Media releases: 2006
November
- PricewaterhouseCoopers study into local government sustainability launched
- 4 December 2006
- A report into local government funding by PricewaterhouseCoopers has found that 10-30% of councils have significant sustainability issues and that there is an estimated $14.5b backlog in infrastructure renewal work.
- Local government roads and transport strategy launched
- 30 November 2006
- A five-part plan calling on the Australian Government to work with councils to deal with the transport challenges facing communities over the next ten years was unveiled this morning by the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, AM.
Regional Co-operation and Development Forum
See also:
- Transcripts of speeches and presentations delivered during the Forum.
- Streaming audio of speeches and presentations delivered during the Forum.
- 2006-07 National Economics State of the Regions report
- 27 November 2006
- Australia's wealthy and well-connected regions have continued to build their advantage over less-affluent and less-connected regions widening the gap between rich and poor regions, according to the 2006 ALGA National Economics State of the Regions report.
- Property boom no windfall for local government
- 27 November 2006
- Australia's property and land boom is not the rates income windfall for local government that many commentators believe, a new national report says.
- Broadband internet urgent for local government
- 27 November 2006
- A much greater role for local government in helping provide broadband internet services is predicted in a new report on the "state of play" in Australia’s 64 local government areas.
- Councils need boost for regional growth, report says
- 27 November 2006
- Australia's local government cannot rely on rate revenue to play its role as a facilitator of regional development, a new report says.
- Local government urged to think smart to boost growth
- 27 November 2006
- A new report says Australia's local government areas could resemble California's Silicon Valley, given a boost to regional innovation.
- Bendigo leads the way in innovation: A local govt. success story
- 27 November 2006
- Local government is doing its bit to keep up with the move to the broadband super highway by taking up innovative high-tech projects.
October
- Milestone for local government as resolution passes both Houses
- 17 October 2006
- The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, applauded the successful passage of a motion in the House of Representatives late today recognizing the role of local government in Australian federalism.
September
- ALGA welcomes historic Parliamentary Resolution
- 7 September 2006
- The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, welcomed the tabling in Federal Parliament late yesterday of a resolution recognising the role of local government as historic and a symbolic step on the road to formal constitutional recognition.
July
- Communiqué from the National Local Roads and Transport Congress
- 11 July 2006
- Delegates considered and endorsed a national roads and transport strategy to guide local government's policy development and lobbying work over the coming decade. It will also assist ALGA to lobby major parties on road funding and transport issues in advance of the 2007 federal election.
- Local government seeks lasting solution to $400m road funding shortfall
- 10 July 2006
- Local government needs a long-term solution to the shortfall in funding for Australia's 680,000km of local roads, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said today. He was opening the 7th National Local Roads Congress in Alice Springs this morning.
- Local Government Flower Garden Awards entries encouraged
- 23 June 2006
- Registration for this year's Australian Local Government Flower Garden Awards will remain open until the end of the year so that councils will have maximum opportunity to enter. First held in 2004, they are being organised every two years by Bedding Plants Australia, the national association of seedling and flowering bloomer growers, and jointly sponsored by Toro Australia, a world leader in the design and manufacture of automated irrigation systems and commercial turf maintenance equipment.
- National Local Roads and Transport Congress
- 5 June 2006
- Attendance at this year’s Congress will provide all delegates with an important opportunity to be part of the development of a new way forward to address the strategic local roads and transport needs of our communities.
- Local government to consider historic transport strategy
- 4 June 2006
- More than 400 delegates from councils across Australia will meet in Alice Springs on July 10-11 to consider an historic national local government roads and transport strategy. Consideration of the strategy will be a major focus of the 7th National Local Roads and Transport Congress, convened by the Australian Local Government Association at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.
- PwC to examine fiscal pressure facing Australia's 700 councils
- 1 June 2006
- The Australian Local Government Association has commissioned financial consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers to undertake a major study of local government financing, with a report due later this year. ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell, said that it was becoming widely recognised that Australia's 700 councils were facing increasing fiscal pressure and that concerted action by all three spheres of government was needed to address the problems.
May
- Landmark emergency management survey
- 26 May 2006
- ALGA has today urged all councils to complete a landmark emergency management survey. The first of its kind, the survey will provide a clearer national picture of local government's emergency management responsibilities and capabilities.
- Federal Budget 2006: Local government reaction
- 9 May 2006
- ALGA applauds additional road funding in nation-building Budget: An additional $300m for local roads, announced in tonight's Federal Budget, has been warmly welcomed by the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, as a much-needed boost that will enhance productivity, lift regional development and improve the daily lives of all Australians.
April
- ALGA releases 2006 ageing survey: Council under increasing pressure as population ages
- 28 April 2006
- ALGA has today released the results of the 2006 survey on ageing and local government. The survey reveals that 99% of councils believe that population ageing will have an impact on their municipalities - just over 30% identified the impact as severe. Some 226 councils responded to the survey, represting more than 33% of all councils.
- IGA on cost shifting: Historic agreement to ease cost shifting burden on councils
- 12 April 2006
- An historic intergovernmental agreement (IGA), signed in Canberra today, will help ease the cost shifting burden carried by Australia's 700 councils. President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, signed the agreement on behalf of local government.
March
- Developers must respect democratic rights of communities
- 28 March 2006
- The President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, today called on property developers to respect the democratic right of all Australians to control - through local government - the shape and scale of development within their own communities.
- Adrian Beresford-Wylie to join ALGA as Chief Executive
- 17 March 2006
- A senior Commonwealth public servant with an exceptional knowledge of federal-local government relations, Mr Adrian Beresford-Wylie, has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Australian Local Government Association.
- ALGA, ALGWA urge more women to consider local government
- 8 March 2006
- The Australian Local Government Association has today joined with the Australian Local Government Women's Association to urge more women to consider local government, either by standing for office or as a career option.
- New guidelines on Auslink regional road funds
- 3 March 2006
- The Australian Local Government Association today welcomed the release of new funding guidelines for regional roads projects. The guidelines were released in Canberra today by Federal Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd and Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Warren Truss.
February
- Costello's tax study should also look at inter-government tax sharing
- 28 February 2006
- The Federal Treasurer's international tax review should be expanded to examine the way nationally collected taxation revenue is returned to other spheres of government, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said today.
- Council of Australian Governments meeting
- 10 February 2006
- ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell, represented lcoal government at today's meeting of the Council of Australian Governments, held at Parliament House in Canberra: Transcript of the post-meeting press conference.
January
- ALGA welcomes changes to Howard ministry
- 25 January 2006
- The extent of the changes to the Coalition's frontbench has today been welcomed by the Australian Local Government Association. "We particularly welcome the stability given to portfolios of key importance to local government, with the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Warren Truss, and the Minister for Heritage and Environment, Senator Ian Campbell, remaining in these roles," ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell said.
- Health workforce report will help rural, remote communities
- 23 January 2006
- The Australian Local Government Association has today welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission report on the nation's health workforce, saying it's recommendations would help counter shortages of health professionals that have bedevilled communities for decades, particularly in outer metropolitan, regional and remote communities.
- Local Government Flower Garden Awards for 2006 launched
- 18 January 2006
- The Australian Local Government Flower Garden Awards return in 2006 where the efforts of local parks and gardens teams are acknowledged with winning gardens selected in each state and territory as well as a national winner chosen.
- ALGA 2006-07 Budget submission
- 3 January 2006
- The Australian Government must use part of its substantial surplus to reform federal-local government financial relations, giving local services and infrastructure a much-needed shot in the arm, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Cr Paul Bell, said today.
