On the Roundup today… the EPA’s first chief investigator appointed; Kingston Council heeds advice in changing its housing strategy; some mayoral election updates; sad news on the passing of a sitting South Australian councillor; and a new strategic alliance formed in regional Queensland.
Just some of what’s ahead on the Roundup, which is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, an independent governance organisation supporting councils and councillors to achieve the highest standards of governance;
And by Hunt & Hunt Lawyers - providing advice to help Councils achieve the best for their communities.
Links:
EPA first chief investigator appointed
Kingston updates new housing framework
New Melbourne social enterprise funding program
Ballarat: Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected
Bendigo: Mayor-elect announced
Council meetings take exciting virtual step - Office of Local Government NSW
Leading QLD organisations to form strategic northern alliance
Shoalhaven green ceramics Microfactorie to progress
Mid Murray Councillor dies suddenly
Investment in hydrogen in Whyalla welcomed
Salisbury wins Excellence in Public Health Award
$150 million new program for neglected unsealed roads
Wollondilly campaign against dam wall raising grows
EV transition Lake Macquarie a finalist in Cities Power Partnership Awards
Support the Roundup and get access to special episodes and regular breaking news updates by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment and business advisory service; and from Ventia, making infrastructure work sustainably for our communities.
Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.
On the Roundup today… the EPA’s first chief investigator appointed; Kingston Council heeds advice in changing its housing strategy; some mayoral election updates; sad news on the passing of a sitting South Australian councillor; and a new strategic alliance formed in regional Queensland.
Just some of what’s ahead on the Roundup, which is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, an independent governance organisation supporting councils and councillors to achieve the highest standards of governance;
And by Hunt & Hunt Lawyers - providing advice to help Councils achieve the best for their communities.
Links:
EPA first chief investigator appointed
Kingston updates new housing framework
New Melbourne social enterprise funding program
Ballarat: Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected
Bendigo: Mayor-elect announced
Council meetings take exciting virtual step - Office of Local Government NSW
Leading QLD organisations to form strategic northern alliance
Shoalhaven green ceramics Microfactorie to progress
Mid Murray Councillor dies suddenly
Investment in hydrogen in Whyalla welcomed
Salisbury wins Excellence in Public Health Award
$150 million new program for neglected unsealed roads
Wollondilly campaign against dam wall raising grows
EV transition Lake Macquarie a finalist in Cities Power Partnership Awards
Support the Roundup and get access to special episodes and regular breaking news updates by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Davidson, the nationally recognised executive recruitment and business advisory service; and from Ventia, making infrastructure work sustainably for our communities.
Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.
Hello, and welcome to the Local Government News Roundup for 3rd November 2021. I’m Chris Eddy.
On the Roundup today… the EPA’s first chief investigator appointed; Kingston Council heeds advice in changing its housing strategy; I have some mayoral election updates for you; sad news on the passing of a sitting South Australian councillor; and a new strategic alliance formed in regional Queensland.
Just some of what’s ahead on the Roundup, which is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, an independent governance organisation supporting councils and councillors to achieve the highest standards of governance;
And by Hunt & Hunt Lawyers - providing advice to help Councils achieve the best for their communities.
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The EPA’s first chief investigator has been appointed as part of its new structure, which comes into effect this week.
Ernestina Di Marco will lead a team of 40 investigators, based across the state, including surveillance experts, environmental protection officers, intelligence analysts, criminal investigators and prosecutors.
Ms Di Marco is a 19 year veteran of investigations and intelligence operations with the Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Organisation.
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-chief-investigator-crackdown-waste-crime
Kingston City Council has acted on strong advice from the Victorian Government and independent planning consultants in updating its Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Study.
Mayor Steve Staikos said the strategy plans for housing over the next 20 years, and includes a series of priorities to make housing more affordable, diverse and matched to community needs.
Changes were needed to be made to the original proposal, adopted in August last year, as advice was received that it would not be accepted by the Minister for Planning.
A revised proposal will now go to the Minister, and if authorised, a community consultation period will then take place early in 2022.
https://www.kingston.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Media/Kingston-adopts-new-housing-framework
The City of Melbourne has launched a Social Enterprise City Impact Program, a $200,000 fund to support creative solutions for local issues.
The program is aimed at supporting innovative ideas that deliver positive social and environmental impacts for the city, and includes $100,000 for initiatives that promote a circular economy.
