Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Local Government Development Program receives further $2.5 million

Council ratepayers and customers will benefit from more than $2.5 million in additional Federal funding for councils in 17 regions across Australia. The funding has been allocated under the Local Government Development Fund (LGDP). LGDP assists the improvement of council service delivery to ratepayers, enhances equitable services to all Australians, and facilitates improved social and economic development in rural and regional areas.

Some of this year's successful projects

Successful LGDP projects for the recent round of funding include:

• Tasmania&emdash;systems for more efficient processing of development approvals
• New South Wales&emdash;better mapping and Geographic Information systems
• Northern Territory&emdash;inter-council partnerships for wider range of community services
• Queensland&emdash;improved waste and environmental management practices
• Victoria&emdash;integrated dairy producers alliance
• Western Australia&emdash;combined facility to include a library, telecentre and agricultural centre.
• Australian Capital Territory&emdash;regional agricultural strategy.

A selection of other LGDP projects is profiled below.

Senator the Hon Ian Macdonald, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government said: "These particular projects are part of the Federal Government's commitment to enhance the delivery of services to rural and regional Australia. Local Government is often in the best position to deliver those services.

"The LGDP is over and above the $1.5 billion provided by the Federal Government in Financial Assistance Grants to Councils, of which two thirds goes to rural and regional councils."

Senator Macdonald congratulated Councils who submitted applications for the high standard of submissions.

"Those who serve in Local Government are closest to the people. The high quality of the bids, especially the successful projects, reflect the commitment of the vast majority of Mayors and Councillors to providing more efficient services for their communities."

Disaster Mitigation
Managed by: Local Government Association of Queensland Inc (LGAQ) in consultation the Queensland Department of Emergency Services. Contact (07) 3334 2222.

Amount: $100,000

Project Description: Build councils' capacity to identify risk and better assess the disaster mitigation requirements of their community. To raise awareness amongst elected representatives of the real cost of disasters to their community and awareness that prevention can be facilitated through better use of the counter disaster and land use planning arrangements.

Expected Outcomes: The project has two parts:

• developing disaster mitigation skills at the local government level and raising councillor awareness of relevant legislation provisions as it relates to disasters (e.g. under the Local Government Act, State counter Disaster Organisation Act and Environment Protection Act). Local government practitioners should also develop a greater awareness of disaster mitigation tools such as counter disaster plans and strategic land use plans; and
• developing disaster mitigation skills that will involve a number of workshops and presentations throughout the State. A Disaster Mitigation Awareness Program and a Skills Training package will be developed which could be used throughout Australia

Expanding Web site to Include National Best Practice
Managed by: The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) carried out by the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW. Contact (02) 6281 1211.

Amount: $70,000

Project description: Broaden the focus of NSW Local Government Shires and Association's Internet site "Towards Best Practice" nationally.

Expected outcomes: Add value to the Internet site by including best practice information from Councils in other States. Establishment of a centralised best practice web site.

Centralised Mapping Service Integrating GIS and GPS Technologies
Managed by: Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC). Contact (02) 6993 1003.

Amount: $100,000

Project Description: This project is designed to resolve problems many small Councils have in establishing and maintaining quality Geographical Information Systems.

Expected outcomes:

• better asset management and town planning for member Councils through obtaining precise locations of water, sewage, drainage, emergency service resources and roadways throughout the Region
• member Councils will be able to undertake environmental audits (e.g. trees, noxious weeds and contaminated land sites)
• provide mapping information to prospective developers which will facilitate decisions about proposed establishment locations

Implementation of Microeconomic Reforms
Managed by: Northern Territory Department of Housing and Local Government and the Local Government Association of Northern Territory. Contact (08) 8999 8458.

Amount: $100,000

Project Description: Developing a best practice programme to disseminate information on road construction and maintenance, waste management, community administration and leadership and extending performance measurement to remote councils.

Expected outcomes: Three videos on better ways to provide services to remote Aboriginal communities.

Asset Management
Managed by: The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), National Local Government Research Programme. Contact (02) 6281 1211.

Amount: $40,000

Project Description: Building on ALGA initiatives in the area of asset management for local government. The project will draw on the successes of councils in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania that have demonstrated local government's future liability for the maintenance of existing infrastructure.

Expected outcomes: A financial model available to councils to enable them to develop their own asset management (infrastructure replacement/maintenance) strategies:

• to establish actual liability
• to look at future financing issues

Dairy Produce Alliance
A Cooperative Approach by Gippsland's Seven Local Government Bodies to Maximise Economic Opportunities Presented by the Region's Dairy Industry

Managed by: Latrobe Shire Council in conjunction with Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Cardinia, Baw Baw, Wellington and East Gippsland Shire Councils (the Alliance). Contact (03) 5173 1400.

Amount: $100,000

Project description: The Shires have identified strategies to enhance the competitiveness of their traditional industries, to foster new industries and to add value to the Region's dairy products and services.

Expected outcomes:

• increase value-adding opportunities for Gippsland's dairy industry by marketing produce under the recognised Gippsland' brand to:
  • enhance dairy producer and processor viability
  • facilitate joint dairy produce marketing
• cluster enterprises based on mutually agreed sub-regional strengths
• establish standards, benchmarking processes and other mechanisms to foster industry best practice within the region
• target research and development projects within the region to increase product diversity
• provide industry training and access to world-leading technology
• educate dairy operators, processors and retailers through provision of access to world technology
• improve communications and sharing between the dairy industry stakeholders

The following articles are also included in this edition or go BACK to the main page: