Western Sydney City Deal is done
The Western Sydney City Deal originally announced on 20 June 2016 was signed on Sunday 4 March 2018. It is touted to lay the foundations for the creation of a thriving Western City of 1.5 million residents within 20 years.
Airport noise fund a good first step
The Federal Government has acknowledged that airport noise is an important issue for residents of Western Sydney with a commitment of $75million to noise abatement.
Recycling fallout continues
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is warning that China’s ban on certain types of recycling material could see all Victorians facing a rate increase above the State-imposed rate cap.
Water is a hot topic
The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has waded into the Murray Darling Basin water fight accusing the Greens and Federal Labor of playing short term politics with the allocation of water resources.
Articles
What’s the deal?
The Federal Government continues to roll out its City Deal policy but who will see the real benefits?
Migrants take the plunge
Migrants to the Sunshine Coast will be able to safely enjoy the region’s quintessential beach lifestyle thanks to the Migrant Swim and Beach Safety Awareness Program, which starts in February.
Recycled rubber roads
City of Gold Coast will trial a locally designed asphalt mix containing recycled tyres or crumbed rubber, in a first for the Queensland city.
Muscle Creek restored
Muswellbrook Shire Council with the support of local community groups and volunteers is returning the much-abused Muscle Creek to its former glory.
Heritage listing wins a grant
City of Fremantle’s West End precinct has become the largest single place to be permanently included in the Western Australian Register of Heritage Places, with four properties receiving State Government grants.
Council works with local school
A partnership between Tasmania’s West Tamar Council and Launceston Christian School has resulted in the construction of a new multipurpose oval.
Good Fish on the menu
Following a pilot project undertaken by the Surf Coast Shire in Victoria, sustainable seafood will be plated up around Australia.
Hub to focus on cyber security
The City of Joondalup in Western Australia has welcomed a commitment from the State Government to provide $800,000 in funding to support the establishment of a Joondalup Innovation Hub.
National Awards for Local Government (the Awards)*
Every day, local governments throughout Australia are working hard and are dedicated to bettering the lives of every day Australians and their communities.
New bike hub opened
The Town of Gawler in South Australia has completed improvements to the outdoor facilities in Gawler’s Pioneer Park, which includes the construction of the Gawler Bike Hub.
Moonee Valley hosts the bees
Moonee Valley City Council is proud to be the first Victorian council to host bee hives on council building roofs through a ground-breaking ‘Moonee Valley Bees’ program.
Library marketing innovation
Ryde Library Services in New South Wales has won the prestigious Marketing Award for Public Libraries for its March to a Million promotion.
Council awarded for savvy marketing
A push to increase tourism in the Ipswich region has secured Ipswich City Council national recognition at Economic Development Australia’s 2017 Awards for Excellence.
Tap into government funding for business
Mount Alexander Shire Council will host a free information session for local businesses on how to tap into government funding.
Serious business
Aiming to raise awareness of the counter-cyclical investment opportunities, the City of Perth has launched Perth’s first dedicated investment website.
HR certification leads to promotion*
Two years after they began the AHRI Practicing Certification program, a team of talented public sector human resources (HR) professionals graduated at the AHRI Public Sector Conference in August last year.
Exporting local talent
Rockhampton Regional Council in Queensland is supporting local businesses to reach the Chinese market.
Curbing bad butt behaviour
Port Douglas Shire Council conducted a cigarette butt audit early this year uncovering more than 2,200 discarded butts.
City network a boost for business
Up to 50,000 Queensland businesses will have access to cheap, high speed internet next year, thanks to a Gold Coast City Council project for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Bike sharing picks up speed
Six councils across Sydney have established a uniform set of rules for bike share companies in a bid to improve public safety and ensure that bike usage continues to increase.
Hooked on Portland locked in for next year
Portland’s inaugural Hooked on Portland festival attracted more than 10,000 people to the region including international tourists, booking out accommodation, adding more than $2 million to the local economy over three days.
e-Waste increase
Central Coast Council in New South Wales recently engaged a new e-waste contractor reduce the amount of electronics headed to landfill.
