Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Creating the future in the 'information age'
With 30 year's experience writing and commenting on business and investment in Australia, Robert Gottliebsen, in the keynote address, looked at the impact of economics, national and global, on Councils and communities. He said rapid technology changes are fundamentally changing the way we do business. "Organisations that do not adapt will not be around in the future," he said. "However, it is vital to remember what your core business is and in the case of Local Government this is the link with your local community.

New look Focus for 2001
In October, Local Government Focus, commenced its 17th year of publication. January 2001 will also mark Focus' 5th birthday as a national newspaper. Going from strength to strength, this December edition will be the last produced using the separate Green and Gold mastheads. Commencing next year, a new look, larger edition, with a combined Green and Gold masthead, will see the same edition being distributed to all Councils throughout Australia. We have also totally overhauled our web site to match the new look Focus.

Editorial
After regaining control of superannuation on behalf of NSW Councils just three years ago, the Local Government Superannuation Scheme is not only a recognised leader in terms of returns on investment but is also a great example of putting triple bottom line principles into practice.

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

Local Government super funds to assist regional NSW
Having taken back responsibility for Local Government superannuation three years ago this scheme was recently recognised by Mercers as the best performing in Australia. The Super Scheme has recently established a $130 million Regional Development Trust. Working closely with Deutsche Asset Management, this Trust will provide capital for appropriate projects that will stimulate growth and jobs in outer metropolitan areas and throughout regional New South Wales.

Blending the old and new in Broome
On 24 November, the Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court, officially opened the new Shire of Broome Administration building. He congratulated the Shire on a design and structure that reflects the character and history of Broome, yet is modern and fully accessible to people with disabilities.

Road package a good start but long term commitment essential - ALGA
Councils across the nation welcome the Federal Government announcement of $1.6 billion for road funding, Australian Local Government Association President, Councillor John Ross, said. The package has developed from a strong case put by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) to the Commonwealth Government.

Community consultation - beyond the rhetoric
How many times have you found yourself half way through a community consultation program on a delicate issue and wished you could start again. Unfortunately the process had been hijacked by a minority pressure group, which had capitalised on your lack of planning, making a conclusive outcome unlikely.

Mow-A-CEO delivers dollars
At the recent 50th Anniversary Conference of the Institute of Municipal Management - Qld Division, Executive Director, Tony Wehlow, told delegates that, following a successful fund raising effort by the Institute and its members and supporters, 'we are in a position to present a cheque for $33,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation'.

Five green ticks for Marion
The City of Marion has recognised the need to identify and manage the environmental aspects of its own activities by committing to the establishment of an Environmental Management System (or EMS).

Online Service Delivery
Anyone following the American election will by now be sure that if it hasn't proved anything else, it's proved that every vote does count. For those people who are apathetic about contributing their voice to decision making because they think it 'won't make a difference', the election has given us food for thought about the role that the Internet could play in democracy.

Managing development disputes made easy
A major Interactive Conference on managing development and environmental disputes will be held at the Wentworth Hotel, Sydney on 2-3 April 2001.

New roads from old concrete
Roads built with recycled material are a concrete reality for Western Australia, thanks to the determination of local company Waste Stream Management, and the support of Kwinana Town Council. The old Thomas Road landfill site has become a success story, for Kwinana and Western Australia.

Managing Internet productivity
Local Councils, Government Departments and businesses alike, are recognising the ever increasing benefits of providing Internet access to employees. But Internet access can result in countless non productive hours when employees stray. SuperScout provides the most advanced filtering technology available to eliminate Internet abuse.

City of Playford - a community of assets
Sure, the City of Playford manages its assets well, but this is not where our asset management stops. The City of Playford has taken asset management a step further than a preoccupation with its own. We are taking an interest in our community of assets - everyone's assets in the City that work together to form a community. They are all interlinked and interdependent, and together form the community's infrastructure - the means by which a resident can move, shop, go to school and work and borrow a book.

Transforming from 'roads, rates and rubbish' - Wollongong City Council selects mySAP.com Local Government Solution
Australia's eighth largest city, Wollongong, boasts some of Australia's most picturesque coastline and bushlands. It's also a city whose Council is positioning itself to be one of the country's leading adopters of technology in Local Government. This is strongly evidenced by its decision to deploy mySAP.com Local Government Solution - a solution that supports the full range of Local Government requirements, developed by SAP Australia and Deloitte Consulting.

