Second Meeting : 13 February 2004
The Local Government and Planning Ministers Council met in Perth on Friday 13 February 2004.
Local Government and Planning Ministers from across Australia and New Zealand as well as the President of the Australian Local Government Association convened in Perth. The meeting was jointly chaired by the Western Australia Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, the Hon Tom Stephens MLC, and the Western Australian Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, the Hon Alannah MacTiernan MLA.
Report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration Inquiry into Local Government and Cost Shifting (Hawker Report)
The Council considered the recommendations of the Hawker Report - Rates and Taxes: A fair share for responsible local government. Members noted the Reports 18 recommendations, which cover such issues as inter-governmental relations, roles and responsibilities of different levels of government, financing of local government and capacity building.
Members noted that the range of issues covered is complex and that some recommendations are primarily an Australian Government concern while others concern all levels of government.
The States and Territories and the Australian Local Government Association will endeavour to provide the Australian Government with responses to the recommendations of the Hawker Report by 10 March 2004.
The LGPMC will then hold a round table meeting in late April 2004 with the States and Territory peak local government bodies to:
- Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of government;
- Identify the required supporting financial and administrative frameworks between the levels of government; and
- Explore the development of a high-level inter-governmental agreement (IGA) focused on broad principles which guide inter-governmental relationships.
The Australian Government will chair the meeting.
Affordable Housing
The Council met with members of the Housing Ministers Conference and considered a paper prepared by Victoria and Western Australia. They agreed housing affordability is a major national issue and exchanged views on innovative approaches proposed by the States and Territories to the provision of such housing.
The Council agreed that local government and planning portfolios are important stakeholders and partners in the development of affordable housing policies at Australian Government, State and Territory, and local government levels, and in the implementation of affordable housing projects. Alignment of strategic and policy development processes between the local government, planning and housing portfolios would produce greater outcomes than action by individual portfolios.
It was agreed that outcomes from the Productivity Commission Inquiry into First Home Ownership and the National Affordable Housing Project will be important in setting future direction in affordable housing policy.
The Council agreed to again meet with Housing Ministers following the completion of the National Affordable Housing Project and the completion of the final report of the Productivity Commission. This joint meeting should focus on practical, cooperative strategies that might increase the supply of affordable housing or impact on other areas of mutual interest.
Development Assessment Forum
Mr Peter Verwer, the Chairman of the Development Assessment Forum, briefed the Council on the work programme for the Forum over the next two years.
The Development Assessment Forum brings together a range of government, industry and professional groups to propose ways to streamline development approval processes and cut red tape without sacrificing the quality of decisions.
Mr Verwer also briefed the Council on a Leading Practice Model for Development Assessment, which has been developed for the Forum by the Centre for Developing Cities, University of Canberra. The Council noted that the Model was in draft form and was ready for consultation nationwide prior to further consideration by the Council.
The Council noted that the Centre for Developing Cities Model is drawn from an analysis of systems around Australia and internationally.
The Council supported a broad-based consultation on the draft Model and committed funding for this purpose. It would consider the content of the package after consultation.
A cost-benefit analysis of the Model is to be undertaken and that funding for the analysis had been made available through the Australian Government Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, the Hon Ian Macfarlane MP.
COAG Natural Disaster Review land use planning reforms
The Council noted that the Council of Australian Governments has agreed in-principle to the recommendations on Australia's natural disaster arrangements in the report to COAG, Natural Disasters in Australia Reforming mitigation, relief and recovery arrangements. A number of these recommendations relate to contributions that good planning and building control can make to disaster mitigation.
The meeting noted that significant work has been done in jurisdictions already.
The Council will develop a three-year work programme for the implementation of the relevant land use planning reform recommendations of the COAG report.
Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan
The Council endorsed the Councils Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan and supported continuing work on the Plan, reaffirming the need for practical approaches to address this important challenge.
Community strengthening and community resilience
The Council supported the development of community strengthening and community resilience strategies, which result in stronger, more confident and resilient communities and in better economic and social outcomes for members of that community.
Further work will be done to devise strategies to support and enhance local governments role in community strengthening and to report back to the Council by the end of 2004.
Other Council work
The Council considered advice on various matters being progressed through the Councils Joint Committee:
- progress by the States and Territories on the staging of a National Summit on the Future of Australian Cities and Towns to be held in Canberra in June 2004; and
- consideration of options for an equitable basis for funding Council projects in the future.
The Council also had the opportunity to hear from Dr Janette Hartz-Karp from the office of the WA Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, and Mr Mike Allen, Director of Strategic planning WA Department for Planning and Infrastructure on the Dialogue with the City which is giving citizens an opportunity to contribute to a plan to guide Perths future growth and development.
Next meeting
The Council agreed to meet next in Canberra in April 2004 for the round table meeting on the Hawker Report.
Contact
Secretary
Local Government and Planning Ministers Council
C/- Department of Transport and Regional Services
GPO Box 594
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6274 8127
Email: lgpmc@dotars.gov.au