On today’s edition of the Local Government News Roundup:
- Victorian sector reaction to proposed new housing targets
- Resistance to a CFMEU infiltration at Greater Geelong
- New conduct reforms pass the upper house with amendments
- Hornsby Shire considers legal action against the NSW government
- Renewed calls for Townsville’s mayor to step down about another social media outburst
- A Council GM appointed and a CEO resigns to head interstate
- Plus the first-ever directly elected mayor of Limerick, protests over budget cuts in Birmingham, and Canada’s longest election ballot paper ever
Plus more of the latest news from around the world of local government brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association,
with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment service and business advisory practice, presenting LG Innovate: Artificial Intelligence Summit for the local government C-Suite at Peregian Beach in September – early bird bookings open now.
Listen to this episode here, and find the link for your podcast player here.
Transcript for episode 351:
Victorian Roundup:
Reaction has been flowing after the release of new draft housing targets for Victorian councils.
The Guardian reported that the new strategy has been met with cautious optimism by housing advocates and council representatives.
Advocacy group Yimby Melbourne has criticised the targets for potentially entrenching inequity and called for the release of the government’s methodology.
MAV president Cr David Clark warned that a punitive approach to the targets would be less practical than being proactive and supporting councils to build more liveable ecosystems outside the main metropolitan areas.
The new targets offer a positive way forward, according to the Victorian Local Governance Association, provided there is a genuine partnership with councils.
CEO Kathryn Arndt said little consultation had occurred before the announcement of the proposed targets, and the government’s approach would need to change significantly for the policy to succeed.
Infrastructure Victoria says the newly released targets are consistent with its recommendations.
CEO Jonathan Spear said this week that for the targets to be effective, his agency is recommending that there be targets for the number, type and size of new homes in each local government area, in collaboration with councils.
He said progress should be measured by closely monitoring new housing supply and publishing detailed statistics, and that local governments may need incentives to meet the targets.
Meanwhile, Boroondara Council says the state government’s approach to the housing crisis is flawed and doesn’t address the root causes of the crisis, such as poor planning policy, high costs, and a shortage of skilled labor.
In a statement, the council said the proposed housing targets for Boroondara lack commitment to necessary infrastructure like public spaces, drainage systems, and health services.
Furthermore, housing targets don’t guarantee housing construction, as evidenced by approved but unbuilt dwellings.
The council wants a more holistic approach, and has suggested a joint taskforce focusing on macro-economic factors and long-term infrastructure funding.
The City of Greater Geelong is resisting a CFMEU bid to recruit its workers, according to a report from the Geelong Advertiser.
CEO Ali Wastie said the CFMEU has no place at the city, and the union’s infiltration would be detrimental to the city’s ability to deliver services and cut inefficiencies.
The Australian Services Union (ASU) is trying to block the CFMEU’s attempt to join negotiations at Geelong.
It argues that the CFMEU could be violating industrial laws by recruiting certain employees.
Ms Wastie believes the Fair Work Commission should resolve the demarcation between the CFMEU and ASU.
Rural Councils Victoria has told a Federal inquiry that many councils are on the financial brink, with declining grants and capped rates as their only reliable income sources.
The council is urging federal and state governments to increase Financial Assistance Grants and provide more resources to keep up with inflation.
It says without intervention, councils may have to close or severely cut services like swimming pools, libraries, sports facilities, aged care, and childcare.
The Local Government Amendment Bill to introduce conduct reforms to the sector has passed through the upper house.
Rhys Thomas from the VLGA reported yesterday that the government had introduced amendments to preserve VCAT appeal rights for councillors subject to conduct proceedings, and adding the ability for the Parliament to override a ministerial decision to dismiss a councillor.
The bill was passed late last night with the government’s amendments.
Earlier in the day the Victorian Greens announced that they would will vote against the Labor Government’s Local Government Amendment Bill, and introduce corruption prevention measures.
The Greens amendments were not supported.
The bill in its amended form will now go back to the lower house for final approval.
Frankston City Council Mayor Nathan Conroy and Frankston Business Collective chair Joyie Wood have urged Australia Post to reconsider a decision to close the central Frankston outlet.
They say the post office is an essential service for the community and local businesses, especially with the expected growth in residents and businesses in the area.
They have encouraged residents to sign a petition to keep the post office open.
Victorian clubs are exploiting a scheme intended to offset the financial harm of poker machines by allocating an average of 77% of all ‘community’ grants to themselves.
The revelation comes from analysis released by the Alliance for Gambling Reform, which says the practice not only deprives the community of crucial funding but also allows clubs to receive a tax deduction.
Last financial year, over $241.7m of the $311.6m grants provided by these clubs were spent on their own operations.
Clubs in Cranbourne, Bulleen, Bendigo and Morwell headed the list of those awarding themselves the largest number of grants.
The Alliance for Gambling Reform is calling for the scheme to be scrapped and for more progress on the reform agenda announced by the Victorian Government.
Victorian Briefs:
Cardinia Shire Council has unanimously agreed to rename the Officer Recreation Reserve to ‘Rob Porter Recreation Reserve’ in honor of the late Rob Porter OAM.
The Pakenham Gazette reported that the renaming was motivated by Mr. Porter’s lifetime of service to the Officer community, before his passing on Christmas Day last year.
The Moe Revitalisation Project Stage 2, which transformed a car park and old skate park into a vibrant community space, has won the Regional Achievement Award at the 2024 AILA Landscape Architecture Awards.
Latrobe City Council Mayor Darren Howe said the project had helped to revitalise Moe’s central business district.
Benalla Rural City Council is hosting a Clothing Swap event to promote sustainability and reduce waste in the fashion industry.
Participants can bring up to five items of clothing or accessories to exchange, providing an opportunity to refresh wardrobes in an environmentally friendly manner.
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It takes place on the morning of Friday October 11 in Australia, which is the afternoon or evening of the 10th October across North America and the UK.
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National Roundup:
NSW:
Hornsby Shire Council is contemplating legal action over the state government’s demand for a repayment of $36 million from a controversial grant program for the Westleigh Park project.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the council is reviewing its legal options following the disappointment and surprise at the government’s decision.
Hornsby Shire is the second council to consider legal action against the state government, with Ku-ring-gai Council reported to be taking action over planning and housing reforms.
The grant was part of the $250 million Stronger Communities Fund, which was criticized for favoring Coalition-held electorates.
This week, the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils has echoed the concerns of Hornsby Shire at the funding withdrawal.
NSROC President and Mosman Mayor Cr Carolyn Corrigan expressed dismay at the rescission of funding, and said the state government and relevant ministers had completely turned their backs on the sporting communities of the Northern Sydney region.
The NSW Government says its budget, released this week, will help councils deliver for their communities, particularly with regard to new housing.
It includes $200M in grants for councils to meet or exceed housing targets;
$37M to address underresourcing of the Office of Local Government;
and $78.5M to continue funding council rate concessions for pensioners.
A coroner has criticised Shoalhaven Council for an inadequate response to an attack involving dogs, prior to the death of a 90-year-old woman.
The council says it will continue to take action to “stamp out aggressive behaviour of dogs” and tighten dog enforcement procedures.
The Illawarra Mercury reported that the dogs’ owners were fined and banned from owning dogs for five years.
The incident has led to calls for more stringent checks on dog registration, fencing, and owner compliance, as well as a review of penalties for non-compliance.
The coroner recommended a public awareness campaign about the dangers posed by certain dog breeds.
Lithgow City Council has appointed Ross Gurney as its new General Manager, effective from 1st July 2024.
Gurney, a member of the Council’s senior leadership team since 2017 and is currently the Director for Finance and Governance.
His appointment is expected to ensure a smooth continuation of the council’s strategic actions.
City of Parramatta Councillor Dan Siviero, who has represented the Rosehill Ward since December 2021, has tendered his resignation due to personal commitments.
The father of four said he could no longer give the time the role requires, and expressed optimism for Parramatta’s future transformation into a global city.
The council has thanked Mr Siviero for his service.
A Pride Month display in Camden, in south-west Sydney, has been vandalised for the second consecutive year, according to Qnews dot com dot au.
The Camden Council has pledged to replace the damaged sign, and says the act of vandalism does not reflect the majority view of the community, which is supportive and respectful.
QLD:
Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson has accused the council of blocking his return from sick leave and undermining his authority, according to a report from the Townsville Bulletin.
Thompson, who has been on leave since June 5, alleges that security guards prevented him from re-entering the council building.
This follows revelations of false claims about his military history, leading to a unanimous vote by city councillors for his suspension, and a referral to the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission.
Premier Steven Miles has called on Mr Thompson to step down, saying that he should think about the impact he was having on the city he professed to care about.
Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald has proposed a new community engagement model for councillors, under which three councillors would be assigned to one of three regional areas for 12-month cycles.
The mayor and deputy mayor would maintain floating roles across the region.
The model aims to address dissatisfaction among residents outside Toowoomba and improve councillor engagement with the community, and would be evaluated after 12 months.
Mayor McDonald said the next step would be a workshop for councillors to fine-tune the terms of reference for the new process.
SA:
Alexandrina Council’s CEO, Nigel Morris, has resigned to take up a position as the Director of Customer and Transformation at Boroondara Council in Melbourne.
Mayor Keith Parkes said Mr Morris’s leadership also brought about a positive change in the council’s organisational culture.
The council will now begin the recruitment process for a new CEO.
