Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Newcastle declaration goes to the UN
A draft declaration, prepared in the lead up to Newcastle Council's Pathways to Sustainability International Conference, was presented to a special session of the United Nations on 16 April. UN support as a signatory to the final declaration at the culmination of the Conference on 5 June is being sought. . The declaration will be officially signed by Local Government representatives at the International Conference, being held in Newcastle on 1-5 June.

Editorial
Five years on from the Rio Earth Summit, Newcastle has secured the right to host 'Pathways To Sustainability', a Conference which will deliver the final phase in the international review of Local Agenda 21. It is a great compliment both to Australia, and particularly Newcastle, to have been selected to host this important international forum. As the international community ratifies the vital role of Local Authorities in planning and delivering on initiatives through Local Agenda 21, how long will it take the Federal and State Governments to include Local Government as a full partner in governance not merely an agency?

Public Sector Games
In April 1998, Melbourne is to host another major event. The City will host the inaugural Australasian Public Sector Games. The Games will bring together athletic, and not so athletic public sector workers from all over Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Anyone working in a public capacity including all spheres of government, statutory authorities and educational institutions is welcome to participate.

Search FOCUS Online
Since May last year, large sections of each edition of Local Government FOCUS have been available on the Internet. As well as highlighting current issues, initiatives and events, the Online pages can now be used for research purposes. Anyone seeking information about Local Government in Australia, can make use of our new 'Search' facility.

Preparing for a growing population
With an anticipated population growth of 83 percent between now and 2011, the Shire of Maroochy in Queensland is determined to be prepared. In just 16 years, it is predicted an extra 86,000 people will need to be accommodated.

Palmerston residents have their say in shaping new town centre
Widespread public consultation has been the key to the Palmerston Urban Landscape Master Plan. Under the scheme, Palmerston Town Council in the Northern Territory, will revamp the town centre using funding provided by the Northern Territory Government and support from the Council's Mainstreet Advisory Committee, Palmerston Towards Tomorrow.

Trials, tribulations and triumphs of a remote Council
Several years ago, Coober Pedy residents identified a grassed oval as their most important priority in order to give the young people a recreational outlet as well as reduce juvenile crime. Responding to residents' priorities, Council embarked on the biggest project in its short history. To keep the grass in summer, when temperatures regularly hit 45°c and sufficient effluent water isnot available, will cost the Council 10 percent of its rate base.

Celebrating the arts in North Queensland
Townsville's claim to be the arts capital of northern Queensland will be confirmed in July this year when the City launches into a month long festival celebrating every area of arts and cultural life. The festival will complement the City's two major international arts events, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and the International Festival of Young Playwrights known as Interplay.

QLD comes to the party on NCP funding
The Queensland Government has announced that it will share a substantial portion of its payments from the Commonwealth Government to implement National Competition Policy reforms with Councils. Cr John Campbell, President of the Australian Local Government Association, has called on all States to follow Queensland's example.

Vital resources for good design and performance based planning
Two Local Government Development Program funded publications, Australia's Guide to Good Residential Design and Education and Training Modules for Performance Based Residential Development were launched by Warwick Smith, Commonwealth Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government, on 29 April. Both publications are complementary materials to the national resource document for residential development known as AMCORD.

Linking Bundaberg to the world
Residents of Bundaberg in Queensland will gain an international profile with Council launching major innovations in information technology next month. Among initiatives to be introduced are a web site for Council business, an Intranet internal communications system to speed up transactions between Council departments and provision for public access to the Internet at the City Library.

Balancing work and family
The archaic view that women should be 'kept out of boardrooms and senior management positions' has no place in the City of Kensington and Norwood. As a result, a number of women employees with babies, toddles or young children just starting primary school, have been given greater flexibility in their work arrangements to assist with family responsibilities.

Better customer service saves time and resources
Having identified a community concern regarding the amount of 'red tape' involved in development applications, the City of Playford in South Australia resolved to establish a best practice customer service system. Introduction of electronic lodgement of applications, including email and the Internet, electronic payment of fees and the electronic storage of documents will soon make it even more efficient.

Something for everyone ...
The 9th National Local Government Engineering Conference, in conjunction with the International Congress of Public Works, draws its theme from the very reason for Local Government's existence; to deliver the community's aspirations. Speakers from Australia, the United States and New Zealand will address engineering management, technical and Local Government reform issues.

Is your Council customer-driven?
All Councils are service organisations, although you wouldn't think so the way some Councils treat their customers says Manningham City Council Chief Executive Bob Seiffert. As one of the speakers at the National Engineering Conference, Bob will be challenging delegates to question whether their Council is customer-driven.  

Creating quality of living
Keynote speaker David Rhodes has spent 20 years in Local Government. As Director of Public Works in the City of Boulder, Colorado, since 1985, David has responsibility for four divisions employing 320 people and with an annual budget of $40 million. Ensuring Local Governments are fully prepared for emergencies and natural disasters is one of David's areas of professional expertise. And it is knowledge based on practical experience - David was one of the key officials responsible for the Public Works emergency responses in the 1980 Mount St. Helen's volcanic eruption.

More than 80 experts
More than 80 speakers will be sharing their expertise at the Local Government Engineering Conference. These are just some of the papers being presented.

Topics
The conference topics have been carefully selected to respond to the needs of Local Government beyond 1997. Local Government engineering is about the best use of technology, and the best management of people and the resources available. The conference program incorporates a very significant emphasis on engineering management which complements the technical role of engineering in Local Government.