Issue 19, 9th May 2021
Hello, thanks for downloading the Local Government News Roundup. I’m Chris Eddy, and this is the bulletin for 9th May 2021.
Coming up in this bulletin:
An evacuation order issued for a city apartment building;
CEO appointments for three Councils and the EPA;
Councils in line for the Victorian Sports Awards;
Tumby Bay Councillors reinstated;
And a state first LGBTIQ portfolio for a Queensland Council.
Plus lots more from around the world of local government this week.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, your go-to organisation for governance news, knowledge and training.
Here are some of the stories making news in Victorian local government this week:
- The Municipal Building Surveyor from the City of Port Phillip last week issued an emergency order and building notice which gives residents of a St Kilda apartment building two weeks to leave the premises. The notice was issued due to combustible cladding concerns and other fire safety matters which amount to an unreasonable fire risk to the occupants and the public. It’s the first time an evacuation order of this kind has been issued by the City of Port Phillip. The Mayor Cr Louise Crawford has issued a statement acknowledging that it is a distressing time for owners and residents, and pledging to provide assistance and support. The building is not being identified other than to affected owners and residents.
- The new CEO of Murrindindi Shire Council will be Livia Bonazzi, currently General Manager Strategy and Innovation at Western Water. Livia has held senior executive roles in the private and public sectors for over 20 years, and will join the Council on 9th June.
- West Wimmera Shire Council has also appointed a new CEO. David Bezuidenhout will move to Victoria from NorthWest Queensland where he has been CEO of Cloncurry Shire. His five year term at West Wimmera will commence this week. Meanwhile, Hindmarsh Shire Council has reappointed its current CEO Greg Wood for a further two year term. The appointment extends Mr Wood’s agreement with the Council through October 2023.
- The interim CEO of Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority, Lee Miezis (My-zis), has been confirmed as the next permanent CEO following an announcement this week by EPA Chair Professor Kate Auty. Mr Miezis joined the organisation in February of this year in the interim role, after being the inaugural CEO of Bushfire Recovery Victoria. He is also a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Professor Auty says the appointment begins an exciting chapter in the EPA’s 50 year history, with new laws coming into effect on 1st July this year that will fundamentally change the way the agency operates.
- The finalists have been announced for the Victorian Sport Awards, with the winners to be announced next month. A panel of 33 Victorian sports people, including Olympians, former athletes and sport administrators, have narrowed down the entries to a finalist list in each of 7 categories, including Bunnings Trade Local Government Initiative of the Year. Those finalist councils are Maribyrnong for the Get Active At Home series; Casey for its Casey Girls Can program and again for its Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, and Cardinia Shire for its Mental Health in Sports Clubs program. The winners will be announced on Thursday 3rd June.
- The Property Council of Australia has released a new office occupancy survey that shows CBD activity is returning in Melbourne. CBD occupancy in Melbourne increased by 6% to 41% in April, while Sydney had a 9% jump to 59%. All other capitals recorded a relatively consistent number of workers returning to the office from March to April. Almost half of survey respondents identified preferences for greater flexibility as the main barrier to achieve full occupancy; and most office building owners and managers are not expecting to see a material increase in occupancy levels in the next three months.
- The City of Greater Geelong has offered condolences to the family of Gerry Smith, the first mayor of the new amalgamated municipality in 1995. According to press reports, Mr Smith passed away last week in Queensland. Current Mayor Stephanie Asher thanked Mr Smith for his passionate service to the council and the community over many years, successfully laying the foundations for the City of Greater Geelong.
- And following the passing of Cr Malcolm Hole from Wellington Shire Council on 10th April, the VEC has scheduled a countback to fill the extraordinary vacancy on the Council. It will take place this Wednesday 12th May at 10.30am, and it will be conducted online.
Still to come, the national roundup, with Councillors reinstated in Tumby Bay; a major funding announcement for Newcastle; Councils to lead an employment recovery plan; and the city gamifying the use of sustainable forms of transport.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association .
