Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

$2.7 billion surplus yet communities still losing out
Achieving the Budget surplus has come at a cost, not the least for Councils and the communities they serve. According to Councillor John Campbell, President of the Australian Local Government Association, the failure of the 1998 Budget to reverse last year's cuts to Local Government funding will mean ongoing reductions in services to local communities.

Editorial
The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) is rightly concerned that, in spite of the 1998 Budget delivering a $2.7 billion surplus, reductions in Local Government funding have not been restored. Cuts across the board, impacting on all sectors of the community, may be justified on the basis of needing to 'get back in the black', but for them to continue in light of a hefty surplus is open to challenge.

Graffiti free City
Together with other community organisations, including Neighbourhood Watch, the local Police and Transit Police, South Australia's City of Marion has embarked on a campaign to reduce the incidence of unsightly graffiti.

Kempsey's CivicView has wide application for LG
Kempsey Shire Council in NSW, with a reputation for an excellent working knowledge of the application of geographic information systems in a Local Government framework, has recently launched a new software package called CivicView. The technology has evolved from mapping into a complete package using a windows environment.

Katherine thanks Councils for their support
Katherine Mayor, Jim Forscutt has thanked Councils around Australia for their support following devastating floods in January. Support came in the form of offers of plant and equipment, direct donations and donations raised through a special fund set up by the Australian Local Government Association.

Communities working together
During the recent National Reconciliation Week, Alice Springs Public Library aided the cause by displaying a range of information, resources and other material to generate a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Towards Year 2000 compliance
Governments, industry and private companies across the globe have been looking into the effect the Year 2000 date change problem will have. While the Year 2000 date change problem is raising different issues for corporate business, government, smaller enterprises and the general community, there is a single common thread that affects everyone. Time is running out!

Showgrounds complex hosts year round events
A joint project between Crow's Nest Shire Council and Crow's Nest Agricultural Society will result in better facilities for the Agricultural Society and local community.

Helping business get on with the job
Governments at all levels across Australia are making it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to obtain helpful information, and reduce the amount of paperwork and the cost of dealing with government. Recent initiatives implemented by governments in the ACT, Tasmania and Victoria are making it easier for business to get the information they need, leaving them free to get on with the job.

Customs and super information in BizLink
BizLink can now help Australian Businesses with more information on Customs and on superannuation. Two new modules on these topics were released in March 1998. If you subscribe to BizLink, you don't have to ring, you don't have to visit, the information you need is on your computer.

Restoring Serpentine-Jarrahdale for tomorrow
The Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Serpentine-Jarrahdale Land Conservation District Committee, ten community groups and Agriculture WA have embarked on an ambitious plan to clean up waterways and restore the once pristine environment of the Shire.

SA Councils lead the nation in Local Agenda 21
According to State Environment Minister, Dorothy Kotz, Local Government in South Australia is leading the country in its response to Local Agenda 21. Local Agenda 21 emerged from the Rio Earth Summit where agreements were reached on strategies to alleviate global environmental problems.

Natural Resource Management through Bushcare
Australian Local Governments have a unique role in improving natural resource management. While the specific roles and responsibilities of Local Governments differ between States, all Australian Councils have a range of regulatory and planning powers that influence the way in which local natural resources are managed.

Training saves the environment and cuts costs
It is important that plant operators, construction workers and gardeners have access to information that can reduce adverse environmental impacts from Council works. Through training to reduce soil erosion, protect water quality and preserve native vegetation, Councils save the environment and costs arising from needing to compensate for damage, undertake repairs and rehabilitation schemes.

LG recognised on Greenhouse Council
Recognition of Local Government as a key stakeholder on the State Greenhouse Council has been welcomed by the President of the Western Australian Municipal Association, Councillor Ken Pech.

Local Government praised for environment work
In recent years, Local Government has played a major role in improving the management of natural resources in South Australia's Mount Lofty Ranges. The interaction between the Program and Local Government has influenced the quality of decision making by planning authorities and led to a greater level of consultation and cooperation on planning issues.

Lake restoration at Jabiru
In Jabiru, in the Northern Territory, plans are afoot to restore Lake Jabiru to a state where it can be used for the passive recreational pursuits.

Denmark wins 1998 Tidy Town
Denmark in Western Australia is the winner of the 1998 Mitsubishi Tidy Towns Award. After being a finalist three years in a row, Denmark is the first national winner from Western Australia. With a population of 4,000, the town has a very strong environmental ethos and a high degree of community involvement with 96 percent of residents participating in projects to improve the environment.

Campaspe wins National Landcare Award
Victoria's Shire of Campaspe has won the Telstra National Landcare Award for its ongoing commitment to the preservation and management of the local environment.

Big wheels or little cogs diversity in Local Government
In welcoming delegates to the Institute of Municipal Management's 17th National Congress, Federal President, Alf Mott said that the Congress is centered on Local Government achieving excellence through diversity. He said that as private sector corporations are focusing on specialisation to improve their performance and competitiveness, Local Government by its very nature is an extremely diverse industry.

Are we an economy or a society?
Social activist, Rev Tim Costello, challenges the managerial approach that is permeating Local Government, particularly in regard to human services delivery and community development. He believes using words such as business units, markets and stakeholders, with citizenship being replaced by customers or consumers, is a big mistake.

Turning the governance map upside down
Phillip Adams, renowned journalist and Chair of the Australia Day Council, said that every international and global problem comes home to roost exactly where you live. He believes that referring to Local Government as the 'third' tier of government is simply wrong. The map should be turned up the other way, with Local Government at the top.

Intellectual horsepower of LG
Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Councillor Jim Soorley, described managers as the 'intellectual horsepower of Local Government'. Speaking on the topic, 'Local Government in the Context of an Australian Republic', he challenged managers to display their leadership in the reform agenda as Australia seeks out the best form of governance to lead us into the next millennium.

Yarra wins management challenge
Victoria's City of Yarra has won the 1998 Australasian Active Learning Management Challenge. This year, 76 teams and 450 Local Government officers participated in this highly regarded annual professional development exercise.

Diverse challenges for CEOs
Rolf Gerritsen, Professor of Local Government and Applied Policy at the University of Canberra, has recently participated in an international study of Local Government Chief Executive Officers. He said that the diversity in the role of Australian CEOs is partly due to the fact that we have eight separate Local Government systems. However, he believes a stronger factor is the bimodal culture difference between the rural and urban CEO.