The Local Government Focus RSS feed is now available for viewing. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/rss/index.xml en http://www.lgfocus.com.au/images/smlogo.gif http://www.lgfocus.com.au/rss/index.xml 140 51 This month Local Governments around Australia are getting ready for Harmony Day on 21 March. Harmony Day is a celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity and since 1999 many councils have used the day to promote the arrangements they have in place to manage cultural diversity at the local level. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/harmony.php With the Year of Women in Local Government officially launched on 20 January, we are sure to see more promotion and encouragement of women being involved in councils than we have ever seen before. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/editorial.php In each edition we feature the views of a Local Government Association president. The following is from Councillor Paul Bell, President of the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ). http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/presidents.php Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Anthony Albanese called for all Australian councils to better reflect the communities they seek to represent when he officially launched the 2010 Year of Women in Local Government yesterday in Sydney. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/women.php Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke was asked by Andrew Denton on the ABC’s ‘Enough Rope’ what advice he had for approaching life. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/brown.php Australia’s 22 million people come from more than 230 different countries, and this March will see Aussie workers lunch together during Australia’s biggest celebration of cultural diversity at work. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/lunch.php Councillor Profiles is a regular feature. This month we feature two Councillors from the Northern Territory. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/profiles.php At five years old, sports mad Onslow twins Keenan and Rashard Tucker are probably a little too young to understand what all the fuss in their town was about when a contract was recently awarded for the construction of a Multi Purpose Complex (MPC). http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/ashburton.php One of the Redlands’ most popular tourist destinations – the North Gorge Walk at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island – recently received a $220,000 facelift with the installation of a world first ecofriendly boardwalk. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/stradbroke.php With the growing number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – current prevalence 1:120 – it makes good sense to offer support for those working with young children and adolescents with autism. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/autism.php South Australia’s District Council of Mount Barker is leading the way in treating wastewater to provide an alternative source of water supply and achieve other ecological benefits for the region. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/wastewater.php Located in northern New South Wales on the Queensland border, Tweed Shire Council recently launched its new brand with a ‘One Council – One Brand’ approach to unify all departments, activities, assets, services, products and facilities. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/tweed.php The Australian Government will introduce new laws from mid 2010 making it mandatory for office building owners to disclose their energy efficiency information. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/building.php Shoalhaven City Council was successful in gaining Federal funding covering part of the cost of the installation of a grid interactive solar system on the roof of the Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/shoalhaven.php Young people from the Town of Port Hedland in Western Australia have contributed substantially to the community and gained lifelong leadership skills through Council’s first ever Young Leaders Program, held during 2009. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/hedland.php The Local Government landscape over the past 12 months has experienced unprecedented challenges and change. The global financial crisis, extreme consequences of climate change, structural reform and the ability of councils to service their communities has galvanised Local Government leaders to re-invent and re-invigorate the way they think and do business. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/lgma.php Located just south of Melbourne’s CBD, Bayside City Council stretches more than 17 kilometres across the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/bayside.php Australia’s Federal State and Territory environment ministers have agreed to a new national policy on waste and resource management, following the biannual meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) in Perth in November 2009. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/waste.php Campbelltown City Council in the Macarthur region of New South Wales recently hosted its first ever entirely sustainable event. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/campbelltown.php Moonee Valley City Council is calling on its residents to step up and take the Sustainable Suburbs challenge to help reduce its environmental footprint. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/green.php The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed comments by the Federal Government that it is currently considering four referendum questions, including one dealing with recognition of Local Government. The questions would be put to voters during the next Parliamentary term. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/steams.php Temperatures plummeted to minus 18 degrees Celsius in Scotland and many places in England had prolonged sub zero temperatures with six to ten inches of snow in January 2010. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/morley.php The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) 10th Global Conference will be hosted in partnership with the Council on the Ageing, Victoria (COTA). http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/climate.php Similar to councils around the nation, the City of Whitehorse understands the importance of recruitment and staff retention to its day to day operations and ongoing strategic planning processes. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/workforce.php In today’s world it is important for all municipalities to have a culture that fosters continuous improvement. For a council to meet the expectations of its communities, having staff who are not only technically proficient but are also great communicators is paramount. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/charles.php As part of Launceston City Council’s aim to create a ‘one organisation’ culture among its staff, employee recognition events were introduced in 2007. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/workplace.php An interview with Michelle Gilliver-Smith, Manager Human Resources at Port Stephens Council, NSW http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/future.php Every year, New South Wales’ Wellington Council looks at new and innovative ways it can send the OH+S message to its employees. In 2009, Council used an innovative mock trial to demonstrate just that. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/wellington.php In what is considered to be a first for Tasmania, Brighton Council is working with a local organisation to share plant, equipment and labour. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/brighton.php Empower Masterpay Pty Ltd is a leading provider of pay and HR solutions through innovative product development, quality service and support. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/empower.php Staff of Logan City Council in southeast Queensland are keeping fit and performing better at work with the assistance of Council’s Team Top Health (TTH). The program was introduced by senior management in 2003 to address increasing absenteeism. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/logan.php Located between Sydney and Brisbane in the New England Plateau, Armidale Dumaresq Council has a population of 24,500 people and a staff base of 250 employees. In 2007, a Council survey ascertained that leadership across eight out of nine council areas was perceived as negative. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/armidale.php Updates to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) for 2010 have been finalised and all building industry practitioners need to know what changes are coming into effect. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/bca.php The recent graduation of 11 talented and enthusiastic students from the Corporate Partners for Change Childcare Program is good news for Penrith’s childcare services. The students graduated in a ceremony hosted by Penrith City Council last November. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/penrith.php Shoalhaven City councillors and staff have an opportunity to maintain their fitness and care for the environment as part of their everyday jobs through an innovative initiative that provides them with access to two mountain bikes to use for appointments and work in the City. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/bikes.php The general conditions of contract for many forms of construction or engineering contracts require the Principal to appoint a person to act on its behalf in the dual role of agent and independent certifier. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/strohfeldt.php In partnership with local health service providers, Coffs Harbour City Council has launched a website designed to attract health professionals from all over the world to the Coffs Coast in northern New South Wales http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/coffs.php The Australian Commercial Disputes Centre (ACDC) is an organisation with a long history of supporting Local Government with conflict resolution training and managing disputes at various levels http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/practice.php If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, ‘I’ve got all this data, now what do I do with it?’, then the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) can help. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/abs.php In December, Moonee Valley City Council in Melbourne’s northwest made local history when it elected two women as Mayor and Deputy Mayor – the first time two women will lead the Council. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/moonee.php At more than 105,600 square kilometres, Ashburton Shire Council in the Pilbara region of Western Australia is almost half the size of Victoria. http://www.lgfocus.com.au/index.php?view=editions/2010/february/staff.php