On the midweek update from the Roundup, 14th June 2023:
A record number of attendees converge on Canberra for the National General Assembly;
Local government well represented on the Kings Birthday Honours list;
A new report exposes increases in homelessness around Victoria;
A new local government minister in Western Australia;
A council CEO issues a challenge to vandals;
And Gore District Council makes a call on a petition for its CEO to resign.
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Transcript (with story links where available):
Hi, this is Chris Eddy, coming to you from the land of the Wadawurrung People with the latest from the Local Government News Roundup.
On the podcast today:
A record number of attendees converge on Canberra for the National General Assembly;
Local government well represented on the Kings Birthday Honours list;
A new report exposes increases in homelessness around Victoria;
A new local government minister in Western Australia;
A council CEO issues a challenge to vandals;
And Gore District Council makes a call on a petition for its CEO to resign.
And much more ahead in the latest update from the Local Government News Roundup.
Thanks for joining me for today’s podcast – brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
This year’s National General Assembly is under way in Canberra, with an expected record attendance of local government representatives from around the country.
More than 1100 attendees will participate across a three day program, which commenced with the Regional Cooperation and Development Forum on Tuesday.
Federal Local Government Minister Kristy McBain was one of the first speakers at the forum.
AAP reported that the Minister spoke about how climate change had become core business for councils, and that her office is reviewing financial assistance legislation in light of growing concerns about the financial sustainability of councils.
Key issues on the agenda this week include sharing innovations to help councils reduce emissions, and mitigating skyrocketing cost of living pressures.
ALGA President Cr Linda Scott said increasing the ability to prevent damage from natural disasters, tackling cyber security, and closing the gap measures between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians were also matters that would be focussed on.
Australian Local Government Association
Local government is well represented in the annual King’s Birthday Honours list, with 35 individuals recognised from across the country.
The Lord Mayors of our two biggest cities have been honoured – Sally Capp from Melbourne, and Clover Moore from Sydney have each been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
An OAM has been awarded posthumously to Malcolm Hole, a councillor at Wellington Shire in Victoria until his passing in 2021.
Other Victorians to be honoured with an OAM include Robert Gersch, a current councillor and former mayor at Hindmarsh Shire Council; former Wyndham mayor Heather Marcus; Surf Coast Shire councillor Rose Hodge; current councillor and former mayor at Manningham, Michelle Kleinert; Cr Rob Steane, currently serving for the third time as the mayor of Maroondah; and councillor and two time mayor at the former city of Moreland, John Kavanagh.
A staff member at Bass Coast Shire has been awarded an OAM for her contribution to achieving gender equality in Australian Rules football.
Ella Angarane is a council recreation and open space planner, and founder, president and coach of the Bass Coast Breakers Women’s Football Club.
In NSW, the city of Blacktown has celebrated having three councillors named in the Honours List- an AM for Cr Julie Griffiths, and OAMs for Crs Susai Benjamin and Bob Fitzgerald.
Bill Heazlett, a former councillor at Walcha, has been honoured with an OAM. Mr Heazlett first served as a councillor in the 1970s, and was Walcha Mayor from 2000 to 2012. He follows in the footsteps of his mother, Essie Heazlett, who was awarded an OAM for service to the community in 1991. (Armidale Express, 13-6-23)
Long term councillor and current mayor at Murrumbidgee Council Ruth McRae has been honoured with an OAM; and General Manager at Griffith City Council, Brett Stonestreet, has been recognised for 43 years of service to the sector with the Public Service Medal
Western Australian councillor and Vice President of ALGA Karen Chappel has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
You can find a link to the full list of the King’s Birthday Honours in the show notes for this episode.
A new report from the Council to Homeless Persons has shown the rate of homelessness to have grown in Victoria by more than four times the national average between the 2016 and 2021 census.
The South Barwon region, including Lara and Geelong, has recorded a 465% increase in five years, the greatest increase in the state.
In terms of total numbers of homelessness, Dandenong was highest in metropolitan Melbourne, followed by Oakleigh, Melbourne, Laverton and Footscray; while in regional Victoria the highest numbers of homeless persons were recorded by South Barwon and Mildura, followed by Shepparton, Melton and Morwell.
On the subject of homelessness,, I’m joined on the June edition of the Roundup’s interview special, Council Conversations, by Leanne Mitchell from Brimbank City Council.
We discuss her research on how local governments abroad are tackling homelessness, providing a number of insights for councils looking to make a difference in this space.
That episode is coming soon to your podcast queue – unless you’re a Friend of the Roundup subscriber, in which case you have early access now.
