Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online >> Editions > 1999 > December

Main Articles

Commonwealth Heads of Government endorse partnership with LG
The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Conference, titled 'Globalisation and People Centred Development: A Local Government Response', was held in Durban, South Africa in November. It coincided with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place in the same week.

Editorial
When Central Governments start talking about Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) it is the element of 'compulsory' that immediately starts alarm bells ringing in Local Government. Where CCT has been used in Britain, and more recently Victoria, the key complaint from Councils was the loss of autonomy, particularly in regard to making decisions which best reflect the needs of their residents and locality. The one size fits all approach takes away flexibility. Councils are forced to put services out to tender. This can be detrimental to their community.

President's comment
Each edition we feature the views of a Local Government Association President. The following is from Councillor Jamie Edwards from the Western Australian Municipal Association.

Mosman proudly on world stage
Australian Local Government will be represented for the first time at the International City Managers Association (ICMA) Best Practice Symposium on Local Government Excellence. Selected as one of six in depth case studies, Mosman Council will showcase its MOSPLAN and Community Conversations initiatives.

New logo for new identity
The logo for the new Adelaide Hills Council has been designed by a local student. The Council, established in 1997, brought together four former Councils making it one of the largest Councils, area wise, in South Australia.

Growth for Boonah
Two years of negotiation with a fertiliser company has paid off for Queensland's Boonah Shire Council. Protein Fertilisers Pty Ltd, is set to establish a $6 million factory. This has the potential to create 100 jobs in the Shire.

Jetty revamp welcomed in style
The opening of the revamped Redcliffe jetty in November, the third upgrade of the facility in its 114 year history, provided an opportunity for the community to celebrate the special place the jetty has in local history and lore.

Feature - Business & Greater Efficiency

Knowsley a service leader
Following a restructure of Local Government in Britain, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough was formed in 1974. It is one of five Councils in the Merseyside conurbation.

Putting the community first
Knowsley Council has formed a People's Panel to ensure it continues to meet community expectations. To form the panel, Council wrote to 11,500 households asking for people interested in being involved.

Traditional management brings better governance
A marriage of traditional and modern management structures is providing a new means of stability and prosperity in the Northern Territory's Wadeye (Port Keats) region.

Performance measurement made easy
The City of Cockburn took out a Performance Measurement Award for the whole of its organisation at the Western Australian Municipal Association's Best Practice in Local Government Awards in November. The award was made for Cockburn's design of a system of performance measurement which could be used in all its 29 Business Units.

Digital dashboards - monitoring the corporate digital nervous system*
The Digital Dashboard concept promotes the idea that standard messaging infrastructures and formula information dissemination and filtering tools. They can support and monitor best practice by delivering the right information to the right person at the right time and for the right cost.

Burnie: the Online City of the Future
Facing similar problems of most rural and regional areas in Australia, Burnie in Tasmania needed to urgently address the economic and social repercussions resulting from the recent downsizing of its major industry, pulp and paper production.

E-Council from INTEC
Burnie City Council and INTEC Australia have developed a complete Local Government Information System known as E-Council. E-Council means that the management and dissemination of information that Councils currently undertake manually can be delivered electronically for internal customers and the public at large.

WA celebrates best practice
The Western Australian Municipal Association held its second annual Best Practice Awards in Local Government at a gala function in November. The awards aim to foster and encourage best practice principles in Local Government in Western Australia.

Corporate governance obligations ensured in Inglewood
Queensland's Inglewood Shire Council has demonstrated leadership by ensuring their corporate governance obligations are fulfilled. In October, all senior management from Inglewood attended a full day workshop conducted by Queensland Risk Management Consultants.

Tax Reform compliance made easy*
The tax reform agenda within Australia has resulted in a significant range of changes to the mode of operation of most medium to large Australian operations. Primary changes include GST, PAYG, FBT and the potential for further changes arising from the Ralph Report. Under its i-Mergence product range Computron Software has developed an innovative range of software tools.

GST: whole of organisation approach vital
According to Pat McCarthy, Director of Gadens Accounting, for Councils to ensure they are revenue neutral, following the introduction of the GST next year, they need to take a whole of organisation approach.

FOCUS Promotion - 1999 National General Assembly of Local Government

Local Government forming the future
A record number of delegates attended the 1999 National General Assembly staged in Canberra from 29 November to 1 December. Over 900 elected members and senior managers, from Councils across all States and the Northern Territory, considered, as we approach the centenary of our Federation, how Local Government can play a key role in forming the future for all Australians.

Councils champions for our regions
Immediately preceding the National General Assembly, some 270 delegates attended a full day Regional Cooperation and Development Forum staged by ALGA and National Economics.

Council as a taxpayer in the 21st century
Speaking on tax reform, Tom Wilson, Partner with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, told delegates that there are now just over 200 days until the start of the GST. Taking out weekends, public holidays and needing to be ready at least two months earlier, to ensure systems are in fact working, he said it is more like just over 80 days to go.

What the Federal politicians said
Extracts of addresses to the Assembly.

Where we have come from 1899-1914
With the Assembly theme looking at both the past and future, Professor Stuart MacIntyre, Historian from Melbourne University, looked at the challenges our young nation faced leading up to and shortly after Federation.

Credit rating opens up alternate funding sources
With an increase in private sector provision of infrastructure, Rick Shepherd from Standard and Poors said that Councils with a good credit rating can become a credit enhancer for such projects.

Illicit drug use needs community solutions
Speaking during the session titled 'Dealing with Crime and Drugs', Professor David Penington, Chair of the Victorian Inquiry into Illicit Drug Use, said that illicit drug use raises strong feelings that are hard to escape. Emotions can vary from anger and fear, to total dismay that the problem is getting worse and worse.

Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online
Editions > 1999 > December > Gold	Wednesday May 23, 2012 - Melbourne Time: 00:20:29