TAS:
A discrimination dispute at Hobart City Council has been resolved, with the council apologising to Councillor Louise Elliot for blocking her from holding a “women’s rights” event.
Cr Elliot, known for her stance against transgender women using women’s spaces, had lodged a complaint with the state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
CEO Michael Stretton told the Mercury that the matter had been resolved through a conciliation process, while Cr Elliott said she believed the organisation could learn important lessons from the matter.
Clarence City Council will conduct a $200,000 elector poll on the proposed location of Tasmania’s new AFL/AFLW High Performance Centre, following a petition by ‘Save Rosny’s Parks’ with over 1,000 signatures.
Two potential sites, Rosny Parklands and Charles Hand Park, are under consideration for the centre.
Pulse Tasmania reported that the poll, which must be completed within 60 days, is non-binding.
The facility, to be jointly funded by the AFL and the state government, will serve as a training and administration base for the new Tasmania Devils club.
WA:
An Australian first waste to energy facility, commencing operations in Kwinana this week, is expected to produce enough power to run 55,000 homes per year and divert about 460,000 tonnes of waste from landfills annually.
PerthNow reported that there were numerous challenges along the way to this week’s opening, including COVID-19 delays and a Supreme Court case.
The facility is expected to reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 85,000 cars off Perth’s roads.
It will also recycle metals from remnant ash and reuse most of the ash to produce construction materials.
National Briefs:
South Australian councils can now access funding for innovative projects through a Local Government Research and Development Scheme.
The program, unique to South Australia, allocates up to $2 million annually to fund projects that build strategic capacity and foster innovation to help councils better serve their communities.
Shoalhaven City Council is inviting the community to participate in the CoastSnap program to monitor and manage coastline changes.
Participants can download the CoastSnap app, create an account, and start observing.
The data collected will help the council forecast future beach changes due to climate change.
Hornsby Shire Council is encouraging residents to participate in the Plastic Free July® Challenge, a global initiative to reduce plastic waste.
The movement has influenced over 100 million people worldwide to avoid 10 billion kilograms of waste over the past five years.
The council is hosting three events to inspire and educate the community about reducing plastic waste.
Global Roundup:
IRELAND:
Former civil servant John Moran has been elected as the first directly-elected mayor of Limerick, Ireland.
Moran, an independent candidate, led the race throughout and secured 28,451 votes in the final count.
The election marks a significant change in Limerick’s political landscape, as previously, the role of mayor was chosen amongst elected councillors.
The new mayor will now oversee policies shaping the city and county.
UK:
Bankrupt Birmingham, the second-largest city in the UK, is implementing drastic budget cuts to recover $600 million over the next two years.
The ABC’s 7.30 reported this week on the city’s cuts, which include dimming streetlights and reducing garbage collection to once every two weeks.
The financial crisis is also affecting essential services, with 25 libraries closing, funding for children’s services being slashed, and a 100% funding cut to the arts and culture sector by 2026.
The city’s financial situation has been attributed to a combination of self-inflicted issues and austerity measures introduced by the Cameron government in 2010.
BBC News has reported on protests outside the city council offices this week by a group calling itself Brum Rise Up, which wants the council to pause the budet cuts until after next month’s general election.
It has also called on the government to reconsider the way it funds local governments.
This comes as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reportedly refused to rule out council tax increases, or changing the council tax valuation bands that have been in place for more than 30 years.
Nearly 150 Greenwich council workers will strike for an additional four days in response to plans to cut their wages by nearly a third.
The workers, part of the repairs and investment service department, could lose nearly £17,000 from their salary over the next four years, according to a report from the Standard.
The Unite union has criticized the council for threats of ‘fire and rehire’ and plans to escalate strike action if the dispute is not resolved.
The council argues that austerity measures and a need to protect frontline services have necessitated a review of the wage structure.
NZ:
The New Zealand government is consulting on a policy to allow buildings up to 60 square metres in certain areas without requiring council consent.
Radio New Zealand reported that the policy aims to make it easier to build granny flats and increase affordable housing.
The policy is part of the National-NZ First coalition agreement and would require all work to be conducted or supervised by competent professionals to ensure compliance with the Building Code.
It’s understood that many councils already allow granny flats without consent, but the government wants to address a lack of consistency and different standards across the country.
The policy is expected to be in place by mid-2025.
CANADA:
A record 84 candidates are running in a by-election in Toronto-St. Paul’s, making it the longest ballot ever in a federal election, according to CBC News.
Elections Canada says the ballot paper will be almost one metre in length, and has necessitated temporary changes to the Elections Act.
Many independent candidates are protesting against Canada’s first-past-the-post voting system, encouraged by a campaign by the Longest Ballot Committee, which has led to twice the number of candidates from previous campaigns.