Ninth Meeting - Darwin - 8-9 October 2009
Inaugural joint meeting of the Council and the Australian Council of Local Government Steering Committee
Joint Meeting of the Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council (LGPMC) and the Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) Steering Committee – 8 October 2009.
The inaugural joint meeting of the LGPMC and the ACLG Steering Committee was held in Darwin on 8 October 2009. The meeting was chaired by the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Australian Government Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and hosted by the Hon Delia Lawrie MLA, Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and Minister for Planning and Lands, and the Hon Rob Knight MLA, Northern Territory Minister for Local Government.
The joint meeting was a unique opportunity for all three spheres of government to come together to discuss matters of mutual importance.
The Joint Meeting considered the outcomes of the second ACLG plenary meeting in June 2009. Attendees were provided with an update on the development of the Local Government Reform Fund. The Prime Minister announced $25 million for the Reform Fund in June at the last ACLG plenary meeting.
The Joint Meeting was also briefed on the development of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government, which was awarded to the University of Technology, Sydney in June this year. The Centre was established to enhance professionalism and skills, showcase innovation and best practice, and facilitate a better informed policy debate within the Australian local government sector. The development of a Local Government Workforce Strategy was also discussed. A draft workforce strategy is being developed that focuses on mechanisms for the attraction, retention and skills development in local governments, giving consideration to broader issues such as an aging workforce, a shift in populations away from rural and remote regions and the imperative to better engage the local indigenous and competition for professional staff.
A related topic discussed was enhancing the participation rates of Women in Local Government. Attendees considered progress toward the development of a nationally consistent five-part strategy to increase the participation of women as senior managers and elected representatives within the local government sector. The strategy is being considered in preparation for initiatives to support 2010 as the Year of Women in Local Government.
The President of ALGA, Cr Geoff Lake, provided a presentation on the findings of market research undertaken on public perceptions of local government and Constitutional Reform. Members noted that this is the first step in a more comprehensive engagement with ministers (and shadow ministers) in all jurisdictions.
The Chair concluded the inaugural joint meeting of the LGPMC and ACLG Steering Committee with advice that the planning for the next ACLG plenary in June next year would need to commence soon, and that he would welcome views on topics and themes for the plenary from local government.
Ninth meeting of the Council
Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council – 9 October 2009
The LGPMC met separately on 9 October 2009 to progress its work program, including matters referred to it from the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Members noted that at its meeting on 2 July 2009 COAG gave focus to the reform of development assessment processes. The Prime Minister and Premiers agreed to a set of targets based on the work being undertaken by the LGPMC. The COAG communiqué set out its expectations of the LGPMC, which is vital to Australia’s ongoing microeconomic reform agenda. The Council identified this as an opportunity to also develop a considered approach to the wider aspect of strategic planning reform.
The Council considered a number of reports on the issue of development assessment (DA) reform. The Council endorsed the need to progress the findings and recommendations of three completed projects – electronic DA (led by Victoria), Code Assessment (Complying Development) (led by New South Wales) and Measuring the Benefits of Planning Reform (led by the Australian Capital Territory). Two projects – Development of a Suite of National Planning Principles (led by Queensland) and Development of National Performance Measures (led by South Australia) – are at consultation stage and will be considered by the Council’s Sub-group on DA Reform in the coming weeks. A plan for national implementation of these projects is to be developed by 30 October 2009 and will incorporate additional items identified by COAG at its July 2009 meeting. This plan will provide the basis of the Council’s report to COAG on these matters in November 2009. The Council noted the concerns of local government in relation to some elements of code based assessments that will need to be addressed in implementing strategies.
On the matter of broader planning reform, the Council noted that significant planning system reform was being implemented by jurisdictions. It agreed that a report on Planning System Reform, summarising these actions, together with the outcomes from the five LGPMC DA Subgroup Projects (above) and jurisdictional responses to the Nation Building and Jobs Plan initiative, be prepared for the Business Regulation and Competition Working Group (BCRWG) and COAG before the end of 2009.
The Council also agreed that a Key Strategic Planning Challenges paper be prepared for its first meeting in 2010, which would set out the key strategic challenges for land use planning at a national level. This will be used, together with related COAG initiatives, to establish future work priorities for the LGPMC.
The Council discussed details of the operation of the Local Government Reform Fund will operate and noted that applications for project funding are due to be submitted by states and the territories by 30 November 2009. The Fund was established by the Prime Minister in June 2009. The purpose of the fund is to accelerate implementation of asset and financial management frameworks; to encourage collaboration in the local government sector to build capacity and resilience; and to assist in improving the collection and analysis of nationally consistent data on local assets and finances. Media Release - Local Government Reform Fund
The Council gave strong endorsement to a strategy to increase the levels of participation of Women in Local Government at both elected and senior management levels. Members warmly welcomed the work done by Tasmania in developing this strategy. The aim is to develop a nationally consistent approach to support goals to enhance women’s participation in local government; to develop a database of women’s participation; to incorporate women’s participation in the proposed local government workforce strategy (below); to support the establishment of a national awards and accreditation program; and to support 2010 as the Year of Women in Local Government.
