in a public place, and registered with their local government by law.

There are 45 areas where cats are prohibited absolutely. These areas can be viewed online via the Shire’s Cat Prohibited Area interactive map.

The owner of any registered cat found roaming will be subject to a $200 fine.

The Cat Local Law 2023 was gazetted on 24 March 2023 and will come into operation on 7 April 2023.

Flinders Shire Mayor Jane McNamara said CopperString will enable renewable energy to be utilised by major and rare earth minerals

Construction will commence in late 2023, and continue through to completion in early 2032.

Flinders Shire Council has welcomed the Queensland Premier’s recent announcement of the 1100 km CopperString 2.0 project to unlock Australia’s largest renewable energy zone.

Upgrades have recently been made to the Shire of Moora’s sewerage, drainage and wastewater treatment infrastructure, to increase capacity and the benefits provided to the environment and community.

Part of the sewerage, drainage and wastewater treatment infrastructure at Moora.

Land under the hammer

Gunnedah Shire Council auctioned five properties on Friday 31 March to recover rates and charges

unpaid for more than five years.

The auction came following a lengthy process of contacting owners for payment, and public advertising.

The five properties were all vacant land, and are in Gunnedah, Breeza, Kelvin, and Emerald Hill. As at 22 March 2023, a total of $21,033.54 was owed on these properties by various owners, and this auction will be held to clear the total outstanding amount.

Property owners had until the time of the sale to make arrangements satisfactory to the council for payment of outstanding rates and charges.

The Local Government Act 1993 states surplus funds from the auction of properties with outstanding debts are held with council’s Trust Fund pending discharge to persons having interest in the properties.

Where no claim is forthcoming, the balance of sale proceeds is remitted to the State Government in accordance with the Unclaimed Moneys Act.

New young cohort signs up for council

Twenty-one inspiring Year 10 students from across the region will represent local youth on the 2023 Southern Downs Youth Council with the new cohort officially receiving their badges from Southern Downs councillors at the Warwick Town Hall on 23 March.

Since its inception in 2018, the Southern Downs Youth Council Program has provided an opportunity for young people to develop a better understanding of the role and function of local government, the community and local issues while building confidence and leadership skills.

In congratulating current crop on their appointments, Southern Downs Councillor Sheryl Windle said she looked forward to working with them to create positive outcomes for their peers.

“Council is committed to proactively involving young people in the future of our community through consultation and decision-making processes and it’s lovely to meet such a motivated and impressive group of our region’s youth,” Councillor Windle said.

“The Southern Downs Youth Council is an important platform that gives a voice to young people who live, work, study or volunteer on the Southern Downs.

“It presents a unique opportunity for members to raise community issues, exchange

ideas and discuss solutions and I hope each member enjoys the journey and grows from the experience.

“This think tank forms part of a broader commitment to build a strong and inclusive community and I look forward to working closely with them during their term to achieve

meaningful and relevant goals.”

During their term, Youth Council members have the opportunity to contribute to numerous community events including ANZAC Day, Australia Day, Citizenship Ceremonies, NAIDOC Week, Youth Week, Domestic and Family Violence Peace Walk and Carols in the Park.

Southern Downs schools represented on the 2023 Youth Council are: Allora State School, Assumption College Warwick, Killarney State School, School of Total Education, SCOTS PGC College, St Joseph’s School, Stanthorpe State High School, Warwick Christian College and Warwick State High School.

Support for local community plans

Surf Coast Shire Council is supporting Moriac and Winchelsea locals to develop three-year community plans.

Community plans are created by community members for their community. They contain a shared vision and actions that locals feel motivated to act upon themselves.

The Deans Marsh and district community were the first in the Surf Coast Shire to develop a community plan in 2019, and now its residents are seeing the benefits of the community-initiated projects being realised.

This includes the Deans Marsh Community Dinner Program, the PowerMaD renewable energy project, local food initiatives and the establishment of the Deans Marsh Streetscapers, who are planning for streetscape improvements.

Working groups have been set up in Moriac and Winchelsea with community surveys about to start shortly. Other engagement opportunities will include focus groups and community dinners.

Tony Phelps of the Winchelsea community planning working group said it was about giving everyone in the community the chance to have their say, picking out the common themes, and putting it all together into a master

plan for actioning.

“This is an independent pilot project funded by the Surf Coast Shire but they are completely hands-off. The project will see community members design and participate in a community driven process by exploring what matters locally and what people are motivated to act upon,” he said.

