By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has blamed unpopular rate hikes averaging 4.8 per cent or $76 on growing ‘critical’ cost pressures arising from the need to top-up $396.9 million worth of unpaid liabilities for the Defined Benefit Superannuation Shortfall, a yawning infrastructure backlog and pervasive cost shifting to […]
8 July, 2013
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The concerted push to add swift and serious passenger transport capacity to Sydney’s notoriously gridlocked Eastern Suburbs has continued at pace after New South Wales Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian signed key agreements with Randwick City Council, Centennial Parklands and the University of NSW (UNSW) to support the building […]
5 July, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Coalition support for the ‘yes’ case in the referendum on Constitutional recognition for local government has edged one step closer to official collapse after Opposition leader Tony Abbott intensified his attack on the poll process amid growing internal pressure to withdraw bipartisan support. Speaking at a press conference in Whittlsea, Victoria, Mr […]
2 July, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Powerful property development industry group Urban Taskforce Australia has thrown down the gauntlet to New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell over local government reforms, saying that Sydney’s 43 existing councils need to be boiled down to just six “regional groupings with Councils of Mayors and Shared Service Centres.” The property lobby is […]
2 July, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski The New South Wales state government has ushered in the start of a fresh financial year by warning the state’s councils they must now comply with sweeping new powers that give Local Government Minister Don Page the ability to suspend dysfunctional municipalities. Councils across the state on Monday were issued with a […]
2 July, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley Australia’s 565 councils and shires have been handed their third federal minister for Local Government in as many months on the back of an inevitable reshuffle following the second incarnation of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. Member for Ballarat, Catherine King has been elevated into Cabinet under a simplified […]
2 July, 2013
By Paul Hemsley The Western Australian government has unleashed an ambitious plan to help councils stop dogs from barking. At least barking so much that they make a nuisance of themselves in populated areas. A newly proposed provision by Minister for Local Government Tony Simpson under the Dog Amendment Bill 2013 will provide councils with […]
28 June, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Legislation to make a local government referendum on 14th September has finally cleared the Senate amid a widening split in the Coalition that resulted in seven members of the Opposition cross the floor to vote against the bill and at least as many abstaining. The last minute bid to shoot down referendum […]
25 June, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Vandals caught defacing public and private property could soon be forced to scrub off their own unsightly mess under a hands-on aversion therapy plan by the Queensland government that will let local governments pressgang offenders into the role of council cleaners. The plan to force taggers to erase either their efforts or […]
25 June, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Convenors of a post mortem into Victoria’s fractious local government elections of 2012 have issued a challenge to the state’s councillors and candidates to frankly vent their views on what has to change to avoid a repeat of poor voter turnout and bad behaviour on the hustings. The Victorian Local Governance Association […]
25 June, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski A bid by the Victorian shire of Ararat to entice the state government to construct Australia’s first purpose-built gaol for elderly criminals has been greeted with a cool but polite response from correctional authorities who concede they face issues from an ageing population of insiders. Leaders of the rural community are reportedly […]
25 June, 2013
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Mayors and councillors across Western Australia will reap annual pay rises of up to 400 per cent on the back of an intensive campaign by local governments that successfully pushed the state Salaries and Allowances Tribunal (SAT) to decide that financial compensation be put on par with other states […]
24 June, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Councils across Australia have warmly welcomed federal Minister for Local Government Anthony Albanese’s injection of $150 million to share between councils and shires to help build and renew community infrastructure. Formally announced at the National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA) in Canberra this week, the funding measure formed the centrepiece of […]
20 June, 2013
By Paul Hemsley An already combative relationship between Tasmanian councils and industry group Tasmanians for Reform has deteriorated further amid a fresh row over whether new increases in council rates are justified without moves to reduce the high number of local governments in the island state. Business-led Tasmanians for Reform has attacked the move by […]
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