On the Roundup today, Moreland about to officially become Merri-bek; claims of a flawed business case strongly refuted by Indigo Shire Council; advocacy wins for Victorian councils; a Qld council stripped of its strategic planning role in housing; a string of CEO level announcements; and a SA council set to govern with just three members.
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Transcript (with links where available):
Hello and welcome to the Local Government News Roundup. This is your update for the 18th September. I’m Chris Eddy.
In this episode, Moreland about to officially become Merri-bek; claims of a flawed business case strongly refuted by Indigo Shire Council; advocacy wins for Victorian councils; a Qld council stripped of its strategic planning role in housing; a string of CEO level announcements; and a SA council set to govern with just three members.
Just some of what’s ahead on the Local Government News Roundup, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; and by the Local Government Show 2022 – on the 8th to 10th November at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.
The City of Moreland’s days are numbered… 8 in fact from the time of recording to when Moreland will officially become the City of Merri-bek.
The new name for the city was gazetted last week, and will legally take effect from Monday 26th September.
Mayor Mark Riley said the change of name is reconciliation in action with Traditional Owners – with Merri-bek chosen from three options presented by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung elders with the support of a majority of participants in a Council community engagement process.
Mayor Riley said the community would start seeing Merri-bek in use later this month.
Allegations about a business case underpinning the planned Rutherglen Wine Walk Cycle Trail have been strongly refuted by Indigo Shire Council.
In a message to the community this week, CEO Trevor Ierino said the allegations in a Border Mail report published on Friday are unsubstantiated, lacking in evidence, and at odds with data and modelling provided by industry experts.
He said the council was extremely disappointed with the misinformation contained in the article, and is concerned about the impacts on the community if the project was placed at risk.
The Council has received $5M in Federal Government funding to develop a 48km cycle and walking trail across Rutherglen’s world-renowned wine region.
High-speed internet is on the way to the Bellarine, thanks to a new partnership between the City of Greater Geelong, Deakin University and Australia’s Academic and Research Network.
35 kilometres of fibre optic cable is being installed from the centre of Geelong out to Drysdale and Queenscliff to connect 12 city facilities, including the new Drysdale Library and the Drysdale Sports Precinct.
A global roaming wireless network used by Deakin University staff and students will also benefit from the new cabling.
The project will take around 12 months to deliver, and Mayor Peter Murrihy said it would benefit the region for many years to come.
A promise from the Victorian Liberals to fund the next stages of Ballarat Link Road has been welcomed by the City of Ballarat.
Mayor Daniel Moloney said he hoped the $278M commitment towards one the council’s long-term priority projects would be matched by all sides of politics to ensure its timely delivery for local residents and for business.
The Link Road is one of six transformational projects outlined in the city’s Now and Into The Future 2022 advocacy program.
In Mildura, a major review of the city’s bus network has been announced, and welcomed by the local council.
Mayor Liam Wood this week thanked the state government for heeding the call from the council, which has been advocating for a comprehensive review for more than 12 months.
The council and community have held concerns for some time about inadequacies and anomalies in the current bus service network.
The review will take place over the next 5 weeks, with a feedback report to be released by the Department of Transport by the end of this year.
Here are today’s Victorian Briefs:
The candidates for the by-election in Mallee Ward of Buloke Shire Council have been revealed. 6 contenders will vie for the position, including one former councillor and two candidates with council audit committee experience. Election day is 15th October.
The Recycling Victoria authority has found its chief. Tony Circelli will take up the position on 3rd October. He is currently the CEO of the South Australian Environment Protection Authority.
And the CEO of another new government authority has been revealed, with Amber Gardner to head up Alpine Resorts Victoria from the start of next month.
Amber is currently CEO of the Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board, and the former CEO of Tourism North East.
The re-introduction of instrument flight procedures at Mallacoota Airport has been put back a month, after the procedures were not published in time to meet the initial target date of 6th October.
The council says the work is well advanced and the transition should now occur on 3rd November. The airport remains open and functional during this time.
A 12 month trial to ban the use of single use water bottles at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium has saved over 65,500 plastic water bottles from waste.
During the trial, user groups and patrons were able to purchase refillable water bottles and access communal water drinking fountains, which provided 39,306 litres of water.
However, while the volume of plastic pollution was reduced, the sale of sports and soft drinks significantly increased.