“The final plan is not a list of wants for council, or anyone, to fund. It’s a plan for locals to make happen whatever is the best way to make happen.

“The end goal is the Community Plan itself, to be available primarily to local people but also going to council as a guide for future planning.”

Surf Coast Shire Cr Adrian Schonfelder said it was a true community-led project.

“Locals know best what makes their township special and what it needs to thrive,” he said.

“We want Moriac and Winchelsea communities to be the driving force behind their community plans and priorities for their towns and the actions that come from this.”

Winchelsea community planning working group.

The latest Youth Council group from the Southern Downs and Granite Belt.

that have remained

The five properties auctioned off were in Gunnedah, Breeza, Kelvin, and Emerald Hill.

Touring boost for port

Australia’s most popular cruise line, P&O Cruises, will add Townsville to its line-up of port calls from 2025.

This significant commitment to Queensland’s economy and tourism sector comes as P&O celebrates 90 years of cruising in Australia - building on its strong track record of investing in the sunshine state.

P&O’s Pacific Encounter cruise ship will also call Brisbane’s upgraded International Cruise Terminal home.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk joined P&O’s crew, both past and present, dedicated suppliers and avid cruisers to celebrate the future of cruising in Queensland.

Have say on floods

Gannawarra Shire residents are being encouraged to assist the Victorian Parliamentary Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee investigate the state’s preparedness for and response to last year’s

The committee is conducting an inquiry into the flood event as a whole and the areas affected, and is considering various factors – including what caused or contributed to the flood event, emergency service planning and response, government policy, flood mitigation strategies, and the Victorian planning framework.

“The 2022 flood event impacted communities across Victoria, including here in the Gannawarra, which saw residents face inundation

floods.

for many weeks,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said. “Recommendations that came out of the review of the 2011 flood event ensured communities were better prepared for the 2022 flood event, and it is hoped that similar outcomes will occur following this inquiry to assist with our preparedness for future events.”

The committee is accepting written submissions up to 5pm Monday 8 May, and intends to follow up submissions by holding public hear-

ings in flood-affected areas.

“All feedback will assist with providing recommendations to the government, so I urge all residents to consider documenting their experiences during the October-December 2022 flood,” Mayor Gillingham said.

“Council will develop a submission for the inquiry, which is being compiled using information collected throughout the response to the flood event.”

Throughout 2023, P&O Cruises will see more than 118 ship visits across Queensland, providing more than $500 million, both directly and indirectly to the state’s economy.

Setting sail into Townsville is made possible by the $251 million Channel Upgrade at the Port of Townsville, being delivered by the State Government.

The project will see the 14.9-kilometre channel widened from 92 metres to 180 metres in width.

Due to be complete in 2024, the channel upgrade enables the port to accommodate larger vessels up to 300 metres long. This includes cruise ships capable of carrying more than 2000 passengers.

The project is part of a broader $1.6 billion, 30-year expansion plan for the Port of Townsville.

Triathlon fundraiser reaches milestone

The Kakadu Triathlon will celebrate a decade of supporting CareFlight Top End at the 10th anniversary event in Jabiru on Saturday, 29 April 2023.

The Kakadu Triathlon has an incredible history with hundreds of participants, winners, volunteers and sponsors involved over the last decade, and just under $100,000 has been raised for CareFlight.

The event started as an idea in 2013 when Jabiru residents were wanting more activities that would bring the community together of all ages.

What evolved was the Kakadu Triathlon, an event that attracts many local residents and participants from Darwin, Katherine and beyond to compete in a fun, colourful triathlon in the World Heritage-Listed Kakadu National Park.

Originally coordinated by dedicated volunteers and local organisations, West Arnhem Regional Council eventually took over management of the event in 2018 to secure the future of the triathlon for many years to come.

To mark the 10 year anniversary milestone, Council is inviting former Jabiru residents and past triathlon participants to relive the magic and be a part of history by signing up to the event in 2023.

The Kakadu Triathlon is known as a mini triathlon with its short, achievable distances, making it the ideal event for people of all ages and abilities, and this year, there is a new 5km Kakadu Challenge Run and a 2.4km Colour Run around the Jabiru Lake on the program.

Join in the fun and help fundraise for CareFlight on the event website: give.careflight.org/ event/kakadu-triathlon

The levee break in Ganawarra Shire.

METRO AND SUBURBAN

Butter factory honoured

Logan City Council’s Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct has been named Queensland’s inaugural ‘Accessible Venue of the Year’ at the prestigious Queensland Music Awards.

