June 1996 Edition

  • Double the value

    Integrated tackling of pressing issues is proving successful for the City of Noarlunga in South Australia. Unemployment and the environment are being dealt with simultaneously
  • Prevention better than cure

    Creating a healthy environment often requires a proactive approach. Melville City Council in WA believes that prevention is better than cure, thereby saving the community costly medical, nursing and hospital services.
  • Recycling Champions

    As the first Council in Australia to introduce separate kerb side recycling wheelie bins, Pine Rivers Shire has not stopped here.

  • Focal point for growth

    Capalaba in Queensland's Redland Shire is undergoing major change with the opening of the new $8.6 million Capalaba Place.
  • Tennant Creek and Baw Baw take out National Awards

    A software package which monitors, records and responds to customer requests, and an innovative community involvement program have won the 1996 National Award and National Rural Award for Innovation in Local Government.
  • FOCUS hits the Internet

    With the launch of FOCUS Online located at http://www.loc-gov-focus.aus.net we are entering an arena where there are still more unknowns than there are knowns. It is new territory for us as it is for most Councils across Australia. Uncharted though it is, we believe the interactive capacity of the Internet and its predicted growth has the potential to position Local Government for the future in its rightful place as a partner in governing Australia.

  • Sharing best practice

    Eleven large urban fringe Councils from around Australia are taking part in a ground breaking benchmarking project.
  • Nurturing local democracy

    Councils are not just there to service citizens. People also have a responsibility to become actively involved in ensuring the success and well being of their community
  • Sailing the 'Cs'

    The Institute of Municipal Management's 1996 National Congress was staged in Canberra on 19-22 May. Using the theme 'Sailing the 'Cs' of Challenge' keynote speakers and workshops covered the issues of Change, Commitment, Competitiveness, Communication, Creativity, Capacity, Continuous improvement, Culture and Courage.
  • Leading change

    Dr Ian Brookes, eminent international presenter on Total Quality Management told delegates that in today's challenging world we have two possibilities - we can lose or we can change!
  • Why benchmark?

    According to Dr Robert Camp, Chairman of the Global Benchmarking Network, the major change initiative happening around the world is benchmarking.
  • Kiama wins 1995 tidy town

    Tidy Towns Awards were initiated nearly 20 years ago as part of the Keep Australia Beautiful campaign. Each year some 2000 towns Australia wide vie for the privilege of erecting a Tidy Town sign at their entrance.
  • 'How to' for Agenda 21

    The Local Government Environment Network is embarking on an exciting new project to facilitate the adoption of sustainability at the local level.

  • Your Census, your future

    On Tuesday 6 August the Australian Bureau of Statistics will conduct the nation's 13th Census of Population and Housing. More than seven million households in Australia will provide information vital for the effective planning of the nation's future.
  • Tasmania working together

    Using the very appropriate theme, 'Working Together', the first joint annual Conference of the Tasmanian Divisions of the Institute of Municipal Management, Institute of Municipal Engineering Australia and Local Government Community Development Officers Association was staged in May.
  • Editorial

    Earlier this year, when FOCUS expanded its circulation to cover all Councils Australia wide, we chose to produce two separate editions under our Gold and Green banners. One of the reasons for not producing the one national edition was an acknowledgment of the impact that State Legislation has on Local Government. Highlighting State differences has some very interesting results, particularly in regard to the pace and style of reform.
  • FOCUS on inland NSW

    With most of Australia's government and media concentrated on the eastern seaboard, inland Australia often finds itself ignored in mainstream policy making and discussion. To counteract this, three NSW cities have joined together to form an Inland Forum. Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Dubbo aim to give each other mutual support and strength to fight various setbacks unique to rural communities.