The Council has resolved to remove single use water bottles from all council venues and events by the end of next year.
The MAV has endorsed new Rules at a special State Council meeting, after an extensive development and consultation process. The rules will now be submitted to the state government for Governor in Council approval.
The new rules will trigger a review of boundaries for MAV board regions, with a new 10 region structure to come into effect – five rural, and five metro.
An options paper for the new regional structure will be prepared for consideration by councils soon.
Just ahead, the National Roundup: a Qld council stripped of its strategic planning role in housing; a string of CEO level announcements; and a SA council set to govern with just three members.
You’re listening to the Local Government News Roundup for 18th September 2022, brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association.
As the state election approaches, VLGA Connect is presenting a series of live panels and discussions with key players.
The series comprises moderated live panel discussions, with audience Q&A so that you can ask your questions of panellists on issues of relevance to the local government sector.
On Friday, we were joined by Local Government Minister Melissa Horne for a live panel event with many mayors and councillors taking the opportunity to put questions about important issues directly to the Minister.
And check out the VLGA YouTube and podcast channels for more from the state election series, including an interview with Dr Jonathan Spear from Infrastructure Victoria about the state’s infrastructure needs and priorities; and a panel session with the shadow ministers for local government, housing and planning.
The 2022 State Election Series, brought to you by the VLGA.
Heading the National Roundup today:
Penrith City Council’s General Manager has this week announced his departure after four years, to take up a new opportunity.
Warwick Winn will finish at Penrith at the end of October, and is heading to Eurobodalla on the NSW south coast as the shire’s new general manager.
Mr Winn has held CEO level positions at Manningham in Melbourne, and North Sydney, prior to moving to Penrith.
He said the decision to leave was difficult but he was looking forward to exciting opportunities in his new role.
Dr Catherine Dale will finish as GM at Eurobodalla at the end of this month after nine years in the role, and an interim GM is expected to be announced this coming week.
The former CEO of Northern Areas Council in South Australia is reportedly claiming unfair dismissal from his position, with two years remaining on his contract.
The Adelaide Advertiser has reported this weekend that Colin Byles will be lodging court proceedings in the District Court in the coming days.
Mr Byles was dismissed by the Council in July after an Ombudsman investigation found he had committed professional misconduct over the fabrication of a letter to a medical clinic.
His lawyer told the Advertiser the termination was manifestly unfair and orchestrated. He is believed to be seeking close to $400,000 in damages.
(Adelaide Advertiser, 17-9-22, p.16)
Moree Plains Shire Council in NSW terminated the contract of its long term general manager late last week.
Mayor Mark Johnson announced on Friday that the contract of Lester Rodgers had been ended with immediate effect after a Council decision on Thursday night.
The Border News reports that Mr Rodgers has been on leave for several months, and no reason for the termination decision has been given.
Mr Rodgers had been in the role since 2015.
(Border News, 17-9-22)
Queensland’s Local Government Minister, Steven Miles, has announced that the government will take over the development of a housing strategy for Redland City.
Mr Miles, who is also Deputy Premier, said the decision was made because the council had been unable to update its city plan over many years; and that the current plan does not provide sufficient housing supply or diversity to address population growth.
Redland Mayor Karen Williams says the government is strong-arming her council, telling ABC radio that the council was meeting its targets and that this was a distraction.
Mr Miles has defended the takeover decision, and says Redland has been put on notice about the need to update their housing strategies over many years.
The NSW Local Government Minister, Wendy Tuckerman, has issued a statement after media reports that Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council had put forward a fast track demerger plan.
Ms Tuckerman said on Wednesday that she was awaiting advice from the Office of Local Government on a path forward consistent with the Local Government Act, and said she expected the council to continue to act in the best interests of the community in the meantime.
She said that includes refraining from making decisions that would unduly constrain the future decisions or operations of the new Councils, and the council has been given guidelines to support this.
Minister Tuckerman said the government remained committed to holding elections for the new councils in September 2024.
At Sydney’s Inner West Council, the Mayor Darcy Byrne has again raised community concerns about cruise ships coming into White Bay.
He said the arrival of the P&O ship Pacific Adventure last week would have the people of Balmain justifiably upset due to the noise and airborne pollutants from its diesel engines.