The venue was one of three music venues honoured in Tuesday night’s ceremony in Brisbane, alongside the Fortitude Music Hall (Metro Venue of the Year) and Solbar (Regional Venue of the Year).

The ‘Accessible Venue of the Year’ award was judged by a panel of industry experts, including representation from the disability sector and people with lived experience.

Mayor Darren Power said the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct had established a reputation as one of the premier entertainment and cultural venues in South-East Queensland.

“It’s fantastic to see the Kingston Butter Factory recognised for making arts and entertainment accessible to all members of the community,” Cr Power said.

“This award demonstrates the enormously positive impact the KBF Cultural Precinct has

already had on the Logan community, and broader, since opening last year.”

Among its features, the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct includes:

· Disability parking in the main carpark, with flat access to and around the precinct.

· A Hush Room providing a soundproof area with direct viewing to the Butterbox Theatre. This accessible space caters for patrons with small children or special needs.

· A ‘Changing Places’ facility located in the foyer of the ground floor which includes larger-than-standard accessing toilets, an adult-sized changing table, ceiling hoist, a peninsular toilet, privacy screen and additional circulation space. It is designed to meet the needs of people with complex disabilities.

· An accessible route to and from Kingston Railway Station.

Born-again north bank

The proposed design ideas, created by landscape architecture and design experts T.C.L and Aspect Studios, illustrate the experience of visiting the transformed north bank of the Yarra River – Birrarung.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the Greenline Project would create four kilometres of interconnected promenades, parks, open spaces, native plantings, cultural activations and environmental renewal between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.

“The Greenline Project will revitalise the north bank of the Yarra River – creating thousands of jobs, attracting waves of new visitors, and injecting millions of dollars into our economy,” she said. “Our landscape architecture and design experts have crafted an incredible vision for what the Greenline Project could look like – with stunning boardwalks, event spaces, native vegetation and outdoor dining. “We want to hear what the community thinks to best inform the Masterplan and deliver maximum value for Melburnians.”

The project will also feature significant recognition and celebration of contemporary Wurundjeri culture and heritage. Covering all five precincts of the Greenline Project, the design proposals have been prepared for community feedback as part of ongoing work to develop the draft Greenline Project Masterplan – which is scheduled for completion in the coming months.

Design ideas for each precinct include: Birrarung Marr Precinct (Birrarung Marr, Federation Vaults, Flinders Walk)

· Seasonal cultural events and performance spaces.

· Uninterrupted views of the river and Southbank with an expanded riverside promenade.

· Terraced steps for casual use and an en-

Space to develop

hanced riverside dining experience.

The Falls Precinct (Sandridge Bridge, Banana Alley Vaults, Turning Basin, Enterprize Park)

· A new linear park next to Sandridge Bridge.

· An ecological rivers edge and floating pontoons.

· Upgrades to Enterprize Park and a new wetland habitat for local wildlife.

· Ground floor artistic and cultural institutions and rooftop restaurants and cafes at the Banana Alley Vaults.

River Park Precinct (Batman Park)

· Expanded open space and lawns.

· New activities space under the Flinders Street viaduct.

· Ecological wetland experience and neighbourhood nature play destination.

Maritime Precinct (Crowne Plaza, Seafarers River Frontage)

· Improved boating access and amenities.

· Increased activation of the Crowne Plaza ground floor riverfront.

· Artistic interpretations of the site’s maritime heritage at Seafarer’s Shed.

Saltwater Wharf Precinct (Collins Wharf Park, Collins Street and North Wharf Road River Frontage)

· A new park featuring new plants, trees and seating.

· Improved boating and fishing access and amenities.

· Raised waterfront platforms and enlarged promenade.

The proposed design ideas have drawn inspiration from internationally renowned waterfront transformations, including the Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, the Park de Docks in Paris, the Aukland Waterfront in New Zealand and the Seattle Waterfront.

South Australia’s space sector is continuing to grow, with new space companies from around the world joining the coveted commercial space program, Venture Catalyst Space.

The program is a pre-eminent accelerator delivered by the University of South Australia’s Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC) and funded by the State Government’s Space Innovation Fund.

Venture Catalyst Space, has supported 29 startups that have collectively raised $14 million in additional investment and grants, while creating more than 100 space jobs.

Since its inception in 2018, Venture Catalyst Space has attracted talent from overseas as well as companies from interstate.

