Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Engineers delivering the community's aspirations
Delegates from across Australia met recently in Melbourne for the 9th National Local Government Engineering Conference. Then Federal President of the Institute of Municipal Engineering Australia, Peter Way, said that the Conference had lived up to all expectations, setting yet another benchmark or a higher standard to aspire to in future years.

Foreshore rejuvenation a winner
An extensive program to rejuvenate one of Melbourne's great natural resources, the Port Phillip Bay Foreshore, has won the Environment Prize in the 1997 Institution of Engineers (Victorian Division) Excellence Awards for the City of Port Phillip.

Editorial
As we move closer to the new millennium, concepts such as 'reform', 'change' and 'a vision for the future' will undoubtedly continue to dominate both the public and private sectors. As we close out what has been a century of the most accelerated and profound changes in our history, the pace of reform shows no signs of slowing, rather it is continuing its exponential climb. However, pushing ahead with reform without an analysis of the costs and benefits is stepping on very shaky ground, with adverse consequences having the potential to reverberate for generations to come.

Historic native title agreement
The first agreement between an Australian Local Government authority and a native title claimant has been signed by Queensland's Redland Shire Council and the Quandamooka Land Council (QLC) Aboriginal Corporation. Following acceptance by the National Native Title Tribunal of a Quandamooka claim over Moreton Bay, including North Stradbroke Island, both Redland and Quandamooka opted for a mediation rather than litigation to resolve any issues.

Combined rating system lessens the impact of change
Faced with the problem of two different ratings systems used by its former Cities, the City of West Torrens Thebarton in South Australia has come up with an ingenious system to bring about a common rating system while minimising the impact on ratepayers.

Urban renewal in Qld
Three Councils were among the winners in the recent Queensland Design Awards presented by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Brisbane, Bundaberg and Logan City Councils featured in Awards for projects which have enhanced their built and natural environments.

Regional Australia can help housing crisis
Decent housing is a fundamental social need. In Australia, the free market has been the principal source of housing supply with some of the shortfall being made up by Federal and State Government Grant support. Regional areas of Australia, are in a position to offer more affordable land and housing for Australia's low income households. This includes a better lifestyle in quality housing at significantly lower costs than major capital cities.

Playing to win in Launceston
The theme of this year's Annual Conference of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health is 'Playing to Win' with the emphasis on positive thought and action to promote healthier, safer communities. Delegates will be able to hear speakers and hold discussions, on a wide range of issues that influence public health outcomes, with colleagues from around the nation and overseas.

Support for CEOs
The need for training to enable employees to broaden their skills, maintain up to date knowledge and function efficiently is not confined to the youngest or lower levels of an organisation. All staff, through to the CEO, need to review their own performance and learn new aspects of their role.

Eyes and ears of the city
Forty years ago Hobart City Council introduced the concept of the parking officer to Australian cities. Council has recently embarked upon a program to change not only the image of parking officers but the nature of the job itself.

Libraries as a training resource
Libraries are one of the great community resources available to the public courtesy of Councils around Australia. The Town of Claremont in Western Australia has developed its library service to also make it a great staff training resource.

Continuous improvement brings competitive edge
Continuous improvement is the linchpin of an Enterprise Agreement between the City of Rockingham in Western Australia and its workforce. Readily adaptable for other Councils, Rockingham has run workshops to assist staff from other Councils in developing their own Enterprise Agreements.

Employment training for Aboriginal workers
While unemployment is currently a problem throughout the country, some groups are significantly more disadvantaged in employment prospects than others. Recognising this, in August, Alice Springs Town Council introduced its Aboriginal Employment and Training Program. As well as improving Town amenities, it will provide valuable training and hence employment opportunities for program participants.

Another opportunity to showcase the north coast
In October, the 1997 NSW Local Government Association's Annual Conference will be staged in Port Macquarie. In yet another opportunity to showcase the beautiful north coast, Coffs Harbour City Council is proud to have won the right to host the 1998 Conference. Planning for next year's event is already well under way.

Progress and prosperity
With the City's population doubling in the past 15 years, careful planning is essential. Council has taken a very professional approach to forward planning, being the first Local Government area in this State to have an ecologically sustainable approved long term Urban Development Strategy in place.

Giving priority to the environment
Environmental protection can be a costly short term investment, but the long term returns are bountiful. With this in mind, Coffs Harbour City Council has decided to introduce an annual levy, averaging $25 per ratepayer, earmarked specifically for environmental programs.

Bellingen Shire a natural beauty
Bellingen Shire, as Coffs Harbour City Council's closest southern neighbour, will benefit from the decision to host the 1998 Local Government Association Conference, in that it provides an alternative area for delegates and partners to visit during their time on the Mid North Coast.

Picturesque Nambucca
Joining Coffs Harbour and Bellingen Shire in hosting delegates and visitors to the 1998 Conference is the Shire of Nambucca. At the southern gateway to the Holiday Coast, just 40 minutes from Coffs Harbour, Nambucca boasts numerous fascinating villages, mountain scenery, riverside leisure spots, picturesque farmland and rainforest.

World class regional education
A common problem in regional Australia is the need for young people to leave the area for study or work. Once gone, they seldom return, depleting country areas of one of its most valuable resources. In Coffs Harbour, young people no longer need to leave for further study or vocational training.

Empowering service users
Until recently, Council was managing a range of Community services and facilities. Since 1995, it has been working with service users and staff introducing an innovative self management process.

Coffs Harbour's future in great hands
Coffs Harbour Future Development Corporation, a public company with limited guarantee, promotes industry, commerce, recreation and tourism within and outside the City of Coffs Harbour. Its strategic vision for economic development is to increase the wealth and per capita income of the Coffs Harbour community through identifying areas of economic potential, marketing, media and community relations.

Celebrating multiculturalism
Come November, Coffs Harbour will host the Inaugural Holiday Coast Fiesta, an annual celebration to take place in Melbourne Cup Week every year. While an east coast Australian holiday resort may not seem the usual spot for a Spanish style festival, Coffs Harbour has a large multicultural community with many residents from around the globe, including the largest Sikh community in Australia.

Catering for every interest
Coffs Harbour, Nambucca and Bellingen Councils have developed a unified approach for promoting their popular region with an organisation known as Tourism Holiday Coast. Situated mid way between Sydney and Brisbane, the region is very accessible with excellent road, rail and air links.

Disaster management
When 500 mm of rain, or 16 inches on the old scale, fell within six hours on 23 November last year, the equivalent of almost twice the capacity of Coffs Harbour's major water storage source, Karangi Dam, was spread across the City. The worst storm in living memory, and described as the one in a thousand year flood, some areas were inundated with up to a metre of water.

International stadium brings world class athletes
One of Coffs Harbour's most valuable and best used assets is its International Sports Stadium. The venue caters for a range of sport and entertainment, providing an international standard facility. Opened in June 1994 and covering approximately 2.3 hectares, the stadium has played host to many major events.

Conference mecca
Superb weather, a beautiful location, excellent facilities, plus a full range of accommodation choices, places Coffs Harbour at the leading edge of the conference and convention marketplace.