It’s been another big week and like many of you I have taken the opportunity to enjoy the long weekend in Victoria. I was pleased to attend a meeting last week with Senator Barnaby Joyce, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water, and The Hon Jeanette Powell, Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal Affairs, with other peak body representatives to discuss challenges that confront local governments. We discussed Grants Commission funding, the infrastructure gap and how it might be resolved, skills shortages and ideas to address these, and how to build the capacity of the sector. We will be following up with Senator Joyce with more information on our ideas.
Responsible gambling and the role of local governments is of concern to many of us. At the last meeting of the VLGA’s Local Government Working Group on Gambling (LGWGOG) we distributed postcards addressed to the Prime Minister that were developed to raise awareness of the pre-commitment debate. As many of you know, the Victorian Government is advocating an “opt- in” system, while the Productivity Commission recommended a mandatory model. There are a number of ways that local governments can assist local communities on this matter, and a formal Council resolution is just one. One VLGA member, the City of Greater Geelong, has adopted a resolution on pre-commitment, and we encourage other local governments to consider this matter.
Congratulations to the Metropolitan Transport Forum for their successful launch this week of their monograph The Economics of Transport: Smarter Transport – Better Cities in conjunction with GAMUT. I attended the launch and I encourage you to see the MTF website for a full copy.
I look forward to seeing you around the traps. Cheers.
Cr Samantha Dunn, President
Keeping you up to date
Regional Development Australia Fund
The Minister for Regional Australia, The Hon Simon Crean, has announced details of a $1.4 billion Regional Development Australia Fund. Application guidelines for the Fund have been released and applications can be lodged with the first funding allocation to commence on 1 July 2011. The $1.4 billion Regional Development Australia Fund will be competitive and merit-based, and only applications that have the backing of local Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees will be considered. Projects will be considered in two tranches – those seeking funding of $500,000 to $5 million and those for $5 million to $25 million (with the bigger projects requiring a commitment to matching funding). Applications will be accepted from local governments and community groups and proposed projects must align with RDA Regional Plans which need to be endorsed by relevant local governments. Resources from the Fund will be allocated over five years. Funding guidelines include:
* Delivery of concrete economic and social benefits;
* Commitment to innovation and building capacity in local communities;
* Linking regional communities across traditional boundaries; and
* Ability to leverage additional funding across government and the private sector.
The $1.4 billion allocated to the Fund includes $350 million that has been set aside for disaster relief in regional communities. This disaster funding allocation will be assessed on the same criteria as the rest of the Fund. For more detailed information, go here.
ABS statistics released
The latest edition of the Local Government and ABS newsletter has been released and contains three feature articles – two of these are case studies on Local Government Areas. These case studies show readers how this data can be used to analyse their Local Government Area. A third article provides information on the new Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) which is a newly released geographical classification. This also explains how Local Government Areas will be provided for following its implementation. View more detailed information at the ABS website.
Advocacy – get your voice heard on food security
The recent Victorian Population Health Survey (2008) found that 5.6% of adults ran out of food, or money to buy more food, in the last 12 months (people who are food insecure) and that this percentage is on an upward trajectory. Across Victorian municipalities, the prevalence range varies from 12.6% at its highest to 1.6% at its lowest. Alarmingly, for people who experience food insecurity, 25% experience it each fortnight. As we found during the Food for All projects, local governments can play a critical role in advocating for people who are food insecure; both to raise awareness and understanding of the issue, and to be a strong voice on behalf of the community in discussions with other levels of government. As household costs increase there is less money available for food budgets. One example is local government advocacy around the provision of good public transport, which can improve people’s access to affordable food. This week’s micro-movie (running time 3mins 30seconds), the last in the series of 10, talks about the importance of advocacy and some of the outcomes from local government’s key role in this.
For information about how the VLGA can support your council to adopt the Food for All 10 Ways for Local Government to Act into your local government’s work, please email Leah Galvin.
Harvard Strategic Perspectives in Non-profit Management – leadership opportunity
The Harvard Club of Victoria (HCV) has encouraged the development of leadership in the disability movement for many years. This year, in addition to offering places to the Harvard Strategic Perspectives in Non-profit Management, HCV is pleased to offer a scholarship space to a person with a disability to attend the HCA Non-profit Leaders Workshop in NSW in August. The scholarship award covers costs of tuition, accommodation, travel, and costs of a support staff member, carer and/or interpreter if required. Applicants need to be working in an executive or management role in a non-profit organisation which has charitable status and which has a social impact focus (not necessarily in community services; arts, culture, environment, sport or other non-profit social focus may also qualify). The VLGA encourages members to communicate this opportunity to eligible non-profit organisations.Applications close on 25 March. Find more information and the application form on the Harvard Club website. Inquiries can be directed to Silvana at NDS on 8341 4300.
Events for your diary
VLGA Events & Training
New Councillor Induction Session
Saturday 26 March, 9.30am-2pm
VLGA, Carlton
The VLGA is offering an induction session for new councillors. The primary focus is on councillors who have been or will be elected to the vacancies created by former councillors being elected to State parliament last November, however all councillors elected since the last local government election are welcome.
Session topics to be covered include:
* The many roles of a councillor
* Principles of good governance
* Councillor-staff and other relationships and team building
* Being the new person in an established group
* Decision-making in local government
* Relevant legislation, e.g. conflict of interest and 'Winky Pop', etc.
Registration fees are $100 per attendee for councillors of member councils and $200 for councillors of non-member councils. Registrations can be made by completing a registration form. For further information email Ron Exiner, Director Governance.
“Beyond being Mayor: coping with limelight deprivation syndrome”
Wednesday 6 April, 6-8.30pm (incl. light meal)
VLGA, Carlton
The VLGA is pleased to be offering a new development session, aimed at those whose year or more as Mayor concluded late in 2010. If you are a relatively recent ex-Mayor, Beyond Being Mayor: Coping with Limelight Deprivation Syndrome will support you in the transition to ordinary councillor status, whether you chose to step down or not. The session will include a panel discussion with those who have preceded you on the same path, as well as time to reflect on your own needs and new opportunities, in an atmosphere of peer support. For a registration form, click here, and for further information email Philip Schier.
‘Micro Finance in Timor-Leste’ Workshop
Wednesday 13 April, 6-8pm
Brunswick Town Hall, 233 Sydney Road, Brunswick
The VLGA Timor-Leste Advisory Group invites you to this important forum. Keynote speaker will be Guy Winship, CEO of Good Return, an innovative social enterprise established by World Education Australia to address poverty issues in the Asia Pacific region. Guy has international experience in the field of micro-finance. For more information about Guy and Good Return see the Good Return website.
The forum will be webcast live on the evening from 6pm at http://timorlive.vlga.org.au
You can also view the webcast any time after the forum at the same link.
For more information go here, download the flyer or email Gary Jungwirth.
Other Events
2011 ALGWA State Conference & Annual General Meeting
Friday 25 March 2011
Ballarat Town Hall
This year, ALGWA Victoria is holding their State Conference in Ballarat. For a registration form, go here. To obtain more information, you can contact Cr Cheryl Bromfield by phone on 0448 024 755 by email. The VLGA is pleased to promote the conference to our members.
