Australian Local Government Association

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Speeches: 2004

The post-election environment

Address to the LGANT Annual Conference
13 October 2004, Darwin
Councillor Mike Montgomery
The election would - at long last - require the major parties to detail their respective responses to the Fair Share report on cost shifting and local government financing.

National local government priorities in 2004 - LGAQ

Address to LGAQ Annual Conference
1 September 2004: Mackay, Queensland
Councillor Mike Montgomery
In recent years, councils have acquired new responsibilities including management of health, alcohol and drug problems, community safety and accessible transport. And we're playing a growing regulatory role in areas such as development and planning, public health, and environmental management.

The mounting infrastructure challenge facing local government

Address to National Infrastructure Summit
16 August 2004: Melbourne
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Local government continues to perform its traditional roles. But the focus of local government has been shifting - and shifting fast.

National local government priorities in 2004 - WALGA

Address to WALGA Annual Conference
8 August 2004: Perth
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Covers the three leading issues that ALGA has been pursuing over the past few months: renewing Roads to Recovery, tackling cost shifting and getting a fair financial deal from the Australian Government.

Population Ageing Action Plan

Address to local government population and ageing project
27 July 2004: Ballina, New South Wales
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Councils are faced with sharply increasing demand for human services, growing pressure to provide more suitable age-related infrastructure, such as aged care facilities and community amenities, but have a restricted ability to raise revenue through rates and user-charges.

Road safety

Address to National Local Roads Congress
13 July 2004: Tanunda, South Australia
Mr Lauchlan McIntosh
Every day in Australia 5 people are killed on our roads. The National Road Safety Target calls for a 40% reduction in road deaths by 2010, 700 lives out of 1700.

Federal Labor's transport priorities

Address to National Local Roads Congress
12 July 2004: Tanunda, South Australia
Mr Martin Ferguson MP
This year has been a big one on the transport front and I would suggest the spotlight from a local government level, and others, will remain on it. Considering the significant infrastructure backlog in Australia it was more than time that the Commonwealth turned its attention to addressing that backlog through a long-term, strategic plan.

President's address

Address to National Local Roads Congress
12 July 2004: Tanunda, South Australia
Councillor Mike Montgomery
The Butcher Report sought to encourage the Commonwealth, state and local governments, and regional industries, to establish a national framework for investment in local roads of regional significance.

Developing local level responses to healthy ageing

Address to National Public Health Partnership Group meeting
9 July 2004: Adelaide
Mr Ian Chalmers
At the national level, ALGA is working with the Australian Government to develop and implement the Australian local government population ageing action plan to run over the next four years. The plan provides a framework in which local government can anticipate and respond to the ageing related issues that affect local communities.

The state of play in Commonwealth/local government relations

Address to South Australian Local Government Association Residential Seminar
2 July 2004: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Councillor Mike Montgomery
An overview of ALGA's national priorities and prospects for advancing these agendas under either a fourth term Howard/Costello Government or a freshly-elected Latham Labor administration.

Priorities for reform

Address to National Summit on Housing Affordability
28 June 2004: Canberra
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Highlights what can be achieved when local government takes the lead and works in partnership with other stakeholders to achieve positive change concerning housing affordability, including our capacity to provide services and infrastructure at the local level and priorities for reform.

Opening Address

Address to Round table on cost shifting and local government financing
10 June 2004: Canberra
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Discussion on the recommendations of the landmark Fair Share report into cost shifting and local government financing. The report represents a 'once in a generation' chance to change the way all governments work together to achieve meaningful outcomes for the people of Australia.

Presentation to local government managers

Address to Local Government Managers Association annual conference
24 May 2004: Melbourne
Mr Ian Chalmers
AusLink will commence on 1 July this year while R2R2 kicks in when the current program expires at the end of June next year.

Because every emergency is a local emergency

Address to New South Wales Local Government in Emergency Management conference
21 May 2004: Leura, New South Wales
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Emergency management in Australia involves prevention, preparedness, response and recovery carried out through an active partnership involving all three spheres of government. A whole-of-government approach is now considered the only effective way to manage disasters.

National local government priorities in 2004 - LGAT

Address to LGAT Annual Conference
14 May 2004: Hobart
Councillor Mike Montgomery
There is a need to renew the Roads to Recovery campaign and continue federal government support for the 640,000 km of the Australian road network that is owned and maintained by local government. We'll I'm pleased to be here to report progress on these and other issues of concern to local government and the communities we serve&hellip

Closing Address

Address to International Local Government Asset Management Conference
13 May 2004: Melbourne
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Local government remains an effective and efficient means of delivering high quality services to the people of Australia. And it does so on a human scale. But while the world marches bravely into the 21st century, local government continues to be dogged by the problems of the past, hindering our ability to fulfil the potential of the future.

Chief Executive's Address

Address to ALGA Ageing Project National Workshop
4 May 2004: Canberra
Mr Ian Chalmers
Today marks the next phase in the development of the local government population and ageing project action plan. ALGA has been funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing to expand local government's capacity to identify and plan for the challenges of population ageing through the development of a strategic action.

Revitalisation of urban cultural precincts

Address to IULA ASPAC Conference
14 April 2004: Taipei
Cr Paul Bell AM
Contemporary large-scale examples of best practice in the field of revitalising urban cultural precincts, including a comparision of important international developments and a major redevelopment project in Brisbane, Queensland.

The role of local government in developing road infrastructure

Address to Australian Roads Summit
24 February 2004: Sydney
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Last year, we set out three clear goals for the Association. First and foremost, we wanted to secure the renewal of the $1.2 billion Roads to Recovery program. Secondly, we wanted to ensure that AusLink would be local governmnet-friendly. And thirdly, we wanted to ensure AusLink comes with additional dollars attached.

Planning from the grass roots up

Address to Planning Institute of Australias Local Government Forum
22 February 2004: Hobart
Councillor Mike Montgomery
Planning is one of the most critical tools in developing and shaping our communities. Planning instruments make our cities and towns liveable. They shape the character of our communities and defines our landscapes. Planning outcomes make or break our communities. However, local government and planners are coming under pressure as some people want planning to come from the top down.

Sustainable communities in Australia: The national agenda

Address to CLAIR Forum on the state of sustainability
20 February 2004: Perth
Councillor Mike Montgomery
The central pillars of sustainability: economic, social, environmental and - increasingly - cultural sustainability are becoming embedded in the way local government plans, develops and delivers its core services. This presentation discusses specific activities being undertaken by two innovative councils and one state government.

Advancing Regional Australia: Towards a Ten Point Plan

Address to Rural and Regional Service Delivery Conference
17 February 2004: Dubbo, New South Wales
Councillor Mike Montgomery
An outline of the critical role played by the Australian Government's Roads to Recovery program, with a focus on the importance of land transport to effective service delivery.