Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Innovation Awards set scene for a world first

When Senator Ian Macdonald, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, presented the National Awards for Innovation in Local Government last November, he was setting the scene for expansion of an environmental world first for councils. The award in the Environment Category went to the Australian Municipal Energy Improvement Facility (AMEIF), a business unit of Newcastle City Council, which has demonstrated its ability to save councils considerable expenditure on electricity.

AMEIF, whose motto is 'making money and creating jobs from greenhouse action', has now set up a unique knowledge interchange and training programme for councils. "The award helped us with our benchmarking for Local Governments nationally," said AMEIF Project Director, Peter Dormand.

"The knowledge interchange programme on Greenhouse has also given Councils the opportunity to share information and avoid duplication of effort.

"The programme was initiated with the assistance of the Australian Greenhouse Office, which participates in an international energy conservation scheme under the umbrella of Local Agenda 21, a programme established by and for Local Government that aims to achieve sustainability in local communities.

"Now we are engaged by the Australian Greenhouse Office to provide a range of Greenhouse action programmes to some 70 Local Governments throughout Australia as part of an overall national effort to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions."

Partnership delivering policy at the 'grass roots'

AMEIF's greenhouse world first story demonstrates how the Commonwealth Government can link into Local Government, recognising that it is at 'grass roots' level that national policy can be most effectively delivered.

AMEIF, has been conducting learning programmes for other Local Governments across Australia since 1997. Within 12 months, 53 Australian councils had undertaken the programme.

Asked about the energy reduction programme's success, AMEIF Project Director Peter Dormand gives due credit not only to the Commonwealth Government, but to his colleagues in the Local Government sphere. "Local Government people are unique in that they engage the community in issues and help people cope with reality. Communities are inspired by them," he said.

He estimates that if the solution was to be implemented Australia wide, a 20 per cent saving on Australia's current $7 billion energy bill would equate to 65,000 new jobs over the next 10 years. "This grass roots solution has the potential to revolutionise some of the most disadvantaged areas of Australia," Peter Dormand said.

"Eight Australian councils are currently using AMEIF's revolving energy funds concept with the aim of saving up to 20 per cent of energy costs annually."

AMEIF is also providing a range of services for the Australian Greenhouse Office under the Targeted Action Module Programme for Councils participating in the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Australia Campaign.

This will provide another avenue for AMEIF to spread the word regarding their innovative approach to energy conservation. The Federal Government is very keen to facilitate organisations like AMEIF as part of a drive to keep intellectual property in Australia in promoting innovative concepts to the world.

Peter Dormand can be contacted at (02) 4974 2542 for additional information.

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