The Australian Government announced that the initiatives would be supported with around $490,000 in funding for programs. That included $250,000 for the Australian Local Government Women’s Association program 50:50 Vision, and $100,000 in scholarship funding was also to be provided by the Australian Government for women to participate in a new Executive Leadership Program. Media Release - Funding To Improve Womens Participation In Local Government
The Council also noted progress made by the States and Territories in the implementation of electronic Development Assessment Interoperability Specification (eDAIS) projects funded under the Housing Affordability Fund (HAF), and the establishment of a WA-hosted National eDAIS Coordination Office to provide governance, management and technical support of eDAIS for the next three years. It is expected that the Cross-Jurisdictional Chief Information Officers’ Committee will present eDAIS version 2.2.1 for endorsement as a national "standard" by December 2009 and that electronic DA’s will be fully implemented by all jurisdictions by 2013-14. The Council noted that the Sub-Group on DA Reform has been working on a related project, led by Victoria, which will report on the future of electronic Development Assessment (eDA) following the conclusion of HAF funding at the end of 2009.
Other issues
The Council also considered various capacity building measures for local government, and endorsed the approach taken in the development of a workforce strategy for local government. The draft strategy, which takes a 20 year timeframe, points to the shortage of new entrants to the workforce and ageing of the workforce, both of which will intensify the contest for skilled workers. Shortages in some occupations in local government are partly due to low graduation levels and high turnover. Several short term and long term strategies are being developed to address this and the next steps will include consultation with state LGA’s and the Local Government Managers’ Association Skills Steering Committee. Jurisdictions identified particular areas for additional focus in the development of the workforce strategy, specifically in the areas of increasing the participation in local government of women and Indigenous people in leadership roles. LGPMC also agreed that a paper be prepared for its consideration which will identify strategies to increase the number of Indigenous people in local government.
The Council agreed to participate in the development of a National Urban Policy in May 2009. This is led by the Australian Government through the Major Cities Unit (MCU). The Council noted that the National Urban Policy, which is still in development, aims to articulate shared aspirations for more productive liveable cities and will provide a framework for action by all spheres of government, industry and the community to overcome these challenges. The policy is due to be completed by the end of 2009-10 financial year. The LGPMC acknowledged that Cities’ planning is a central challenge for Australia and recognised the pressures on our cities. Population projections mean these challenges will only intensify. The Council agreed the need for a clear strategy for cities and acknowledged that the work of the Major Cities Unit and the COAG Cities’ Taskforce are at the heart of the approach.
The Council endorsed an Implementation Action Plan on Climate Change and agreed to collaborate with the Climate Change and Water Working Group (CCWWG), Australian Transport Council (ATC), and Ministerial Council on Police and Emergency Management - Emergency Management to develop a National framework and tools for use by local government to inform planning for (i) climate change mitigation and (ii) climate change adaptation. ALGA is to be invited to coordinate preparation of an integrated report to the Planning Officials Group on practical issues facing local government in dealing with climate change. This report will inform development of a national framework and tools for use by local government to plan for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The Council noted recent announcements on the link between planning and zoning laws and retail competition, and agreed to continue its work on this matter through the BRCWG. The LGPMC will engage with the BRCWG to ensure that a consistent approach is taken on these issues.
The Council agreed to meet with the Housing Ministers’ Conference early in 2010 to discuss issues related to Land Supply.
The Council also agreed to consider out of session papers from the Housing Ministers’ Conference and the Building Ministers’ Forum.
The next meeting of the Council will be in Canberra in early 2010.
Background
The LGPMC is made up of Local Government and Planning Ministers from across Australia and New Zealand as well as the President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and is the key decision making body for strategic policy matters affecting local government and planning in Australia and New Zealand.
The ACLG Steering Committee is an advisory body and includes representatives of ALGA, state based local government associations, industry associations and the Australian Local Government Women’s Association. It was established to continue the engagement, policy coordination and close cooperation between local government and the Australian Government between the annual ACLG meetings with mayors and shire presidents.
Contact
Secretary
Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
GPO Box 594
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: +61 02 6274 8127
Email: lgpmc@infrastructure.gov.au
Web: www.lgpmcouncil.gov.au
Media enquiries:
Jeff Singleton
jeff.singleton@infrastructure.gov.au
mobile: 0410476890