NSW forced mergers risk failure warn Queenslanders

They should know.

18 February, 2016

Asset sales dominate NSW and QLD elections

Could asset sales sink Baird?

16 February, 2015

Proposal for just five Sydney councils

NSW Treasurer’s controversial remarks a ‘personal’ view

23 October, 2014

Queensland to upsize key dams and build new ones to mitigate future flood disasters

All too familiar with the physical and economic devastation that floods inflict, Queensland’s Newman government is now moving to substantially bolster water holding capacity to limit any potential future damage.

2 April, 2014

Dentists drill councils over water fluoridation decay

By Dr Karin Alexander* In the 1930s, American scientists and public health researchers made a simple, but profoundly important discovery. People living in towns with around one part per million of fluoride found naturally in their drinking water had much less tooth decay that people whose drinking water contained lower levels of fluoride. All water […]

13 January, 2014

Perth councils push their ideas for mergers

By Paul Hemsley The Western Australian government’s ambitious and controversial plan to “create fewer, bigger, stronger councils” by amalgamating Perth’s metropolitan councils is quickly taking shape after 19 local governments submitted their own merger ideas to the Independent Local Government Advisory Board (LGAB). The council submissions are the latest step in Premier Colin Barnett’s wider […]

15 October, 2013

Government research finds rate rises more popular than council mergers

By Paul Hemsley New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell and his Local Government Minister Don Page have a new electoral headache to deal with in their efforts to sell the controversial idea of council mergers in the state. New polling research commissioned by the Independent Local Government Review Panel in New South Wales has revealed […]

27 September, 2013

Queensland releases government technology vision

By Julian Bajkowski The Queensland Government has set out its grand vision for recasting how the state’s public sector buys and consumes more than $1.6 billion a year in technology services, software and infrastructure, confirming it will dump confirmed the longstanding build-own-operate model in favour of buying technology as a service. In a set of […]

30 August, 2013

Clover to spend $1.9 billion on City of Sydney’s infrastructure

By Paul Hemsley City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has committed to an overhaul of the inner city’s streets and infrastructure by announcing that the council will embark on its largest ever capital spending program work worth $1.9 billion over the next decade. A persistent advocate of urban renewal that favours people over cars, […]

14 May, 2013

Panel urges O’Farrell to push ‘voluntary’ council amalgamations

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski A push by the Independent Local Government Review Panel to the New South Wales government to encourage “voluntary amalgamations” of councils has sparked widely divergent reactions from stakeholders as peak body Local Government NSW (LGNSW) continues to argue that forced mergers are not, and should not, be state government […]

29 April, 2013

Queensland covers its environmental tracks

By Paul Hemsley The Queensland Coordinator-General has cleared the way for an environmental assessment of the Central Queensland Integrated Rail project that aims to break a major minerals export bottleneck. Coordinator-General, Barry Broe finalised the terms of reference for the environmental assessment after receiving 21 submissions from the public and agencies on the controversial freight […]

25 September, 2012

Thursday Island Government building opened

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has officially opened a $10.8 million Thursday Island Government Office Building during Community Cabinet on the Island.   Ms Bligh said the building brought together several Queensland Government services in one location.   The building can accommodate up to 80 staff, who will provide services to the community.   "The design […]

31 August, 2011

QLD turns attention to Torres Strait

The Queensland Government plans to improve service delivery in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula area, notably in law enforcement. Goals and objectives in 11 key areas are detailed in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Plan 2009-2029, which plans to align and integrate services provided by all three levels of government. These […]

30 August, 2011

QLD stacks up reconstruction grants

By Paul Hemsley Queensland’s Diamantina Shire Council will receive $3.9 million in an ‘advance disaster funding’ process, accelerating the flow of reconstruction dollars. The south western council made the submission to the Queensland government for 17 dirt roads and a levy in Bedourie. Advance payments are made to councils in devastated areas, which they can […]

8 June, 2011