Cane toad hitch hiker
New South Wales Central Coast Council’s Biosecurity Officer, Paul Marynissen was called to collect and identify an unwanted tourist after a local business discovered a cane toad in a shipment from Queensland.
Putting the spotlight on Longford
The heritage town of Longford in Tasmania’s Northern Midlands Council is scoring winning points in its campaign to become a more inviting visitor destination, with the achievements to date focused on the town’s picturesque Village Green.
Improving productivity
King Island Council in Tasmania is embracing a whole-of-workforce improvement plan to increase productivity and improve customer service.
Mock trial highlights workplace violence
As part of October’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Month, the City of Boroondara in Victoria staged a courtroom trial to highlight the importance of taking violence in the workplace seriously.
Councils join forces on HR
Shared human resource service delivery is reaping rewards for West Wimmera Shire Council and Horsham Rural City Council in Victoria.
Culvert works offer training opportunities
West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) recently identified a unique opportunity to develop the skills of its local workforce while repairing damaged roadways essential to the community.
Apprentices head for tradies’ Olympics
Two Newcastle City Council apprentices will vie for a place in an international contest recognised as the Olympic Games for trades after proving their skills at regional level.
The maintenance challenge*
Australia relies more on road transport than any other nation in the world, on a per capita basis.
Benefits for working parents
Toowoomba Regional Council in Queensland is providing its staff with increased benefits and flexibility, in particular for working parents and carers.
Community Garden set to GROW
Wollondilly Shire Council, Wollondilly Health Alliance and Community Links Wollondilly have received a $10,000 funding grant from the New State Wales State Government for a community garden partnership program.
Football club partnership gets residents active
Melton City Council in Victoria has teamed up with the Western Bulldogs Football Club to deliver a successful health and wellbeing program for young women.
e-Learning for all employees
Since the City of Perth rolled out e-Learning in February last year they have logged more than 3500 online course completions.
Track hits the lottery
The Shire of Augusta Margaret River in Western Australia will receive a $50,000 Lotterywest grant to extend the Wadani Track benefiting walkers and cyclists.
Reducing workplace injuries
At a time when many local governments are experiencing increased manual handling incidents, Manningham Council in Victoria is reversing the trend.
Local graduates recognised at local ceremony
Roper Gulf Regional Council awarded work-ready qualifications to the Northern Territory’s latest Community Development Program (CDP) graduates at an official ceremony in Barunga last month.
Performance review overhaul
Glenorchy City Council, Tasmania undertook a major overhaul of their performance review system, a 12 months process that achieved outstanding results.
Creative approach to a serious topic
Surf Coast Shire Council, Victoria joined with students from a local university to creatively engage staff in conversations about Workplace Health and Safety (WHS).
Taking charge in Local Government
The 2018 LGPro annual conference will be held on 21-22 February at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Rise in parking officer abuse
Newcastle City Council in New South Wales has registered a spike in attacks on parking officers and rangers by the general public.
Cycle club on track
Dubbo Regional Council has formed a new Working Party to oversee the town’s development of the new cycling facility.
Young people have their say
Golden Plains Shire has received $120,000 to invest in the region’s youth through the Victorian Government’s Engage! 2018-20 program.
Flying foxes move in
Bathurst Regional Council is currently hosting a colony of flying foxes that has established a camp within the town’s Machattie Park.
The future of work
Cardinia Shire Council in Victoria has been leading the way on activity-based working, which encourages flexibility and the use of mobile technology.
Online portal promotes local jobs
An online jobs portal run by the City of Logan in Queensland is registering high user engagement and finding local people local jobs.
Safety – ‘Every Time’
City of Holdfast Bay CEO Justin Lynch says workplace health and safety (WHS) awareness has become an integral part of the South Australian coastal council’s culture – thanks to an innovative internal engagement campaign.
Minimising the risk
Lake Macquarie City Council’s Risk Initiative Program is an innovative, easy-to-implement initiative to help Council address a variety of risks and achieve an improved risk profile, culture and performance across its operations.
