Revealed: Australia’s worst spots for mobile phone coverage

Federal Mobile Black Spot Programme marches on

7 October, 2014

Federal infrastructure fund inundated by cash-strapped councils

Councils jostle for a piece of the infrastructure pie

15 September, 2014

Stalled $2.1bn Roads to Recovery funding finally jump-started

Anger over length of legislative delay.

2 September, 2014

Electoral Commission denies citizenship ceremony staff cuts

On the spot enrolment to continue for new voters

29 July, 2014

Councils aim cost shift broadside at National Commission of Audit

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has made a reinvigorated push stop the states and Canberra from dumping more service delivery functions on the doorsteps of councils without sufficient and ongoing funding. The peak body’s submission to the Abbott government’s National Commission of Audit, which is tasked with reviewing […]

3 December, 2013

Local government head named South Australian Citizen of the Year

By Julian Bajkowski The president of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the Mayor City of Marion, Dr Felicity-ann Lewis, has been named as South Australia’s Australian of the Year for 2014. While Dr Lewis is best known outside the state for her tireless campaigning and lobbying on behalf of local government and community […]

19 November, 2013

Miners claim to shovel $37bn into communities

By Julian Bajkowski The minerals and mining industry is digging deep to produce evidence that its activities contribute far more to communities than the ill-fated Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) could ever collect. As the Abbott government prepares the MRRT for burial by repealing its legislation, powerful peak body the Minerals Council of Australia has […]

19 November, 2013

Truss out to mend bridges for councils

By Julian Bajkowski The Abbott government is wasting no time in pushing its roads-led infrastructure renewal policy to the nation’s councils, after Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss, pledged $300 million to replace decaying small bridges. In a speech pitched squarely at regional councils and the road freight industry, […]

15 November, 2013

Local roads and bridges facing ruin hits $11.6bn

By Julian Bajkowski If you ever thought the number of problem potholes and bumpy bridges on regional roads just seems to keep growing, you’re in good company. At least $11.6 billion in roads and bridge infrastructure maintained by cash-strapped councils across Australia are now in a poor to very poor condition according to the latest […]

14 November, 2013

Councils list axed carbon tax concerns

By Julian Bajkowski Councils across Australia have outlined a list of concerns over consequences arising from the planned repeal of the Carbon Tax, citing management of unspent carbon price liability funds and spending on carbon abatement measures as key areas of focus. The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has confirmed it has lodged a submission […]

5 November, 2013

Councils in Big Soda firing line over container deposits

By Julian Bajkowski Beverage companies have rolled out the heavy artillery in an escalating war of words aimed at councils and consumers over the proposed introduction of a National Container Deposit Scheme. In a new advertising campaign the drinks industry likens the idea of putting a price on bottles to reduce rubbish as the equivalent […]

18 October, 2013

Local Government dropped from federal ministry list

By Julian Bajkowski The federal ministry of Local Government could be the first of many administrative casualties in Canberra after the function conspicuously failed to appear in the publication of Prime Minister elect Tony Abbott’s first Ministry list. In a document that provides a partial window into how the bureaucracy and machinery of government of […]

16 September, 2013

ALGA warning over $150 million regional funding gap

By Julian Bajkowski Councils and local governments across Australia are digging in for a battle to try and keep $150 million of federal infrastructure funding promised under the Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) after the Coalition refused to guarantee the money if it wins government. The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) on Friday upped the […]

6 September, 2013

Council control over truckies delayed

By Julian Bajkowski A misbehaving software system has unexpectedly put the brakes on the launch of Australia’s first National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) by at least a month after the board of the so-called trucky’s watchdog revealed it still needs more time to get its technology together. The NHVR system had been supposed to start […]

3 September, 2013