WHITE PAPER ON THE REFORM OF THE FEDERATION

In the April edition of LG Manager Magazine, we highlighted the ‘White Paper on the Reform of the Federation’ (PM 2014) process. The White Paper will seek to clarify roles and responsibilities to ensure that, as far as possible, the States and Territories are sovereign in their own sphere.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONALS AUSTRALIA, WITH OUR FEDERATION PARTNERS, commenced consultation on a submission to the Federal Government to ensure that local government, and the issues and challenges facing the sector, are adequately considered.

This is seen as a critical opportunity for us to rethink the way local government supports its communities and presents itself as part of the Australian system of government, in a rapidly changing world.

The submission will take the form of a position paper that provides a technical, non-partisan perspective on the value proposition for local government in future Australian governance.

The paper is being developed by Professor Graham Sansom and Professor Mark Evans with significant guidance and input from Local Government Professionals Australia, and the broader membership. We wish to acknowledge the involvement of Federation partners involved in this process and the councils and their staff who supported the submission with case studies.

The consultation process was finalised at a summit in Canberra in early December, where we discussed the paper with Federal Government representatives and launched the first of our Canberra Summit series, aimed at elevating the role and contributions made by local government.

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Here are some of the key themes that have emerged during the consultation workshops and interviews:

More than 90% of Australian citizens think it desirable that ‘different levels of government be able to collaborate on solutions to problems’ and 50% believe that Australian governments do not do this ‘at all well’ (Griffith Constitutional Values Survey 2014, p.9).

The future requires governments to work together to do better with less, and to regain public confidence in the political process.

Local government’s strengths are that it is place-based, multi-functional and in touch with communities. It commands substantial resources and offers in situ administrative capacity across nearly all settled districts of Australia. Groups of

local councils can provide a solid platform for effective governance at a regional scale.

High performing local government will add strength, resilience and responsiveness to a revitalized federation. It can support and collaborate with the Commonwealth, States and Territories to ensure that the government of Australia is truly fit for the 21st Century.

There are four features of the Australian governance landscape that bolster the case for a localist perspective:

1) the changing role of Commonwealth government,

2) the shift in the style of governing from government to governance,

3) the expanding space for social and economic problem-solving at the regional and local levels reflected in international processes of decentralization and subsidiarity,

4) the heightened importance of community and place for tackling disadvantage, building social cohesion and enhancing economic productivity.

ABOUT THE PAPER

This paper has been commissioned by Local Government Professionals Australia as a contribution to debate on the future of the Australian federation. It seeks to provide a technical, non-partisan and evidence-based perspective on the scope for local government to play a stronger role in the federation and add further value to the governance of Australia.

Australian local government is far from perfect and LG Professionals Australia accepts the need for continuous improvement. Nevertheless, it is disappointing that to this point very little consideration has been given to the contribution local government could make to a more effective federal system. Whilst not recognized in the Australian constitution, local government has made a longstanding contribution to federal councils and inter-governmental programs and has unique problem-solving capabilities because of its location at the most immediate level of government to the citizen. Given the right policy settings it could contribute much more to the governance of the Australian federation and reduce the burden on the Commonwealth and the States.

This is not a simplistic bid to give more prominence to local government. Around the world countries are placing more emphasis on cooperative governance at a local and regional scale. They are looking to partnerships between all levels of government, business and communities to advance economic, social and environmental wellbeing, and to address the emerging challenges of governing in the 21st Century. Australia should follow suit.

The Prime Minister’s appointment of Ministers of Local Government and Cities suggests that the time has come for a renewal of the national dialogue on these issues. LG Professionals believes that, together with its partner organisations in local government, it can contribute valuable resources, knowledge and operational insight to what will inevitably be a process of collaborative governance.

This report presents a practical, professional point of view. It was prepared by Professors Mark Evans and Graham Sansom, with extensive input from LG Professionals Divisions and members across Australia, and guidance from the LG Professionals Australia national leadership.

The submission marks the first step in a two-year program of research and events aimed at increasing awareness of what local government does, the resources it can bring to the table, and the expanded role it could – and should – pursue. We look forward to the conversation.

Dr Shayne Silcox President, Local Government Professionals Australia.

WHITE PAPER ON THE REFORM OF THE FEDERATIONKEY THEMES

FROM THE PRESIDENTLG Professionals Australia President, Dr Shayne Silcox, said of the consultation process; “it is important that local government’s critical contribution to Australian society and productivity is understood and positioned strongly in any reform of the federation.” He echoed the view of the President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Mayor Troy Pickard, who called for more attention to be given to local government issues, and for all sides of politics to keep an open mind on options throughout the White Paper process.

CONSULTATION IS KEY We committed to receiving opinions from as many councils and staff as possible to make these issues a priority. “Every state office was contacted for their response on issues of importance to local government such as the role councils should play as part of the Federation, the tax system, strengthening local democracy, regional collaboration between levels of government, and ensuring the best possible services to communities.

