President’s Message
On Friday all VLGA member mayors and CEOs would have received your fifth members-only bulletin on the constitutional recognition of local government debate. We are pleased to have been bringing you these updates each Friday. I am very much looking forward to hearing from the ALGA this week about the commencement of the national campaign on the referendum and the roles the State peaks need to take in getting the ‘Vote Yes’ message out to the wider community. The need for community dialogue was made even more clear last week with the release of the Victorian Auditor-General’s report Organisational Sustainability of Small Councils. The report clearly demonstrates that in many cases revenue from rates is failing to meet growing service delivery costs. This brings home even more strongly my point from last week’s eNews – there is a very clear view within the Victorian Government that local governments need to cut costs and drive down expenditure. This is a populist view which might sit well with ratepayers. However we now have an even more compelling reason to test the accuracy and context for the figures used in Securing Victoria’s Economy regarding costs growth across the sector. At my meeting with the Presidents of LGPro and the MAV on Thursday, we agreed that we need to undertake further analysis to provide information to the Minister. Let’s also take into consideration the burden on local governments in Victoria in delivering State programs like HACC services, community safety, libraries, school crossing supervisors etc. – all cost-shifts that require us to increase our staffing and service levels often without appropriate funding. I look forward to seeing many of you at the National General Assembly in Canberra from today and discussing these issues in more depth. And, if you’re on Twitter you can follow #NGA2013 to stay abreast of Assembly updates.
Cr Samantha Dunn
President
Keeping you up to date
Barb Bennett is moving on….
Barb Bennett, the VLGA’s Administration Manager, and EA to the Board and CEO, has announced her retirement. Barb leaves us on 19 July 2013, and while we will all miss her terribly, we are thrilled that this new chapter in her life is commencing. Many VLGA members will know Barb as she has served the organisation for six years, and has seen many changes across that period. Barb and her husband will be relocating to their home on the Mornington Peninsula and are looking forward to their new lifestyle and more time with their extended family. There is plenty of time for members to say goodbye to Barb and to acknowledge her outstanding service to the Association and its members. Thanks Barb!
Advertising and promotion of gambling services in sport – Joint Select Committee Report
The Parliament of Australia’s Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform released its final report on the advertising and promotion of gambling services in sport on 7 June. On 26 May, the Prime Minister proposed that TV and radio networks ban the promotion of live odds and restrict gambling advertisements during live sporting matches. The VLGA supports recommendations regarding prohibition of live odds during sports events and maintaining restrictions on online gambling, and in our submission we recommended that stronger advertising laws (as per tobacco products and smoking) are applied to gambling advertising including during live broadcasts. The VLGA also wrote submissions to television industry bodies in response to their proposals to amend their codes of practice. For more information, contact Senior Policy Officer Jieh-Yung Lo on 03 9349 7980 or via email.
Conduct and Governance Reference Group established
Local Government Victoria has established a Conduct and Governance Reference Group to provide guidance during consultation with the sector on the current councillor conduct framework and other governance issues. The reference group consists of councillors (including mayors), council chief executive officers and peak body representatives including the VLGA. The consultation will seek to identify issues and improvements in how Codes of Conduct are used, Councillor Conduct Panel processes and whether to enhance the role of mayor to facilitate the orderly conduct of council business. For more information email Michael Concas.
Reminder - Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll applications close 28 June
Applications for the 2013 Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll are closing soon. The Honour Roll, which was established two years ago, currently recognises 35 exceptional Indigenous Victorians with their life stories presented in the Honour Roll book which is permanently on display in the Victorian Parliament. For further information contact Anatoly Sawenko at the Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria on 03 9208 3257.
