Australian Local Government Association

Media releases: 2005

December

ALGA launches age-friendly built environment resource paper

15 December 2005

ALGA has today released a resource paper to promote council initiatives to achieve age-friendly built environments. Age-friendly built environments: Opportunities for local government contains six fact sheets and case studies covering a range of age-friendly built environment issues relevant to local councils.

Kim Carr's Future Cities paper canvasses a "new deal" for local government

1 December 2005

Labor’s discussion paper on urban development, housing and local government.
Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Housing; Urban Development; Local Government and Territories.
This paper is about our everyday lives. Housing is square one.

November

Lloyd gives regional roads $100m funding boost

10 November 2005

A $100m funding boost for the regional roads component of the AusLink/Roads to Recovery program has been applauded by the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell.

11-Point plan to advance regional development

8 November 2005

Fair funding for local government, support for local infrastructure and investment in information and communication technology were among the key issues that needed to be addressed in order to advance regional development in Australia.

600 mayors and councillors rally

8 November 2005

The rally, held as part of the National General Assembly of Local Government (Canberra, 7-10 November), also condemned the practice of cost shifting by state and federal governments, a practice that costs local government between $500m and $1.1bn each year.

Rally for funding

7 November 2005

Rally for fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition of local government. More than 600 local government representatives from across the country will rally at 12.30pm on Tuesday November 8 at the National Convention Centre, Constitution Avenue, in Canberra.

Broadband to boost regional exports

7 November 2005

Expanding broadband access in regional Australian would significantly boost the nation's export potential, a new report has found. The report provides clear evidence that regional Australia is under-performing in terms of its potential use of information and communication technology with negative implications for exports.

We had the baby boom, then the baby bust - now for the baby bounce

7 November 2005

The 2005-06 State of the Regions report, released today (Monday 7 November), shows that nearly all states experienced their lowest share of those aged less than one year old in 2003. The trend since 1996 has been consistently downwards until 2003. But in 2004, the trend changed and the proportion of the population in this age bracket began to turn upward.

Sustainability: Top regions revealed

7 November 2005

For many Australian regions, the ability to maintain and grow populations is a critical factor affecting local economies and service provision. But what are the key components of population sustainability and which regions are performing well? The 2005-06 State of the Regions report, released today (Monday 7 November), has assessed Australian regions against ten specific measures to determine their population sustainability. Key issues include the ageing of the population, consistency of population growth, fertility rates, the dominance of regional centres, family migration and demographic stress.

State of the Regions Report 2005-06: Press conference

4 November 2005

The State of the Regions report will be formally released at a press conference to be held in the Murray Room at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, at 12.30pm Monday 7 November. The authors, Dr Peter Brain and Dr Craig Shepherd, of National Economics, will be in attendance.

Local government to pursue fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition

3 November 2005

Around 600 local government leaders will gather in Canberra for the National General Assembly of Local Government at the National Convention Centre on 8-10 November. A one-day Regional Cooperation and Development Forum will be held on Monday 7 November. Key issues will include the need for fair funding for local government, fair treatment of local government (particularly in relation to cost shifting), and formal recognition of local government within the Australian Constitution.

October

Local government facing period of change

13 October 2005

ALGA Vice President, Cr Bill Mitchell, has today (13 October) addressed the annual conference of the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory, saying the 'wind of change' was blowing across local government.

Contributions called for Access and Equity Report

8 October 2005

The Australian Local Government Association and the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) invite councils to contribute to the Commonwealth's 2005 Access and Equity Annual Report.

Call to arms – Councils to rally in Canberra

7 October 2005

Australian Local Government Association President, Cr Paul Bell, has called on all councils to rally in Canberra next month to send a clear message to state and federal governments - local government is facing severe financial pressure and needs concerted action to get it fixed.

... fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition for local government

7 October 2005

Cr Mitchell outlined ALGA’s key priorities, calling for fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition for local government.

September

ALGA welcomes COAG security outcomes

27 September 2005

Local government will participate in the development of a national code of practice for CCTV, be more closely involved in counter-terrorism exercises and will be kept informed in the event of any national emergency.

Councils taking action to plan for a 'Community for all ages'

27 September 2005

Australian Local Government Association Vice President, Cr Geoff Lake, has today (27 September) outlined a range of action being taken by councils across the country to better meet the challenges of an ageing community.

August

Good news for local government: Ministers give green light to cost shifting agreement

4 August 2005

Federal and state local government ministers and ALGA have today agreed to develop an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to put an end to cost shifting - a practice that is costing councils between $500m and $1.1bn a year.