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THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS

Sydney startup Wattblock is in the middle of a capital raise but it has landed a contract with the City of Sydney to conduct energy assessments of buildings and develop apartment building benchmark. Wattblock is an energy efficiency startup that provides a cost-effective way to audit large commercial buildings. It recently launched a project with the City of Sydney aiming to drive down carbon emissions and reduce costs in the city’s residential apartment buildings. and City of Sydney Environmental Innovation Grant for a Virtual Energy Assessments Program.

COUNCILS BAND TOGETHER IN TIMES OF CHANGE

Circular Head, King Island, Waratah-Wynyard and West Coast Councils have joined together to undertake a joint 25 year community plan for the Murchison region.

The Sustainable Murchison 2040 Community Plan is a major initiative proposed for the councils, which will provide a strategic community plan to inform a coordinated approach for municipal planning in the Murchison region over the next 25 years.

The plan will also see all four councils recognising Burnie as their regional centre, and exploring linkages with the Burnie City Council’s Making Burnie 2030 Plan.

Circular Head Mayor Daryl Quilliam said in the face of increasing costs and the push for local government reform the four councils were taking a leading role in demonstrating the importance of working together.

“The Sustainable Murchison Community Plan will not only provide us insight into each of our communities’ needs, it will also ensure that we also have a shared evidence-based community vision for the future,” Mayor Quilliam said.

THINKING GLOBAL, ACTING LOCAL

In the wake of the recent announcement that Australia will take 12,000 extra refugees from war-torn Syria, a number of Australia’s local government authorities have expressed interest in receiving them into their communities.

East Fremantle Mayor Jim O’Neil and Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt have called on the Federal Government to consider using Leeuwin Barracks, located in East Fremantle, to house refugees from Syria. The barracks previously housed 370 refugees from Kosovo in 1999.

“This is a global refugee crisis,” said Mr O’Neill. “We can’t stand by while this situation gets worse. No single country can solve the crisis, but as one of the world’s richest countries, Australia should do it part and East Fremantle is proud to make a stand for this.”

Adelaide Hills has made a similar request, with Mayor Bill Spragg supporting a recent call from South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill calling for the reopening of the Inverbrackie detention centre in Woodside as emergency refugee housing. The facility has 80 houses and a medical centre and was closed this year after the previous Commonwealth Government spent more than $10 million upgrading it.

“The facility was originally a migrant hostel, so Adelaide Hills has a long tradition in housing newcomers to Australia,” said Mr Spragg. “It should be re-opened to help accommodate this new influx or refugees.”

Nearly a quarter of Australia’s local governments are now Refugee Welcome Zones, an initiative of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA). As well as Fremantle, East Fremantle and Adelaide Hills, they include the Cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

WHITE PAPER ON THE REFORM OF THE FEDERATIONCASE STUDIES

MELBOURNE'S URBAN FOREST STRATEGY

WATCH VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO

THE CITY OF HOBART BUSHCARE PROGRAM

READ MORE & WATCH VIDEO HERE

We received a range of case studies that show the important role that local government plays in the community.

THE COMMUNITY CHEF STORY

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LEARN MOREVisit the website to learn more about the key themes and case studies from the report.

http://www.lgprofessionalsaustralia.org.au/federation-white-paper.html

A FEDERATION FOR

COMMUNITIES AND PLACES

Australia in a Century of Local Governance

2015

On trend; place-based governance

Global trends highlight the growing importance of cities and regions in economic development and governance. The international profiles of Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold coast, the Pilbara and others are crucial to Australia’s place in the world. More broadly, the quality of places and communities – their character and quality of life and environment – is a key building block of global competitiveness. First-class places and communities attract people with first-class knowledge and skills – the scarcest of resources.

The Commonwealth and States will always have an interest in outcomes at local and regional levels, but as governments they are not designed to be place-based. For the most part, they are obliged to focus on high-level issues and programs affecting disparate communities across large and diverse geographical areas.

Local governments, working with partners in government, business and civil society, can shape and manage communities and places to unleash their potential and enhance social and economic wellbeing (Lyons 2007).

Look how far we’ve come

The words ‘local government’ were not contained in any portfolio in the Abbott government. For two years Australia did not have a Minister for Local Government. Federal responsibility for local government was included in the Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss’s Infrastructure and Regional Development portfolio.

Local government has never in recent years had its own Commonwealth Department. The last time the words were included in the name of a department was in the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport (DARALGAS), which lasted from 2011 until the election of the Abbott government in September 2013.

Previous names include: Department of Territories and Local Government; Department of Local Government and Administrative Services, Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs; Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services.

New leadership means new opportunities

LG Professionals Australia welcomed the incoming Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, following his elevation to the leadership of the Federal Liberal Party. President of LG Professionals Australia, Dr Shayne Silcox, said the LG Professionals Australia Board was looking forward to working with Mr Turnbull on consultation matters affecting the local government sector, with the support of the Federation partners, whose unique relationship with local governments will help meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. “We hope Mr Turnbull will committed to ensuring a consultative and collaborative approach to engaging with the sector, particularly with respect to local government’s unique value proposition and role as the at the coal face of local communities,” Dr Silcox added.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHARTER

Visit our website and read more about the draft charter for local government.

http://www.lgprofessionalsaustralia.org.au/federation-white-paper.html

WHITE PAPER ON THE REFORM OF THE FEDERATIONSUMMARY

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