Mayor Byrne said the ship’s outdated technology risks the health of the public, and that the only way to ensure no adverse effects is the use of shore to ship power, allowing ships to plug into the electricity grid.
He has called on the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to shut the ship down if its emissions exceed international standards.
One South Australian council is set to operate with only three councillors, after four vacancies failed to attract any nominations for the upcoming elections.
Three councillor positions at Tumby Bay District Council, including the mayoralty, have been filled without the need for election with all of those incoming members elected unopposed.
According to the Port Lincoln Times, the mayor-elect, Geoffrey Churchett, has issued an appeal for more people to put their hand up for by-elections, which are not likely to be held before the new year.
The council’s CEO, Rebecca Hayes, said advice had been provided to suggest the Council could govern without the usual quorum until such time as the positions can be filled.
In today’s National Briefs:
There’s a new Deputy Mayor at Inner West Council, after the election of Phillipa Scott to the position last week.
Cr Scott was elected as a Labor Councillor to the Gulgadya Ward at the 2021 elections.
A number of Tasmanian councillors have received awards in recognition of their service to local government.
Local Government Association of Tasmania President Christina Holmdahl presented the outstanding achievement award to Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff, and Break O’Day councillor Glen McGuinness.
Outstanding Commitment and Service Awards were presented to Councillors Lynn Laycock and Leon Perry from Devonport; Cr Alwyn Boyd from Burnie; and Mayor Robby Walsh from Waratah-Wynyard.
(The Advocate, 17-9-22)
A new $25M aquatic and leisure centre for Darwin has been given the go-ahead.
Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis this week said the Casuarina Aquatic and Leisure Centre would be one of the most significant construction projects in the city, supporting the local economy and jobs.
The Federal Government is contributing $7.5M to the project, with construction expected to be completed by late 2024
At Shellharbour City Council, work has commenced on an innovative new Aboriginal Interpretive Play Space.
The play space in native gardens at the rear of the Shellharbour Civic Centre will follow the footsteps of local Aboriginal people and allow for a cultural journey from the escarpment to the sea.
It will include multiple elements, including a four metre hand carved timber whale.
Mayor Chris Homer said the Aboriginal Interpretive Playspace will be an incredible addition to the city, and that the end result will be something unique, beautiful, fun and educational.
Just ahead of the International Spotlight, I’m pleased to announce that the Local Government News Roundup is a media partner for the Local Government Show 2022, coming up in November in Sydney.
The event features four knowledge streams on digital technology, parking, resource recovery and smart communities, with a stellar lineup of speakers assembled.
Roundup listeners can get 10% off the registration fee by using the VIP code LGNR10
More details on the link in the show notes, for the Local Government Show 2022 – 8 to 10 November at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Now to today’s International Spotlight:
From the UK, localgov.co.uk reports on how Councils are preparing for Monday’s funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.
Local authorities have received guidance from the government, asking them to seek a balance between maintaining services where appropriate, while enabling staff to have time off where possible to join in national and local events.
Across the country, libraries, recycling centres and many other council buildings will be closed for the day as a mark of respect.
But councils have been advised to ensure the public can still have access to information and key local services during the official mourning period.
Meanwhile in Canada, a decision to not run buses on Monday in honour of the Queen’s funeral has been reversed after a massive public backlash.
In Fredericton, the capital of New Brunswick province, officials announced on Wednesday that buses would not run as the day will be a holiday for federal and provincial civil servants.
As CBC reports, it is not a holiday for the private sector, and the decision generated a wave of criticism from workers who would have to pay for a taxi to get to and from work.
In the face of mounting pressure, the decision was reversed within 24 hours and the buses will be running as normal on Monday.
From the US this week a story from Connecticut on how the City of Hartford is developing a universal basic income pilot program, likely to start next year.
The City Council formed a taskforce to investigate the feasibility of a UBI program, which led to a planning phase and attempts to find a partner to run the program.
It’s expected that a trial group of 25 people will be gathered to test whether a guaranteed income can effectively replace needs-based social programs, and be transformative in breaking generational poverty.
You can read more about the concept at ctinsider.com.
And you’re up to date with the latest from the Local Government News Roundup.
The program is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; and by the Local Government Show 2022, 8th to 10th November at Accord Stadium in Sydney.
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Until next time, thanks for listening and bye for now.