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Cut the tall poppies and only weeds remain
Meeting in Sydney recently for its Annual Conference, the Institute of Municipal Management NSW Division selected the theme 'Reform - What's Next?'. Keynote speaker was Bryce Courtenay, international best seller and the most widely read living Australian author. Describing Australians as the most polyglot people on earth, he said we have the world's blood and intelligence running through our veins. He said that if we slip into believing we are owed things, that 'they' will fix it, we will achieve nothing. With increased technology and small nations coming to the fore, Australia has the greatest potential, but only if we get it right.

Associations join in move for self regulation
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) have established a joint Working Party to address the issue of self regulation. They aim to put in place a facilitator and protector acting as a circuit breaker between the State Government and a particular Council to resolve any problems.

Editorial
As we move closer to the new millennium, concepts such as 'reform', 'change' and 'a vision for the future' will undoubtedly continue to dominate both the public and private sectors. As we close out what has been a century of the most accelerated and profound changes in our history, the pace of reform shows no signs of slowing, rather it is continuing its exponential climb. However, pushing ahead with reform without an analysis of the costs and benefits is stepping on very shaky ground, with adverse consequences having the potential to reverberate for generations to come.

Voluntary reform achieves best practice
The 1997 Management Excellence Awards reflect how Councils are becoming fully competitive in the manner they manage and deliver services. These annual Awards are sponsored by the IMM-New South Wales Division and the Sydney Morning Herald. The Awards acknowledge the effort Councils in NSW are making to increase efficiency, cut costs and improve practices, benefiting ratepayers and the wider community.

Regional Australia can help housing crisis
Decent housing is a fundamental social need. In Australia, the free market has been the principal source of housing supply with some of the shortfall being made up by Federal and State Government Grant support. Regional areas of Australia, are in a position to offer more affordable land and housing for Australia's low income households. This includes a better lifestyle in quality housing at significantly lower costs than major capital cities.

Accessible workplaces
Work opportunities for people with disabilities will be greatly enhanced following the recent launch of 'Accessible Workplaces'. Produced by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) this booklet is designed to encourage Councils around the country to recognise and capitalise on the contribution people with a disability can make to their organisation.

Eyes and ears of the city
Forty years ago Hobart City Council introduced the concept of the parking officer to Australian cities. Council has recently embarked upon a program to change not only the image of parking officers but the nature of the job itself.

Training Council staff to compete for success
According to Bob Seiffert CEO at Manningham City Council in Victoria, with the right training schemes in place Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) should not be a problem for any Council team. Following the CCT legislation, staff at Manningham were provided with information and an ongoing training program.

Playing to win
The theme of this year's Annual Conference of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health is 'Playing to Win' with the emphasis on positive thought and action to promote healthier, safer communities. Delegates will be able to hear speakers and hold discussions, on a wide range of issues that influence public health outcomes, with colleagues from around the nation and overseas.

Another opportunity to showcase the north coast
In October, the 1997 NSW Local Government Association's Annual Conference will be staged in Port Macquarie. In yet another opportunity to showcase the beautiful north coast, Coffs Harbour City Council is proud to have won the right to host the 1998 Conference. Planning for next year's event is already well under way.

Progress and prosperity
With the City's population doubling in the past 15 years, careful planning is essential. Council has taken a very professional approach to forward planning, being the first Local Government area in this State to have an ecologically sustainable approved long term Urban Development Strategy in place.

Giving priority to the environment
Environmental protection can be a costly short term investment, but the long term returns are bountiful. With this in mind, Coffs Harbour City Council has decided to introduce an annual levy, averaging $25 per ratepayer, earmarked specifically for environmental programs.

Bellingen Shire a natural beauty
Bellingen Shire, as Coffs Harbour City Council's closest southern neighbour, will benefit from the decision to host the 1998 Local Government Association Conference, in that it provides an alternative area for delegates and partners to visit during their time on the Mid North Coast.

Picturesque Nambucca
Joining Coffs Harbour and Bellingen Shire in hosting delegates and visitors to the 1998 Conference is the Shire of Nambucca. At the southern gateway to the Holiday Coast, just 40 minutes from Coffs Harbour, Nambucca boasts numerous fascinating villages, mountain scenery, riverside leisure spots, picturesque farmland and rainforest.

World class regional education
A common problem in regional Australia is the need for young people to leave the area for study or work. Once gone, they seldom return, depleting country areas of one of its most valuable resources. In Coffs Harbour, young people no longer need to leave for further study or vocational training.

Empowering service users
Until recently, Council was managing a range of Community services and facilities. Since 1995, it has been working with service users and staff introducing an innovative self management process.

Coffs Harbour's future in great hands
Coffs Harbour Future Development Corporation, a public company with limited guarantee, promotes industry, commerce, recreation and tourism within and outside the City of Coffs Harbour. Its strategic vision for economic development is to increase the wealth and per capita income of the Coffs Harbour community through identifying areas of economic potential, marketing, media and community relations.

Celebrating multiculturalism
Come November, Coffs Harbour will host the Inaugural Holiday Coast Fiesta, an annual celebration to take place in Melbourne Cup Week every year. While an east coast Australian holiday resort may not seem the usual spot for a Spanish style festival, Coffs Harbour has a large multicultural community with many residents from around the globe, including the largest Sikh community in Australia.

Catering for every interest
Coffs Harbour, Nambucca and Bellingen Councils have developed a unified approach for promoting their popular region with an organisation known as Tourism Holiday Coast. Situated mid way between Sydney and Brisbane, the region is very accessible with excellent road, rail and air links.

Disaster management
When 500 mm of rain, or 16 inches on the old scale, fell within six hours on 23 November last year, the equivalent of almost twice the capacity of Coffs Harbour's major water storage source, Karangi Dam, was spread across the City. The worst storm in living memory, and described as the one in a thousand year flood, some areas were inundated with up to a metre of water.

International stadium brings world class athletes
One of Coffs Harbour's most valuable and best used assets is its International Sports Stadium. The venue caters for a range of sport and entertainment, providing an international standard facility. Opened in June 1994 and covering approximately 2.3 hectares, the stadium has played host to many major events.

Conference mecca
Superb weather, a beautiful location, excellent facilities, plus a full range of accommodation choices, places Coffs Harbour at the leading edge of the conference and convention marketplace.