In other news this week – there’s a report from the ABC about resident frustration over delays with the reopening of a historic wooden trestle bridge that has been closed since last October’s floods.
The Acheron Breakaway Bridge on the Goulburn River is in Murrindindi Shire, and local businesses say they have suffered economically due to the bridge’s closure, with visitors having to travel longer distances to reach them.
The closure has also resulted in additional fuel costs for staff members of affected businesses.
Murrindindi Shire Council says it has provided numerous updates, but is waiting on a hydraulic assessment to be carried out by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, which could take some months.
Now in today’s Victorian Briefs:
Cardinia Shire Council has won the Bunnings Trade ‘Local Government Initiative of the Year’ at this year’s VICSport awards.
The council was nominated for creating LGBTIQ+ connection, inclusion and enabling people to feel safe in sport and active recreation.
The other finalists in the category were Kingston, Nillumbik and Maribyrnong Councils.
Nearly 7,000 residents have been conferred citizenship status in the City of Wyndham since January this year.
The Council says it has conducted a major push to clear a backlog of applications, built up due to several years of Covid related restrictions.
25 ceremonies were conducted between January and April, with 500 residents invited to be conferred at each ceremony.
The VEC has opened applications from would-be election managers to work at the 2024 local government elections.
Senior election officials are responsible for coordinating elections for entire council areas and will work for almost 4 months during the local council election period leading into and following October 2024.
Applications are open until Friday 14 July, with more information available at vec.vic.gov.au/jobs
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Now for some of the stories making local government news from around Australia this week.
In Western Australia, there is a new local government minister, following the announcement of new Premier Roger Cook’s cabinet.
David Michael, a former long serving councillor, joins the Cabinet and takes over the portfolio from John Carey, along with Ports and Road Safety. He is also the Minister assisting the Minister for Transport.
John Carey adds Planning to his responsibilities, retaining housing, lands and homelessness.
Minister Michael served as a councillor at the City of Stirling for 12 years until his election to State Parliament in 2017. During that time, he served as Deputy Mayor for two years.
Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin has warmly welcomed Minister Michael to the role, and thanked outgoing Local Government Minister John Carey for his service.
WA Government; City of Stirling
The Town of Claremont Council has expressed disappointment with the WA Planning Commission’s decision to approve a 19-storey tower, and says it is totally disillusioned with the state’s planning process.
The council had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on developing a Local Planning Strategy and a Structure Plan for the Town centre, hoping that these documents would provide the planning rationale for the commission’s decision.
However, the council says the documents have been ignored, and it has been criticized for not sufficiently progressing its local planning framework.
The approved tower is twice the height and plot ratio provided for by the Town’s draft Structure Plan and the council describes the variations as excessive and unreasonable.
In South Australia, a council CEO has penned an open letter to vandals after a spate of graffiti attacks in Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot.
Alexandrina CEO Nigel Morris has called on the vandals to “man up” and come and have a robust discussion with him, according to a report from ABC News.
Expletives and abuse of the Council have been sprayed around parks, playgrounds and toilet blocks in a spree lasting over a period of nine months.
Police are investigating, and have identified some culprits using CCTV, but the attacks have continued.
Mr Morris estimates it has cost $100K to deal with the graffiti over the past 12 months.
In Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council is coming under fire for evicting the residents of four tiny homes that have been erected on a rural property in the hinterland.
The ABC reports that neighbours made a complaint last year, prompting an investigation by council officers.
The council says the existence of the four homes contravenes planning rules without a permit.
Critics have described the action in the middle of a housing crisis as disgusting, and one councillor is calling for the eviction to be delayed while a solution is found.
At Southern Downs, the council has passed a motion of confidence in its management team, officers and staff.
Warwick Today says the unusual motion was brought by Mayor Vic Pennisi after accusations at a previous meeting from Cr Cynthia McDonald that meeting minutes were sanitised, lacking transparency and contained fabrications.
Cr Pennisi said the allegations contained around 20 false or misleading comments, and verged on defamation.
After a number of councillors spoke positively in support of the staff, and Cr McDonald said she had intended no insult, the council unanimously supported the motion of confidence.
Warwick Today, 15-6-23
Queensland’s peak local government body says critical on the ground improvements for communities have been left out of a State Government carve-up of coal royalties.
LGAQ President Mark Jamieson said the State Budget spend did not include critical support for Works for Queensland and other programs, and that funding for regional roads was going backwards in real terms.
He did however say that councils would welcome funding for First Nations housing and grants, safe and reliable drinking water, biosecurity, and funding to reform the Office of the Independent Assessor, implementing recommendations from last year’s Parliamentary Inquiry.