Applicants must be located or deliver services in the City of Melbourne. Applications open on the 22nd November.
At Ballarat City Council, the mayor and deputy mayoral elections have been held, with Cr Daniel Moloney re-elected to a further term as mayor; and Cr Amy Johnson re-elected as Deputy Mayor.
https://twitter.com/cityofballarat/status/1455085960459395075?s=20
At Greater Bendigo, Cr Andrew Metcalf has been announced as mayor-elect, and Cr Matthew Evans, deputy mayor-elect, with those appointments to be confirmed next Tuesday evening;
https://twitter.com/GreaterBendigo/status/1455277606283005952?s=20
The NSW state government has introduced a new model code of meeting practice for councils, which the minister says will revolutionise the way NSW Council meetings can be run.
Shelley Hancock says the innovative updates to the model code will allow councillors to attend meetings virtually for such reasons as illness, disability, caring and work responsibilities, or other reasons agreed to by council.
She said the flexibility will encourage more diversity among councillors, and allow critical decisions to be made during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government has also strengthened requirements for councils to financially support councillors with carer responsibilities, including meeting childcare expenses.
Ms Hancok said the changes will boost opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to stand for council election, with nominations due to close today, 3rd November, at 12 noon.
Council meetings take excitiong virtual step - Office of Local Government NSW
A strategic alliance of leading industry bodies is being established to promote business and tourism interests in Warwick and surrounds in Queensland.
Southern Downs Regional Council has announced the alliance, which will have community, business, tourism and industry needs front and centre.
The new alliance is an extension of the model that saw the formation of the Granite Belt Alliance in the Stanthorpe area earlier in 2021.
Mayor Vic Pennisi said the alliance will be united in its vision and determination to see the entire Southern Downs region thrive and prosper.
The new alliance has the working name, Condamine Catchment Regional Alliance, but the council is recommending a more inclusive name be discussed with the group at its first meeting.
Leading organisations to form strategic northern alliance
The Roundup continues in a moment with more news from around the country.
The Victorian Local Government Association will hold its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 18th November.
The AGM will be conducted via Zoom video conference, and will feature keynote speaker, Peggy O’Neal AO.
Peggy is President of the Richmond Football Club, a specialist in superannuation and financial services law, and has been announced as the incoming Chancellor of RMIT University.
She will speak on the topic of governance and leadership, and why culture matters.
The AGM will be held on Thursday 18th November from 4.30pm.
Registrations and further details are available on the VLGA website - link in the show notes.
https://www.vlga.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=394
A $1 million microfactorie in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra will be the first local government facility of its kind in Australia to recycle waste items like mattresses and glass into green ceramics.
Federal Minister for Environment Sussan Ley has met with staff of Shoalhaven City Council to discuss progress on the project, which is being supported by the national Recycling Modernisation Fund.
The green ceramics to be produced will be used as kitchen benches, tabletops, tiles and furnishings in Council construction projects.
The facility is expected to process 42 tonnes of plastics and 968 tonnes of glass and waste textiles every year.
Shoalhaven City Council and the University of New South Wales are partnering on innovative and scalable waste solutions like the microfactorie facility, which will commence construction early next year.
https://minister.awe.gov.au/ley/media-releases/illawarra-microfactorie-turn-waste-glass-and-old-mattresses-kitchen-counters
Mid Murray Council has advised the sad news of the death of current Councillor Dennis McCarthy. Cr McCarthy died suddenly in Adelaide last Thursday.
He was a first term elected member, having been elected to represent the Eyre Ward in November 2018.
Mayor Dave Burgess said everyone was shocked and saddened at Cr McCarthy’s sudden passing, acknowledging him as a dedicated and enthusiastic representative for his community.
The Council’s flags will fly at half-mast on Friday, and a minute’s silence will be observed at its next general meeting.
https://www.mid-murray.sa.gov.au/council/latest-news/vale-cr-mccarthy
Hydrogen projects worth tens of billions dollars in investment have been announced for the Whyalla region in South Australia.
City of Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin has welcomed news from the South Australian Premier that seven projects have been shortlisted for the development of the Port Bonython Hydrogen Hub, with the potential to produce over one and a half million tonnes of hydrogen per annum.
Mayor McLaughlin said the use of hydrogen is a significant focus for the council, as it will play a key role in transitioning the region’s heavy industry to a low carbon future.