Finance One interfacing a breeze for Rocky
Interfacing the leading financial management software, Finance One, with three other new business applications simultaneously was as smooth as a summer breeze for Rockhampton City Council. For this medium sized Council with 24,000 rateable properties, located halfway up Queensland's tropical coast, interfacing software applications was initially a 'scare issue' but one that, after considerable planning and review, was successfully resolved. Acting Director of Corporate Services, Thomas Upton, who had overall responsibility for the project, said initial concerns had been resolved with the assistance of staff from Finance One and the various business applications.

Creating a better future together
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town Council and Tangentyere Council is set to benefit both Councils and all residents in Alice Springs.

Using Council web sites for electronic service delivery
Australian Councils have been quick to recognise the Internet as an invaluable tool for transparency and community promotion. However, most Council web sites only have very limited Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) capacity. Burnie City Council in Tasmania has addressed this issue with Sydney based e-commerce company 'commerce@work', cooperatively developing a new innovative Local Government product called 'e-council'.

Thuringowa awarded 'Best Practice' UK study tour grant
Thuringowa City Council has been awarded a study tour to the United Kingdom to assess Best Practice in the delivery of Local Government services to the community. Council was named winner of the prestigious 'In search of Best Practice Grant' at the Institute of Municipal Management's State Conference in Brisbane.

Why 'e' equals 'c' in Brisbane
Part of Brisbane City Council's 'Smart City' strategy has been the development of seamless customer service. An underlying principle has been that 'e' is in harmony with 'c' where 'e' equals electronic and 'c' the customer.

Barcode scanner saves time and money
Recently Toowoomba City Council approached Gripon Australia to help automate its cash receipting. The task set was to receipt different types of notices, such as rates notices and dog registrations, without the need for the operator to manually key the data into the computer system.

LG creature of the State well and truly over - PM tells Assembly
"My message today, on behalf of the Federal Government, is that there is great respect and support for the key role of Local Government in the governance of Australia," the Prime Minister stated. The old idea that Local Government is purely a creature of State Government and dealt only with State Governments is well and truly over."

Local Government at the edge of the 21st century
The 5th National General Assembly of Local Government, staged in Canberra from 3-6 December, was very much about what the major parties have on offer as Australia enters an election year. A number of Federal politicians addressed the Assembly, including the Prime Minister, John Howard; Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley; Leader of the Democrats, Meg Lees, Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson; and various Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

National road funding campaign launched
The national campaign aimed at ensuring long term Federal Government commitment to improved road funding was launched at the General Assembly.

Too many people and places left behind
Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley told delegates that he was pleased to be invited to address this 'grand assembly of the people's deputies'. He said that with 730 Local Government bodies, employing in excess of 140,000 workers, an annual expenditure of more than $9.7 billion and contributing around 1.6 percent to the nation's GDP, these are just some of the reasons why the Labor Party wants to strengthen the hand of Local Government.

A realistic fixed share of Federal funding - Why is there a lack of political will?
"We have long supported that Local Government should be the recipients of a realistic fixed share of Federal funding," Meg Lees , Leader of the Democrats said. "Why has this not been forthcoming? It is not because of the lack of money so it must be the political will.

State of the Regions - the gap widens
The General Assembly began with a full day Regional Cooperation and Development Forum on Sunday 3 December. Some 250 delegates looked at the issues rising from ALGA's 'State of the Regions' report which was released at the Forum.

Knowledge based communities
Speaking on a Canadian Federal Government program that is delivering Internet access to rural and remote communities, Sandra Rosano from Industry Canada said that it is important to interpret trends in Internet use. "There is increasing access but are people making the best use of the information that is available?" she said.

LG's work in reconciliation recognised
During the Assembly, Chairperson of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Dr Evelyn Scott, presented ALGA with a Reconciliation Award. She said that Local Government has proved itself as an agent for positive change.

Building social capital
Our society is experiencing a new type of poverty, the poverty in human relations, where a growing number of people are materially rich yet socially poor. The end result is record rates of loneliness, family breakdown, street crime and community disengagement.