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LGANT meets at Nhulunbuy
A number of key motions were passed at the recent Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) General Committee Meeting. Held at Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem Land, some 80 delegates from Municipal and Community Governments attended.

Marngarr community welcomes delegates
At its recent General Committee Meeting in Nhulunbuy, LGANT accepted an invitation from the Marngarr Community Government to visit their community. As well as dancing and singing by community members, delegates were also entertained by Mandiwuy Yunupingu, lead singer from the rock band, Yothu Yindi.

Editorial
The election of the Howard Government in March last year meant change was inevitable. In the lead up to the election a number of pre election undertakings were sought and obtained from the then Opposition by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). Failure of the Government to honour these undertakings culminated late last year with the ALGA suspending negotiations on the MOU.

Smooth start for a new City
Amalgamation made easy could be the slogan for South Australia's new City of Charles Sturt. Bringing together the two former Cities of Hindmarsh Woodville and Henley and Grange, Charles Sturt came into being on New Years Day. The experience of the prior merger between Hindmarsh and Woodville Councils in 1993 greatly assisted this most recent amalgamation.

Milingimbi Sound and Light Festival
On 29 and 30 November 1996 the 10th Annual Music Sound and Light Festival was held in Milingimbi. Milingimbi is a traditional Aboriginal Community of approximately 1,000 people. It is located on an island just off the cost of Arnhem Land, 420kms east of Darwin.

Cairns the heart of Far North Qld
With 1.3 million people coming to Cairns last year to visit the Great Barrier Reef and nearby World Heritage listed rainforest, it is little wonder Cairns is Australia's fifth busiest airport. In 1996, some 6.3 million visitor nights were recorded. The multiplier effect of their spending has been estimated to be $1.2 billion.

Bridging generations and cultures
Douglas Shire in Far North Queensland is not only encouraging its young artists but is gathering a collection of fine works that will be appreciated for generations to come. Council's Annual Junior Amateur Painting Competition is open to all Douglas residents up to 20 years of age.

Bringing the young back safely
Following the success of the Come Back Safely Campaign conducted under the auspices of RoadWise, Western Australia's Local Government Road Safety Strategy, a new strategy is being implemented, specifically targeting young people. Titled 'Media Messages', this campaign aims to address issues young people believed were not covered in the initial campaign.

Better budget policy
The Department of Local Government in Western Australia encourages increased accountability in local authorities through its annual Best Budget Awards. After completion of its 1996/97 review of 121 Local Government budgets, the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, with 4,500 residents, was judged best in the State.

Australia's big conversation continues to gain momentum
From Devonport in Tasmania to Chinchilla in Queensland, Sandstone in Western Australia to Warringah on Sydney's north shore, Councils large and small once again joined with their communities in 'Speak Up' - the Australia Consults program ran by the National Australia Day Council. This year, over 200 councils indicated they will be involved. Most scheduled their local event on or around the Australia Day weekend, while a few Councils will host their forums later this year.

Safety is everyone's responsibility
Adelaide's City of Burnside takes occupational health and safety very seriously. In line with its 2006 Vision that states the City should be recognised for excellence in best practice in the management of human resources, Council is working towards maintaining a zero lost time injury rate through to the year 2000 and beyond.

Safety focus reaps rewards in the Redlands
Redland Shire Council has notched up a big success with a project aimed to determine the level of skin cancer among Council employees. Being in south east Queensland, Redland Shire is in an area with one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world.

World class living in Melbourne's west
Situated on the western fringe of metropolitan Melbourne, Melton just 30 years ago was a country township on the Western Highway passed through by travellers as they made their way to Ballarat or beyond to Adelaide. Today it is a thriving urban area offering its 44,000 residents a unique lifestyle that combines the best of both rural and city living.

Diversity in development
Foresight coupled with good investment practice has combined to afford Melton a perfect development opportunity that meets growth targets, provides sustainable living and increases the area's social and economic diversity.

Streamlining approvals
Currently, Council approves about 300 new residential lots per year. This is expected to escalate to 500 or more as development in the eastern part of the Shire increases. To ensure an efficient, high quality service, Melton Shire has introduced two new initiatives. These reduce costs and time for residents, property developers and Council.

Spinoffs from landcare
While residents enjoy the rural ambience of the district, in reality much of the local landscape has been compromised by the spread of weeds. To improve the appearance and value of the local landscape, Council has embarked on an extensive campaign encouraging land holders to improve their holdings by appealing to their hip pocket nerve.

Youth take part
With the highest percentage of young people in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Council places a high priority on its Youth Services Program. Conscious that youth need space for recreation and socialising that does not infringe on the amenity of other residents, Council aims to meet these needs by making full use of what young people themselves have to offer. Younger residents have been actively encouraged to participate in Council activities, particularly in the planning and designing of facilities.

Tourism just a stone's throw from Melbourne
Historically, Melton Shire has not featured as a major tourist destination, although visitors to Bendigo along the Calder Highway and Ballarat on the Western Highway pass through it. This is about to change. Plans are under way to make the most of the many attractions Melton has to offer daytrippers or weekend holiday makers from Melbourne.

Thoroughbred International
Not only is Council working to bring business to the district, it is establishing its own business initiatives, capitalising on links with long standing local industries. Council has become a partner with local horse breeding establishments, in an enterprise to market quality horses to Asia Pacific owners. The horses are bred, trained and housed in Australia where there is ample room for the industry to grow.