Housing crunch

The Australian affordable housing shortage.

22 January, 2015

Gaming get serious for Victorian councils

Double or Nothing.

12 January, 2015

Innovative, accessible playgrounds on the rise

Big play for inclusion.

5 January, 2015

How many councils does it take to change a light bulb?

LED technology is now mainstream for councils.

5 January, 2015

Gold Coast trams ready to roll in two weeks

The Queensland government says it will meet the mid-year opening deadline for the new light rail system on the Gold Coast, making it the third operating system of its kind in Australia.

7 July, 2014

WA councils demand referendum on Perth boundary changes

The battle between WA councils and the Colin Barnett government has intensified as local governments demand communities be able to vote on proposed mergers if they are “significantly affected”.

7 July, 2014

SA launches counterattack on federal cuts

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has initiated a campaign against the Abbott government’s Budget cut of $5.5 billion to the state that will impact on health and education.

3 July, 2014

Sun smart outdoor staff in SA reporting fewer melanomas

South Australia’s strong sun makes for great wines, fine art and elevated risks of skin cancers. Fortunately a screening program for council staff appears to be cutting down reports of melanoma incidence.

30 June, 2014

ACELG guides council evaluation of service delivery

Councils will now be able to better assess how well they provide services to the community through a handy new manual from the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.

26 June, 2014

$22mil Budget boost for NSW Records digital push

The NSW government is pushing ahead with the full scale digitisation of the state’s archives and records after the latest state Budget tipped in another $22 million to further regional online access to historical repositories.

23 June, 2014

States bail-out pensioner rates concessions… except WA

NSW, Qld and SA have promised to fund pensioner rebates stripped out of the federal Budget, but WA is holding out.

19 June, 2014

Rail industry stoked over NSW Budget $9bn transport spend

NSW Premier Mike Baird’s ambitious plan to overhaul and expand Sydney’s neglected transport infrastructure has won strong backing from peak groups, including the Australasian Railway Association and stands in sharp contrast with the federal Budget’s heavy emphasis on major roads.

18 June, 2014

Sydney roads set for solar passive makeover

A selection of roads in Sydney will be recast in pale grey under an innovative new trial that aims to determine whether reflective surfaces can help take the sting out of summer by reducing the ambient temperature of asphalt.

18 June, 2014

Conflict of interest disclosures draw fire in West

Western Australian local governments are demanding answers as to why the state government has stealthily suspended the requirement to declare conflicts of interest for the group reviewing the structure of metropolitan councils.

17 June, 2014