Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Editorial
In June, FOCUS went Online. As well as providing access to a range of articles presented in each edition, we encourage Councils to use the Internet as a new avenue for submitting material prior to publication. We welcome discussion, feedback or further input. As our home page states, 'discover what Councils are doing across Australia to shape community life', this direct access to a world wide audience is an exciting prospect.

Commitment to good urban design
At a time when it is important to consolidate the growth of towns and cities to avoid additional infrastructure costs and intrusion into valuable land, Lismore City Council in northern New South Wales has developed an innovative way of encouraging medium density housing development. By sponsoring Medium Density Design Awards, Council's planning strategies have been greatly assisted.

Savings all round from integrating services
Penrith City Council in Sydney's outer west has arrived at an innovative way to recycle Council buildings which have outlived their usefulness for modern City management. Recognising a need to coordinate access to a variety of community services for people with multiple needs, Council has undertaken to house 23 separate Community Organisations in its old Administrative Centre.

Broken Hill Queen of the arts
In the film 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert', the City of Broken Hill in western New South Wales was depicted in a whimsical light, remote from the fashions and trends of life in Sydney with all the stereotypes of an outback industrial town - old fashioned, good hearted and a bit rough around the edges. In reality, Broken Hill has a rich community of talented artists and a strong cultural history dating back to its establishment.

Voice of youth
Glenorchy City Council in Tasmania takes seriously the need to provide services for its youth. At a time when there is high youth unemployment and disillusionment is common, the need to direct the energy and potential of young people in a productive way is essential.

Local Councils win cultural grants
Deniliquin Council, the Town of Port Headland and Maribyrnong City Council are amongst 54 recipients of grants totalling $760,000 under the first round of the Australian Experience 1996 Program. An initiative of the Australia Foundation for Culture and the Humanities Ltd, the program aims to support a diverse range of cultural activity through Australia, particularly in regional areas.

Local Government service provision to Aboriginal communities
The Australian Local Government Ministers' Confernce in 1995 passed a resolution to improve services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. One response to this resolution was the establishment of reviews in each State and Territory to document case studies where local authorities are working with indigenous communities in innovative ways, and to develop resources materials for Councils.

Best of both worlds
Situated right next door to the Nation's Capital and the picturesque southern highlands of NSW, Queanbeyan offers all the benefits of a rural environment with clean air, beautiful scenery, access to the Snowy Mountains and the south coast plus all the advantages of modern city living. Covering an area of 52 square kilometres, Queanbeyan has a very active population of 27,7000 people, keen to share their skills and interests to enhance community life.

Country living City bonuses
With a population ten times larger and with facilities and services accompanying its status as the national capital, Canberra's standards are the immediate benchmark for Queanbeyan. While this places pressure on Council to conform with Canberra's service standards, at the same time, Queanbeyan citizens have all the advantages of a major City just 15 minutes away along with country living

Taking care of business
Local Government today involves much more than simply looking after roads, rates and rubbish. Queanbeyan is determined to run as a viable enterprise providing ratepayers with the best value for money. This commitment to efficiency is reflected in Council's development of business plans, investment stratgegy and use of modern technology.

Lifting the load
Councils spend large amounts of time and resources dealing with the results of stress caused by heavy vehicles using local roads. One way to reduce this problem is to check that vehicles do not exceed load limits. In South East NSW this task is undertaken by the South East Weight of Loads Group. Queanbeyan Council has taken on the secretariat responsibility for the Group and dealing with any breaches of the law for all 14 Councils in the Group.

Waste not want not!
Sewerage may not be the most glamorous area of Local Government activity but its proper management is critical to the local and wider environment. Achievement of a 99 percent removal of phosphorous enables the water to be recycled for irrigating Council's treatment works ground and the adjoining nursery. For the last eight years, sludge from the treatment works has been composted with mulched green waste making a perfect fertiliser.