The City of Salisbury, in South Australia, has been recognised for its swift response to the COVID-19 situation last year, by being awarded the Minister for Health and Wellbeing’s Excellence in Public Health Award.
The minister, Stephen Wade, and Chief Public Health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, presented the award at a public ceremony last Friday.
The award recognises how the City of Salisbury focused on services for older people and how they responded to the COVID-19 situation by ensuring access to essential services; supporting social connections, and providing advice in ways older people could understand.
Salisbury wins Excellence in Public Health Award
The commonwealth government has launched a new $150 million Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program, targeting unsealed roads throughout remote Australia.
Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the program would offer councils between 80 and 100% of funding to upgrade unsealed roads and improve safety, with works including resurfacing, removing dangerous corners, and managing vegetation.
Unsealed roads of more than 20 kilometres long will be targeted by the program, the guidelines for which will be released in the coming weeks.
Wollondilly Council’s campaign to stop the raising of the Warragamba Dam Wall is gaining momentum, with over 5,000 signatures added to an online petition opposing the plan.
The Council recently held a special community forum, featuring presentations from concerned community groups; and calls for an extension to the exhibition period for the Environmental Impact Statement have been successful with a further 17 days now being provided for submissions.
The Council has condemned the inadequacies of the EIS, which it says fails to recognise the need to protect Gundungurra sacred sites. It is also concerned that the raising of the wall could lead to the Blue Mountains World Heritage status being revoked, and the significant impacts on the town of Warragamba from construction.
Lake Macquarie City Council has been named a finalist in the Cities Power Partnership’s fourth annual national Climate awards.
The Council’s innovative low carbon energy ecosystem project at its administrative centre in Speers Point included the installation of a solar car park to increase energy capacity.
Winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 17th November.
EV transition makes us a finalist in Cities Power Partnership Awards
And in more award news, Georges River Council is celebrating having been named a finalist in the 2021 Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards, for its communications campaign for this year’s In Good Taste event series.
Georges River was the only NSW Council recognised in the awards, and was shortlisted alongside SBS and the Australian Taxation Office in the Business Campaign of the Year Category. The ATO was the ultimate winner, for its campaign to support CALD audiences with tax and super information.
The Roundup continues in a moment with the international spotlight falling on Italy, France and the US.
But first, a word about our valued sponsors, Hunt & Hunt Lawyers.
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Now some stories of interest under our international spotlight….
From Italy, where Rome has become one of the first cities in Europe to commit to electric air taxi operations, following the lead of Paris which is aiming to have air taxis operating for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Aviationtoday.com reports a German urban air mobility developer has established a new partnership with the largest airport operator in Italy to develop infrastructure for electric vertical takeoff and landing operations in Rome.
The new service is expected to connect Leonardo Da Vinci airport with various places in Rome, through vertical airports, in a proposed time frame of two to three years.
Volocopter Eyes Air Taxi Operations in Italy
In Paris, the city has allocated an additional 180 million euros to develop its network of secure cycling lanes in a plan to make the city 100 percent bikeable within five years.
The money is in addition to 150 million already spent on an initial biking plan.
France24.com reports that Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s push for a more bike-friendly Paris is central to her bid for the Presidency at elections due next April.
By 2026, a network of 180 kilometres of safe cycling paths is envisioned. The mayor’s plans are not popular motorists, who have reacted angrily to some of the proposals, such as converting motorways along the Seine into bike and pedestrian pathways.
Paris pushes vision of '100-percent bikeable' city
In the US state of Iowa, the Des Moines City Council is to consider recommendations to tackle food insecurity in its area, including making foraging a human right.
The council has created a food security task force, charged with finding solutions to the problem of food insecurity.
Local station KCCI reports that almost 20% of residents are food insecure, and 1 in 11 face hunger.
The task force is recommending urban farms and urban gardens as part of the solution, along with foraging rights. The Council is yet to make a decision on the recommendations.
Des Moines to attempt to combat hunger through sustainable farms
And that’s it for this edition of the roundup. Visit www.lgnewsroundup.com for more on each episode, including show notes, links to the stories referenced and extra features.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the home of VLGA Connect - an ever growing library of interviews, updates and panel discussions on YouTube and podcast
And by Hunt and Hunt Lawyers - providing advice to help Councils achieve the best for their communities.
Join me next time for more local government news. Until then, thanks for listening and bye for now