Local Government Association of Queensland
Briefly:
Tamworth Regional Council has adopted a draft Banning Notice Policy, to provide a more consistent and informed approach to banning members of the public from entering Council facilities.
It says its part of meeting its duty of care, and to ensure Council remains a safe place for staff and community.
The policy has been developed after an increase of behaviours over the last year described as disrespectful to staff and councillors.
Meanwhile, at Scenic Rim in Queensland, the council has reaffirmed a policy of zero tolerance for bullying and harassment.
It follows concerns raised by community members about a recent escalation in abusive behaviour.
Mayor Greg Christenson said abuse of staff or other members of the community either face to face or online does not reflect the character of the Scenic Rim region and community.
The Mayor of Blue Mountains, Mark Greenhill, says an increase in complaints about dogs demonstrating anti-social behaviours is behind a reminder to residents about their responsibilities as dog owners.
The Blue Mountains Gazette reports that Mayor Greenhill is reminding dog owners that being off-leash does not mean they are off-duty.
Blue Mountains Gazette, 14-6-23
In Tasmania, the mayor of Tasman Council has raised concerns about a proposed amalgamation which he says would destroy the community’s democratic voice.
The Hobart Mercury has reported the comments of Mayor Rod Macdonald, who says a super council scenario put forward in reform proposals would see Tasman swallowed and highly likely left without any representation on the council.
Hobart Mercury, 13-6-23
Ahead of the International Spotlight…
I look at a lot of Council websites, and they vary a lot in terms of how easy it is to find the information you’re looking for.
When it comes to accessing Council meetings and related information, it can be a bit of a lottery and a news outlet in Sydney has taken a close look at the very issue.
The Bayside Beacon has asked whether councils are meeting the required standard for transparency, noting the different ways that NSW councils interpret their legislated obligation to record and publish their meetings online.
Its review highlights the examples of Sydney, Georges River and Waverley where a video recording of council meetings is accompanied by detailed minutes and timestamps, making it simple to follow along with debate and decisions.
Councils singled out as having a lot of room for improvement include Woollahra and Randwick, where an audio recording is provided with little else.
Bayside and Inner West are among those described as being the middle of the pack.
Check out the story by Aston Brown from the Bayside Beacon – link in the show notes.
Now for today’s International Spotlight:
Firstly to New Zealand, and Gore District Council which this week met to consider a petition of nearly 5,000 signatures calling for its CEO to resign.
It was stated that legal advice had been obtained which advised that the employment of the CEO was a private matter, calling the legality of the petition into question.
WIth concerns about its validity on other grounds, and claims that some names appeared multiple times, the Council voted not to receive the petition.
According to a report from Stuff.co.nz, the Mayor, Ben Bell was the only councillor to vote against the motion not to receive the petition.
In Los Angeles, the City Council has voted unanimously to move forward with an ordinance that would make it a “sanctuary city” for immigrants.
The ordinance would prohibit the use of city resources, property, or personnel for federal immigration enforcement and related matters.
According to a report from Fox News, the next step is for the city attorney to draft legislation that would make LA a sanctuary city.
The motion would also instruct the city to protect individuals’ personal information and prohibit inquiries about their immigration status.
The move is seen as a message of support to immigrant communities, who make up one in ten Angelenos.
The council’s previous resolution declaring Los Angeles a “city of sanctuary” was symbolic and offered no legal protections.
A new survey conducted of mayors across Europe has revealed that despite spiralling inflation and war on the continent, climate change is taking precedence as a priority.
Eurocities has conducted the survey of 92 mayors from across 28 countries, in what is set to be an annual exercise.
Almost 55% per cent of those surveyed say action to make cities resilient is the top concern, followed by sustainable mobility, and economic recovery.
The survey also highlights concerns that cities are not receiving sufficient resources to fund their priorities, which is fueling disillusionment with the effectiveness of EU governance.
You can read more about the survey at themayor.eu – link in the show notes.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich in London has proposed a ban on ice cream vans from over 30 streets in the borough’s town centres.
A BBC report says the ban is due to the “nuisance” caused by trading and the impact on air quality from “engine idling”. The ban includes popular tourist destination King William Walk beside Greenwich Park, where complaints have been made in the past.
Council officers have suggested ice cream vendors could still trade in the borough for up to 15 minutes on streets which are not exempt, but cannot return to the same street on the same day.
A final decision will be made at a cabinet meeting this week.
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That’s the latest from the Roundup for the 14th June 2023.
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The Local Government News Roundup is recorded in the city of Greater Geelong, Victoria, on the land of the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation.
I’ll be back soon with more of the latest local government news. Until next time, thanks for listening, and bye for now.