ICC director Jasmine Vreugdenburg says that this year’s cohort also represents some of the strongest South Australian companies that the program has seen to date.

“The local talent joining our program is a true testimony to the successful development of South Australia’s commercial space ecosystem,” Vreugdenburg says.

“We know our NewSpace sector is growing by more than 64 per cent per year, and we are well on track to grow our industry by more than $8 billion by 2023.

“Adelaide, as Australia’s space capital, is leading this charge, and our four new local startups will bring significant breadth and diversity to our domestic space sector.

“Our new local recruits are developing incredible capabilities, from educational satellites, sustainable satellites, Big Data processing, and Artificial Intelligence technology.

The local companies will join international companies from India, Canada and New Zealand.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Defence and Space Industries Susan Close says

the Venture Catalyst Space program continues to prove its success as an incubator to develop and grow innovative ideas in the space sector.

“Venture Catalyst Space is an exciting program that is proving itself as a successful springboard for high calibre space startups, who are truly doing some amazing things,” Minister Close says.

“South Australia’s space sector is growing at a rapid pace and the level of talent and innovation emerging from this program is building critical capability and growing investment and know-how in the state’s space economy.”

Metaspectral CTO, Migel Tissera, says he is looking to expand his Canadian company into Australia.

“We aim to create an Australian office, staffed with Australians,” Tissera says.

“We’re aiming to capitalise on Australia’s interest in space, and we believe our technology can offer great value to Australia.

“We are generating revenue - both in Canada and the US - and Australia would benefit from having novel but mature technology incorporated into its space and defence assets.”

Venture Catalyst Space began in 2018 when the Innovation & Collaboration Centre was awarded $1.5 million to support the growth of South Australia’s space industry by providing early-stage technology-based space startups with the skills required to create a globally scalable enterprise.

This year’s newest cohort joins the ranks of 29 former startup participants, all of whom have gone on to make valuable contributions to South Australia’s space sector.

Brighter nature strips planned for Hobart

The City of Hobart is making plants available for free for Hobart residents to use on their nature strips.

In a case of first in, best dressed, applications to receive free plants from the city’s nursery are now open.

There will be at least 1000 plants to be given away, ranging from native Tasmanian and Australian plants and ornamentals such as lavender and rosemary that fit the nature strips guidelines.

Each successful applicant can select up to 20 plants of their choice.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said

the plant giveaway was an important part of the council’s new nature strips policy that opens the door for new and creative uses of nature strips for residents.

“This plant giveaway is aimed at showing residents the right way to populate their nature strips and by doing so, adding visual benefits to their street and community,” Cr Reynolds said.

Sustainability in infrastructure portfolio chair Bill Harvey said this showed the coun-

cil’s commitment to making nature strips areas for people to be proud of.

“These plants are low maintenance meaning they are an easy way for residents to beautify their communities without investing lots of time and resources,” Cr Harvey said.

City of Hobart’s city greening lead Ruby Wilson said it was important to plant the right flora for the best possible outcomes.

“It is vital that those wanting to put plants on their nature strips abide by the guidelines

to ensure safety around driveways regarding clear views for cars reversing in and out of properties,” Ms Wilson said.

“But there is still plenty of scope to get creative and make a beautiful, low maintenance garden, be it native Tasmanian species or other plants of their liking.

“These plants will be available for collection in May, meaning they can be planted over the winter and ready to grow come spring.”

Tree-lined vistas, riverfront boardwalks, event spaces, natural wetlands and cultural meeting places are all part of the latest design ideas for the City of Melbourne’s Greenline Project.

The Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct has established a reputation as one of the premier entertainment and cultural venues in South-East Queensland.

Zeeman takes medallion

The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston has celebrated Anabelle Zeeman, recipient of the 2022 ArtRage student medallion.

Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson said ArtRage featured more than 100 student works from high schools and colleges across Tasmania.

Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson said it was wonderful to see such a deserving emerging artist take out the 2022 medallion.

“Anabelle’s work is a beautiful display of Tasmania’s unique landscapes,” Mayor Gibson said.

“The medallion is an important opportunity associated with ArtRage each year, as it provides a platform to highlight the work of

emerging artists and nurture young Tasmanian talent.”

Now in its 28th year, ArtRage is an annual initiative of QVMAG to showcase the year’s top selection of budding Tasmanian artists in Years 11 and 12 studying Art Production or Art Studio Practice as part of their Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE).

