NSW councils fleeced by half billion in annual cost-shifting

A new report by Local Government NSW has laid bare rampant cost-shifting which has forced councils to pick up a $521 mil tab in the 2011/2012 financial year.

13 March, 2014

Randwick Council tops NSW council sustainability awards

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski There’s no shortage of awards and prizes for sustainability initiatives, but Sydney’s Randwick City Council has taken out top honours over its state local government peers for its unwavering commitment to a long-term, well-rounded suite of community measures designed to deliver water, waste and energy savings. The Eastern Suburbs […]

4 December, 2013

Developers call for new NSW Planning Bill to be demolished

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Angry property developers have called on the New South Wales government to junk its highly controversial new planning system reforms bill, claiming concessions granted to get the laws past the Upper House now make it unworkable. In a scathing attack on the range of concessions granted by the government, […]

29 November, 2013

PM’s sister tilts for Local Government NSW presidency

By Julian Bajkowski New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell and his Local Government minister Don Page could soon have the most formidable of internal opponents to deal with when it comes to trying to push through contentious and controversial council mergers. Christine Forster, a Liberal councillor on the City of Sydney and the high-profile and […]

30 September, 2013

O’Farrell compromises over development law battle with councils

By Paul Hemsley New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell has yielded, at least in part, to demands from councils that he keep his key election promise to return planning control to local governments after Minister for Planning Brad Hazzard indicated the Macquarie Street may now compromise over electorally unpopular new planning legislation. The Premier’s concession […]

19 September, 2013

Albanese shells out another $150m to share between councils

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

NSW councils try to turn Page on referendum ‘yes’ case

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Councils in New South Wales have repudiated claims by the state’s Minister for Local Government, Don Page, that an amendment to the Constitution to allow financial recognition of local governments will lead to pork barrelling as baseless scaremongering. As the September 14th referendum debate heats up, joint presidents of […]

21 May, 2013

O’Farrell claims deal seals stronger relations with councils

By Paul Hemsley New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell has signed the state government up for a new deal under which councils will gain more say over plans and initiatives that affect both jurisdictions. The new deal comes in the form of the Intergovernmental Agreement to Guide NSW State-Local Government Relations on Strategic Partnerships which […]

12 April, 2013

NSW war on weeds hits the road

By Paul Hemsley Peak body Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW) has applauded state government grants worth almost $1 million to nine councils and two regional projects to help rehabilitate and protect endangered plants, ecosystems and native wildlife that live on the sides of the state’s roads. Around $900,000 has been dedicated to restore often […]

26 March, 2013

NSW councils attack ministerial power grab

By Julian Bajkowski Local governments in New South Wales have slammed moves by the O’Farrell state government to push through new laws that would allow the immediate suspension of councils without prior notice as part of bid to gain greater control over the sector. Peak group Local Government NSW (LGNSW) has demanded the deferral of […]

14 March, 2013

Page pledges renewed push on Western front in NSW

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales (LGSA) has backed a push by the state’s Minister for Local Government Don Page to arrest problems faced by regional councils in Western NSW including population decline, ageing infrastructure and financial sustainability by forging stronger relations between local, state […]

27 February, 2013

NSW councils lash $500m in cost shifting

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski The Shires Association of New South Wales has renewed its attack on cost shifting by the states and Canberra after a survey found that councils were left out of pocket by $499 million in the 2012/11 financial year through cross-jurisdictional financial manoeuvres. The Local Government and Shires Associations of […]

1 February, 2013

Referendum committee boils over

By Julian Bajkowski Federal parliamentarians have rounded on their local government colleagues over an attempt to try and postpone a referendum to secure legal certainty over direct funding for council-based projects from Canberra. At a visibly tense public hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government in Sydney on Wednesday, federal […]

18 January, 2013

LGSA accelerates social media push

By Paul Hemsley The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales (LGSA) has become the latest local government peak body to launch a Twitter account as part of its website redesign and relaunch. The LGSA has joined the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the Victorian Local Governance Association […]

17 January, 2013