The VLGA is the peak governance organisation for the local government sector, bringing you local, national and global thought leaders in conversation and panel sessions, online via VLGA Connect, and in-person at regular member events.
The VLGA’s signature forum, Leading the Agenda, is back for 2021, with a focus on demystifying audit committees and answering those questions you always wanted to ask.
Find out more about Leading the Agenda and other upcoming VLGA events at www.vlga.org.au/events. You’ll find a link in this episode’s show notes.
Now to some stories making news in local government around Australia.
- The councillors of Tumby Bay District Council in South Australia are back in office after a hearing at the South Australian Civil Administration Tribunal last Tuesday. The Council’s CEO discovered that annual returns had not been lodged for the 2019 year, triggering a provision in the Local Government Act that meant the councillors had to stand aside until the matter could be resolved. The tribunal this week ruled that the positions be restored, and the Mayor Sam Telfer said they would be reviewing all processes and policies. The CEO has assured the community that no previous decisions of the Council were affected by this issue.
- The announcement of $66 million in commonwealth funding for Newcastle Airport’s runway upgrade has been welcomed this week by the City of Newcastle. It’s estimated that 4,500 jobs and nearly $13 billion in economic uplift will be derived from the project, which is a key component of the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan. The plan aims to grow the airport along with the aerospace and defence precinct at Williamtown, and aligns with a NSW Government decision to create a special aviation precinct on more than 10,000 hectares of land around the Newcastle Airport and RAAF Base.
- The CEO of Noosa Council in Queensland has announced his intention to retire early in 2022. Brett De Castel has been in the role since 2014, and with Noosa Council for 20 years. Mr De Chastel has announced his retirement early to give the Council time to ensure a smooth handover to a new CEO in 2022.
- Local Government NSW has launched a new locally led jobs plan, with a call for stronger partnerships between all levels of government to drive a strong employment and economic recovery for NSW. President Linda Scott says the plan has councils at the centre, as they have the proven track record of creating jobs to support local communities. The plan highlights councils’ ability to lead economic recovery through job-creating improvements, and advocates for State and Federal Government investment to support jobs growth.
- Palm Island Aboriginal Council has become the first council in Queensland to introduce an LGBTIQ portfolio. Deputy Mayor Andrew Castors says the move recognises a need in the community for the unique challenges of LGBTIQ to be heard by local government. The ABC reports that as part of the portfolio, the deputy mayor meets with LGBTIQ residents on the island to discuss matters concerning the queer community.
- The largest Council in Australia, Brisbane City Council, is making a move to family-friendly sitting hours to provide councillors with flexibility to meet the needs of their families and the city. The ABC reports that three babies will be born to Brisbane councillors this year, and the need for more flexible working arrangements had been raised as an issue for some councillors previously. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said legislation would be rewritten to change meeting start times.
Now to some items of interest from beyond Australia:
- The Guardian reports that Spain’s first photovoltaic pavement has been installed in Barcelona, as part of that city’s aim to be carbon neutral by 2050. The 50 square meter installation of non-slip solar panels will generate enough power to supply three households. The viability of the scheme will be assessed after six months. This follows the installation of 25 metres of solar cycle lane in the Dutch city of Utrecht last year, which is generating electricity to power lighting and heat the path to prevent it from icing over in winter.
- In Orlando, Florida, commuters are being encouraged to reduce single occupancy vehicle usage and use more sustainable forms of transport through an app that gamifies transport activity. The app logs each trip and the mode of transportation used, as users rack up miles, they receive personalised rewards that can be redeemed online or in stores. So far, there are over 200 brands offering rewards to those who use transit, bikes or walk to their destination instead of driving.
And that’s it for another roundup. You’ll find links to all of the stories referenced in today’s program in the show notes.
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The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association. VLGA Membership is available for all Councils, plus there are Associate Business membership and Associate Individual memberships available. Check out www.vlga.org.au for more details.
That’s the program for today. Until next time, thanks for listening.