In 2020, the QVMAG Arts Foundation developed a new award to acknowledge emerging student artists who significantly contribute to the fine arts in Tasmania. Each year, one student is chosen by the exhibition curator to be

awarded a medallion, featuring a limited-edition artwork, donated by Tasmanian artist Michael McWilliams. For 2022, the Medallion was awarded to Anabelle from The Hutchins School in Hobart for their work titled, Untitled (2022).

“The aim of my artwork was to capture the light and beauty of the natural landscape,” Anabelle said.

“Receiving this medallion makes me feel honoured that my art has been recognised by such well-known and respected artists.”

Exhibition curator Patrick Sutczak said it

Pilot program offers real skills

Three students are being given real-world workplace skills in competitive industries through Mosman Council’s inaugural Cadetship and Traineeship Program.

The engineering and art gallery trainees and community services cadet successfully gained a prized place in the pilot program which gives them a head-start on pursuing a career in engineering, the arts or community services.

“This is a wonderful initiative with council providing valuable workplace experience and skills which will help forge their careers and the inaugural intake of trailblazing students is impressive,” Mosman Mayor Carolyn Corrigan said.

Traineeships are offered to those looking to study at a certificate or diploma level for the duration of their course, typically one to two years, while the two-year cadetship is available for university students in their penultimate or final year, enabling them to continue their higher education qualification while gaining direct work experience in their field of study through a combination of work-based learning, training and assessment.

“I’ve been working across several engineering-related projects since I started with council several weeks ago and it’s been a very interesting experience which will help me determine my future engineering career pathway,” engineering trainee Heidi Skerman said.

Mosman Art Gallery trainee Keira Grundy completed her HSC last year and was selected to attend the highly regarded National Art School HSC intensive program before joining the gallery for a gap-year experience which began with helping hang its biennial Artists of Mosman exhibition, preparing e-newsletters and meeting high-profile artists.

“This traineeship is really valuable because I gain real-life experience while pursuing my passion for the arts in a dream job,” she said.

Community services cadet Emily Slapp has been assisting local seniors while working in council’s community care area and, over the

course of her two-year cadetship, will support council’s volunteers and spend time in youth, community connections and children and families services.

“I’ve enjoyed the balance between administrative work and supporting local residents and it has been very rewarding helping them to connect with important online services,” Emily said.

Several Mosman Council staff started their careers through similar programs, including acting senior civil engineer Kent Tanaka who joined the organisation as an undergraduate engineer in 2011.

Council hopes to have up to four staff engaged in the Cadet and Traineeship Program across various departments on an ongoing basis.

Murals spark conversations

Young people have joined professional artists to paint two murals in the City of Melville to help stimulate important conversations about mental health.

Mental health counsellor Orion Read met with young people during a series of workshops to talk about depression, suicide, resilience and overcoming adversity before artists Shavaurn Hanson and Olivia Robinson then incorporated the ideas from 54 young people into two mural designs, which were painted by young attendees over the weekends in late 2022. City of Melville Mayor George Gear JP said the murals aimed to remove stigma and encourage people to seek help when they are struggling.

“The city recognises the important role we play in supporting the mental health of young people and we were proud to be involved in this project,” he said.

“By providing opportunities like this, young people can express themselves creatively, make friends and reinforce the importance of self-care and seeking help.”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s suicide and self-harm monitoring, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24. About

75 per cent of common mental health issues emerge before the age of 25. Informed by voices of young people as outlined in the Directions from Young People Strategy, the city is exploring more opportunities like this to help young people express themselves and understand how to cope. The project was funded by a grant from the WA Primary Health Alliance under the Perth South National Suicide Prevention Trial.

An important outcome of the project funding is the ability to provide 200 members of the community free access to Suicide Prevention in Everyday Life training. The city is encouraging parents of teens to take up this training developed by the Black Dog Institute. The online training will help someone have a difficult conversation with a family member, friend or work colleague who hasn’t been themselves lately and respond appropriately.

was a brilliant opportunity to be guest curator of the 2022 exhibition.

“It was a great experience to discover and collect works from student artists state-wide in the development of ArtRage,” Sutczak said.

“To award Anabelle with the 2022 QVMAG Arts Foundation award is fantastic; Untitled (2022) is an outstanding work featured this year.

“I hope that the awarding of this medallion encourages Anabelle to continue developing her great talent.”

Fayre returns

The hugely-popular Blacktown City Medieval Fayre and Banquet is back in 2023, promising to transport festivalgoers back to an age of knights, castles, warriors and jousting.