Architects boycott development assessment survey

2 August 2005

Nearly 85% of architects have chosen not to participate in a survey on development applications released today by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said today.

July

ALGA offers support, sympathy to people of London

8 July 2005

I write on behalf of local government across Australia to offer our complete support and sympathy to the people of London following the bombing atrocities that have occurred over the past few hours.

ALGA welcomes Truss to Transport

7 July 2005

The Australian Local Government Association has today welcomed the appointment of Warren Truss as Minister for Transport and Regional Services following the retirement of John Anderson.

6th National Local Roads and Transport Congress

5 July 2005

Delegates called on the Australian Government to provide fair funding to local government and replace the archaic system of financial assistance grants with growth funding based on at least one per cent share of national taxation revenue.

Roads Congress media alert

1 July 2005

Funding, freight and congestion will be key issues at ALGA's National Local Roads and Transport Congress, which kicks off in Launceston on Monday.

June

Environment ministers must make packaging industry more accountable

30 June 2005

Australia's environment ministers must make the packaging industry more accountable for the waste it generates, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said today. The ministers will meet in Perth tomorrow to consider the future of the National Packaging Covenant.

New beginning for federal-local government relations

23 June 2005

Developing an intergovernmental agreement to help stop cost shifting to local government, a Productivity Commission study on barriers to local government revenue growth and recognition of local government by Federal Parliament are key features of the Australian Government's response to a House of Representatives report on local government, tabled in Parliament last night.

ALGA applauds passage of Roads to Recovery legislation

16 June 2005

The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, has warmly welcomed today's passage through the Senate of AusLink legislation, enabling the second phase of the Roads to Recovery program to commence as scheduled on 1 July.

May

Roads Congress to focus on congestion, freight and funding

31 May 2005

Congestion, freight and funding will be among the key issues at ALGA's 6th National Local Roads and Transport Congress, to be held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor Convention Centre in Launceston on 3-5 July.

Federal Budget 2005: Local government reaction

10 May 2005

The Federal Budget makes good a range of important commitments made to local government and local communities during the course of last year's federal election, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said tonight.

April

Local government needs fair federal funding to cope with ageing population

12 April 2005

Local government will face serious budgetary pressure as it struggles to keep pace with increasing demand for human services and needs access to fair federal funding if it is to properly provide for the needs of an ageing population.

March

Transformations awards acknowledge local government for promoting cultural diversity

31 March 2005

Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the Australian Local Government Association have today jointly announced the winners of the Transformations awards for local government excellence in supporting cultural diversity.

Local government calls for fair funding to address pressure on water infrastructure

30 March 2005

Local government needs additional federal assistance to help ease mounting pressure on water infrastructure.

National approach needed to CCA timber report

16 March 2005

The Australian Local Government Association has today welcomed the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority report on the use of copper chrome arsenate (CCA) timber treatments, but expressed concern that hundreds of individual agencies are to be left with a decision as to whether or not to remove structures built with CCA treated timber.

February

ALGA applauds North Sydney move on differential parking fees to encourage low emission vehicles

16 February 2005

The move by North Sydney Council to introduce a sliding scale of residential parking permits with lower fees for smaller vehicles and higher fees for large four wheel drive and eight cylinder vehicles has been applauded by the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell.

Minister commits to work with local government on CDEP reforms

14 February 2005

The Australian Local Government Association has today welcomed a commitment by Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Kevin Andrews, to work with local government on reforms to the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) and his emphatic statement that this program is not under threat.

Australian Government and ALGA working together to address cost shifting

11 February 2005

Joint media release

The Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Councillor Paul Bell, have today pledged to work together to achieve a new deal for local government over the next two years

Local government to press for fair share of taxation revenue

4 February 2005

Reform of the financial relationship between the Australian Government and local government is desperately needed if Australia's 675 councils are to cope with increasing demand for services, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Councillor Paul Bell, said today.

ALGA co-hosts Transformations - a major international conference on cultural diversity

1 February 2005

The critical role of cultural diversity in human development will be the theme of Transformations, a major international conference to be held at the Australian National University in Canberra from 7-9 February

January

ALGA congratulates Paul Bell on Australia Day honour

28 January 2005

The Australian Local Government Association has today extended its warmest congratulations to its President, Councillor Paul Bell, who has become a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day honours list.

ALGA to help co-ordinate council fund-raising efforts for communities devastated by tsunamis

4 January 2005

The Australian Local Government Association will help coordinate the fund-raising efforts of the nation's 675 local councils to assist communities devastated by the tsunamis.