Congratulations to World Environment Day award winners
The VLGA congratulates the winners of the United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day awards which were announced on 7 June. Several VLGA member local governments won awards or were named as finalists in the Local Government Awards category, as follows:
Best Specific Environmental Initiative
* WINNER: City of Melbourne, Urban Landscape Adaptation
* FINALIST: City of Yarra, Zero Carbon: Victoria’s First Accredited Carbon Neutral Council
* FINALIST: Hume City Council, Hume Environmental Champions Program (also a finalist in the Sustainability Education Award
Excellence in Overall Environmental Management
* WINNER: City of Yarra, Yarra Environment Strategy 2008-2012: From Good to Great
And well done Kingston!
While we are congratulating VLGA members, we acknowledge that Kingston City Council won the 'Report of the Year Award for Public and Not for Profit Organisations' at the Australasian Reporting Awards held last week at Melbourne Town Hall. In addition, our congratulations also go out to seven Victorian local governments who earned Gold Awards for their reporting, namely Bayside, Boroondara, Glen Eira, Greater Geelong, Manningham, and Stonnington City Councils, and Yarra Ranges Shire Council. Well done!
What can local governments do about poverty?
While several local government CEOs including our own Maree McPherson, will be sleeping rough at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night as part of the Vinnie’s CEO Sleepout 2013, others of us will be turning our minds to other ways to help those in our communities living in poverty. There are a number of useful resources for local governments leading up to Anti-Poverty Week 2013 in October. With the latest release of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey Annual Statistical Report, members may be interested in this article from The Conversation on 12 June. ‘One in four children from single parent families live in poverty’ shows that… “in 2010, 24.1% of children in one-parent households lived in poverty, up from 20.8% in 2001.” Authors Fron Jackson-Webb and Michelle See-Tho discuss the benefits of Australia’s decade-long period of economic prosperity for families – except for single parents and their children.
Events for your diary
VLGA Events
Delivering community infrastructure in challenging times
Community and Social Planners Network event
Friday 28 June, 9am to 12.30
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
Planning and financing community infrastructure is difficult at the best of times. Governments at all levels are focused on austerity and belt tightening. In local government, the pressure is on to continue to deliver community infrastructure with tight budgets. This VLGA workshop brings together a range of perspectives to share good practice and innovative approaches to planning and delivering community assets in today’s challenging environment. RSVP by Tuesday 25 June to 03 9349 7999 or by email.
Other Events
United Nations Association of Australia (Victorian Division)
Sustainable Consumption and Production: Eco-efficiency and eco-certification to behavioural change
Thursday 27 June, 1.30pm to 5pm
Level 12, 469 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
Held in support of the United Nations 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, the seminar will bring together experts and practitioners from across business, government and civil society to provide a platform for shared learning on integrating sustainable consumption and production measures throughout business operations, relationships and value chains. It will address the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing more sustainable practices in the production and consumption of goods and services in Australia, and will highlight the measures Australian businesses are undertaking, alongside government and NGOs, to influence behavioural change towards more sustainable economies, societies and lifestyles. Guest speakers and panellists include Joshua Bishop, National Manager – Markets, Sustainability and Business Partnerships, WWF Australia and Craig Chester, Operations Manager Australia, Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand. Learn more and register online.
Community Housing Federation of Victoria Conference 2013
‘New Building Blocks: Opening the door to more affordable housing’
Thursday 15 August 2013
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
This one-day program, featuring national, interstate and local speakers will present good practise with public housing stock transfers, clever alliances with other sectors and effective tenant engagement programs. The day's master of ceremony is Catherine Deveny, writer, comedian and social commentator. Early bird rates apply for bookings before 21 July 2013. Download the registration form and view the conference program.
VLGA Membership
As a VLGA member you become part of a unique organisation that specialises in democratic governanceAs a VLGA member you become part of a unique organisation that specialises in democratic governance. Our Our membership includes local governments, organisations and individual community members. Membership brings many benefits such as regular updates on important and relevant issues, participation in the organisation's decision-making and discounts to VLGA events and training. To join the VLGA, visit our website or contact Member Relations Officer Chelsea Ayling on 03 9349 7999 or via email.
No comments:
Post a Comment