Fifth Meeting - 26 March 2007

The Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council (LGPMC), consisting of Local Government and Planning Ministers from across Australia and New Zealand and the President of the Australian Local Government Association convened in Auckland, New Zealand today.  The meeting was chaired by the Australian Government Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon Jim Lloyd MP.

The meeting included a joint session with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Board which met in Auckland prior to the Forum's 2007 conference "Delivering development through local leadership".  The joint session provided an opportunity for Council and the Forum Board members to review key issues and challenges facing Commonwealth nations.  A number of LGPMC members are also participants in the CLGF conference.

New Zealand Local Government and Planning Systems

The Hon Nanaia Mahuta MP, the New Zealand Associate Minister of Local Government and Associate Minister for the Environment (Planning) spoke of the issues and challenges facing the local government and planning sectors in New Zealand.  Members noted that dealing with infrastructure renewal and the pressures of rapid population growth in coastal areas were examples of issues in common that both nations were dealing with.

Council of Australian Governments (COAG) reform issues

The LGPMC noted that finalised Council reports in respect to Climate Change, Development Assessment Reform and Building Regulation Reform were forwarded to COAG at the end of 2006.  The Council agreed to give paramount priority to elements of its work program, particularly in relation to national sustainability initiatives and climate change to enable it to meet the COAG reporting timeframe of end 2007.

An updated draft National Climate Change Adaptation Framework was reviewed and the Council noted new out of session work being undertaken with other Ministerial forums to enhance the delineation between planning and building controls and apply this to environmental performance measures for the built environment.

Local Government Financial Sustainability

The LGPMC provided final endorsement of nationally consistent frameworks for assessing financial sustainability, asset planning and management and financial planning and reporting and agreed that each State and Territory governments apply the frameworks in the context of their relationships with their local government sectors.

This framework provides tools for all local government authorities that are consistent across the areas of financial sustainability, asset planning and management, and financial planning and reporting. 

A report on the progress of their application will be provided back to the LGPMC in 2008.

Communities affected by rapid population change (sea-change)

The LGPMC noted the work undertaken by the Planning Officials Group on communities affected by rapid population change.  The Council noted the synergies to be gained by coordinating this work with other projects and agreed that the issues surrounding rapid population change be incorporated into the Council's Climate Change and Sustainable Communities work programs.

Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on Local Government Matters - Implementation and Reporting

The Council agreed to annual reporting on implementation, compliance and evaluation of the IGA and noted a report on the initial implementation of the IGA across jurisdictions.

Local Government Services for Indigenous Communities

The LGPMC noted the efforts being made by jurisdictions to improve service delivery in Indigenous communities and endorsed a proposal for the development of a national strategy and framework to support this outcome.

The Council asked officials to ensure that the proposed national strategy was consistent with other Commonwealth-State-Territory initiatives in this area and report back to the next meeting.

Members noted the benefits of engaging the knowledge and experience of others working on community capacity building initiatives, such as those by relevant Commonwealth Government Indigenous Coordination Centres (FaCSIA) and State/Territory Government Aboriginal Affairs Departments (and other relevant agencies) as partners in developing the proposed national strategy and framework.

Framework for National Action on Affordable Housing

The Council noted progress towards development of a national best practice guide for local government agencies with practical advice on planning policies that support affordable housing.  It agreed that each jurisdiction will assess how their planning system facilitates affordable housing and report back to the Council by October 2007.

Sustainable Communities - National Action Plan for Urban Australia

The State and Territory Ministers and the Australian Local Government Association noted the status of the Sustainable Communities - National Action Plan for Urban Australia initiative, and recommitted to it being progressed through their respective Executives, with a view to the matter being brought to the next LGPMC meeting so that it can be considered for referral to both the Council of Australian Governments and the Council for Australian Federation.

Major Airports Planning

The States and Territories and the Australian Local Government Association again expressed their concerns with the impacts of non-aviation airport development on metropolitan strategic planning and the integration with surrounding communities. 

They called on the Australian Government to articulate the policy framework in which it will assess airport master plans against State and local planning policies, and to reconsider legislation. This view will also be forwarded to the Australian Transport Council.  The Australian Government did not support the views of the States and Territories and the Australian Local Government Association on this issue.

LGPMC Review and Future Strategic Priorities

As part of its regular self review process, the Council noted the outcomes from a survey of Council members assessing its current operation and processes.  The Council reaffirmed the value of a forum consisting of the three spheres of government to discuss and address issues at a strategic level.  The Council agreed on a range of measures to ensure it continued to perform satisfactorily and to improve its strategic work priorities.  The Council agreed it would review its forward work program in light of outcomes from the next COAG meeting.

The Council also:

• noted a report from the Local Government and Planning Joint Committee and its sub-committees - the Local Government Joint Officers Group (LOGJOG) and the Planning Officials Group (POG);
• noted approaches from
  • the Tourism Ministers' Council on Nature Based Tourism promoting awareness of the economic benefit nature-based tourism can provide to communities, while increasing their capacity to protect and conserve the environment for future generations;
  • the Ministerial Council Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in regard to its Indigenous Demographic Project which identified Indigenous demographic trends and emerging "hot spots" which may require policy and program responses;
  • the Cross Jurisdictional Review Forum (established by the COAG and the New Zealand Government) providing details of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement and the Australian Mutual Recognition Agreement supporting a seamless trans-Tasman market by allowing the free movement of goods and of people wishing to practice in registered occupations across the Tasman; and
• noted the activities and progress of the Development Assessment Forum.

The Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council agreed to meet next in Brisbane, in October 2007.

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
Web:   www.lgpmcouncil.gov.au

Last Updated: 29 March, 2007