The Medieval Fayre will return to Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside for the first time in two years over the weekend of 20 and 21 May.

Witness the thrills of live jousting, engage with roving medieval characters, browse medieval displays and artisan arts and crafts, watch a blacksmith at work and feast on delicious treats as you soak up Medieval-themed music.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said he was delighted to welcome all lords and ladies back to Blacktown City for the Medieval Fayre.

“The Blacktown City Medieval Fayre is one of the biggest and most highlyanticipated events on our community calendar, attracting visitors from far and wide,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“The Fayre will offer a unique immersive experience back to Medieval times, with a huge array of shows, demonstrations and activities for everyone to enjoy.

“Competitors will travel from all over Australia to take part in the breathtaking live jousting competition in our special jousting arena, while mighty warriors will fight for glory in authentic hand-to-hand combat displays on the Field of Honour.

“There is no doubt, it is going to be a spectacular weekend for all and encourage you to get your tickets early, as they won’t last long!”

The market stage will offer fine music, a medieval marketplace of quality arts and crafts, and tasty food.

The common will bring together historical displays, interactive demonstrations and entertainment from groups representing all Medieval periods, including the Viking, Crusader and Byzantine eras.

People from all over Australia head to the Medieval Fayre.

Young community members paint the mural at the Swan River Rowing Club.

Mosman Art Gallery trainee Keira Grundy, community services cadet Emily Slapp and engineering trainee Heidi Skerman with Mosman Mayor Carolyn Corrigan (second from right).

Mosman Art Gallery trainee Keira Grundy, community services cadet Emily Slapp and Engineering Trainee Heidi Skerman with Mosman Mayor Carolyn Corrigan (second from right).

Community services cadet Emily Slapp with engineering trainee Heidi Skerman and Mosman Art Gallery trainee Keira Grundy.

Intereach’s major milestone

Intereach, a leading provider of community support services, is proud to celebrate 50 years of dedicated service in rural and regional communities across NSW and Victoria.

Over the past half-century, the organisation has transformed and grown to meet the evolving needs of the communities Intereach serves from its 17 offices across 38 local government areas.

Intereach board chair Rob Brown said Intereach has had an incredible journey supporting many thousands of people.

“We remain committed to our core values of leadership, partnership and social justice and are dedicated to developing community infrastructure and supporting rural and regional communities across our footprint,” Mr Brown said.

Intereach’s rich history dates back to 1973 when it was established as the Deniliquin Council for Social Development (DCSD). The organisation was founded with the goal of providing community programs and services, including Youth Club, Senior citizens’ space, Meals on Wheels, Mobile Nursing Service, and Family Day Care for children.

Growth and an expanded reach resulted in the organisation becoming the Council for Social Development - Central Murray Region and the Regional Social Development Group before evolving to Intereach. In 2016, the roll-out of the NDIS provided Intereach with a significant opportunity to further meet the needs of local communities and empower them to live their best lives with Local Area Coordination and Early Childhood services being offered.

“We are grateful for the contributions of our dedicated staff and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly to support the communities we serve. With a team of over 450 staff and 150 volunteers in 17 offices located across the Riverina-Murray region of NSW and central and northern Victoria, Intereach is committed to in-

vesting in its people, providing ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed to deliver high-quality support services,” Mr Brown said.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Intereach will be hosting a series of events and activities across the year, including community open days, special anniversary celebrations, and the sharing of stories from current and past participants and staff.

“As we celebrate this significant milestone, we reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had, and we look forward to the future with great op-

timism,” Mr Brown said.

Co CEOs Michelle Tai and Yvette Buhagiar said it was a special year of reflection, with a clear focus on the future delivering improved and expanding services.

“It is an honour to celebrate this momentous occasion with our community. Our dedication to providing high-quality support services has remained unwavering, and we are excited to continue growing and evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities we serve,” Ms Tai said.

“We continue to explore opportunities to support communities and provide career path-

ways in the many communities we serve,” Mrs Buhagiar said, adding “we continue to care for community and staff, that is really important to us”.

Intereach is a leading provider of community support services, with 17 offices across southern NSW, north/central Victoria and the Mallee. They support children and families, people living with disability, mental health and older people.Intereach has offices in Albury, Balranald, Bendigo, Cootamundra, Corowa, Deniliquin, Echuca, Finley, Gisborne, Griffith, Hay, Maryborough, Mildura, Seymour, Shepparton, Swan Hill and Wagga Wagga.

Intereach is proud to celebrate 50 years.