Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Training for WA's new Act in full swing
WA's new Local Government Act came into being on 1 July 1996. Gone is the prescription of what a Council could do. Now each Council has a general power to 'provide for the good government of persons in its district'.

More Councils merge in SA
Port Pirie City & District Council and the District Council of Grant were established on 1 July. Following the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and the District Council of Kapunda and Light, they are the next Councils to voluntarily amalgamate under South Australia's Local Government structural reform program.

East Torrens a web leader
A leading Council in this area, East Torrens, located in the Adelaide hills and with a population of 7,000, has been at the forefront in assisting other Councils to get onto the web. Council also provides free Internet access to all local businesses.

City and country working together
Antipathy between the country and the city can be quite marked in Australia. To bridge this gap, the City of Canning in Western Australia is encouraging the exchange of goodwill, ideas, trade and commerce between the city and country in a program called 'Getting to Know You'.

Planning for a growing community
In area, the Shire of Swan is the largest Council in the Perth Metropolitan area. Its population of around 75,000 has doubled in the past ten years. Rapid population growth is expected to continue, largely from one particular development known as Ellenbrook. As this development is not an extension of an existing urban area, and is remote from existing services and facilities, Council decided it warranted special treatment from a financial planning point of view.

10 Year Program at Waggamba reaps rewards
Located in south eastern Queensland, on the NSW border, Waggamba Shire covers 13,872 square kilometres. With the rapid expansion of its cotton industry, Council was well aware that if it was to provide a road network to cater for this increased production, an accurate picture of needs and necessary finance was required. Therefore in 1989, Council began preparing a Ten Year Road Program.

Performance indicators may determine mergers
Although the majority of South Australian Councils have commenced negotiations for voluntary amalgamation with their neighbours, some have not. Councils that have indicated they have no intention of merging or that have made little progress may find the Local Government Boundary Reform Board determining their future.

Message from the Minister
New Federal Minister, Warwick Smith believes a partnership with Local Government is essential to the maximisation of the welfare of local communities and Australia's overall economic and social performance.

Helping Local Government help business
With regulation at all levels impacting significantly on the ability of business to do business, it has been estimated reforming Local Government regulations could save in excess of $400 milion.

Streetwatch, streetwise
In a first for the Northern Territory, Tennant Creek Town Council has won a National Innovation Award. Winning the National Rural Award and the Community Services category, its unique program called Streetwatch has achieved 'unprecedented levels of community participation'.

Progressive 'CARS'
A software package which monitors, records and responds to customer requests, has taken out the overall National Innovation Award for Baw Baw Shire Council in Victoria. Also the winning category of Management Best Practice, Baw Baw's Customer Action Request System (CARS) monitors and responds to customer requests and allows this information to be fed into Council's planning processes.

Model code for residential development
Developed over the past seven years in conjunction with all levels of government, the community and the residential development industry, the Australian Model Code for Residential Development (AMCORD) gives practical advice to Council planners, elected members, industry practitioners and professionals on better methods and practices to achieve good urban design.