Boundary reform forum | Electronic voting | Have your say campaign | Board meeting | Planning sessions No Images? Click here Vol 4: Issue 10 - Monday 13 May 2019 Last Friday I received confirmation from the Hon Anthony Albanese MP that, if elected, a Labor Government would honour the road funding commitments made by the Government in their 2019-20 Federal Budget. This would include supplementary road funding for South Australia, as well as additional Roads to Recovery and Black Spot funding. This certainty from both major parties is an excellent outcome, and confirms the benefits of strong advocacy and a united message from the LGA and councils. Our advocacy will continue after this weekend’s election as we continue to push for more funding for South Australian councils and communities, including an increase in the total pool of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs). You can support this work by highlighting the projects in your communities that have been made possible through FAGs, and making sure that the Commonwealth’s investment in these projects is properly recognised. LGA President Sam Telfer Boundary reform forum The State Government’s new boundary adjustment legislation came into effect on 1 January this year, and we understand a number of councils have an interest in how this new process will work. To help members better understand this new legislation, the LGA partnered with the Local Government Boundaries Commission to host a forum on Thursday 2 May. Attendees heard from Boundaries Commission Chair Bruce Green and the Office of Local Government’s Alex Hart, as they provided an overview of the boundary reform guidelines, and answered a range of questions. They explained there will be two different processes, for administrative proposals (which are relatively straightforward), and general proposals (which require further consideration and investigation). Both presenters also stressed that there is a lot of detail still to work through, and proposals will generally be progressed in the order they are received. A copy of the presentation given at the forum can be downloaded here. Electronic voting for council elections Councils have identified electronic voting as an opportunity to increase participation in future elections, and the LGA has been advocating for a number of years for a trial of this technology. We understand there are some justifiable concerns around cyber security – as well as cost – and we’ve been involved in ongoing discussions with the Electoral Commission of SA (ECSA) on potential options for the future. This issue has been considered at a national level by the Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand, which has established an Internet Voting Working Group, to provide direction for the development of a national internet voting system. However, we have recently been advised by ECSA that while this working group has met a number of times and progressed thinking on internet voting solutions, concerns around the increasing threat of cyber security attacks on electoral systems make it unlikely internet voting solutions will be available for at least another three to five years. We will continue to follow developments in this area, while also pushing for legislative change that would support the introduction of electronic voting in council elections when a suitable platform becomes available. One of the LGA’s key functions is to increase community awareness of the services delivered by councils. The current phase of the LGA’s community awareness campaign focuses on the consultation period for council budgets and Annual Business Plans. As many of you would know, we are the only sphere of government that consults on our budgets, and we take this responsibility very seriously. The LGA’s ‘have your say’ campaign includes both online and radio advertising across the State, and focuses on the impact that council facilities and services have on everyday life, encouraging South Australians to visit their council’s website to provide their feedback. As with all campaigns, we can achieve more by working together, and the LGA has developed artwork that councils can easily download and use in their own communities. Board meeting The LGA’s May Board meeting will be held in Adelaide this Thursday. You can download the agenda and papers here, but some of the key items to be considered include:
I will let you know about any key outcomes in my next update.
Planning sessions Our State’s new planning system will be rolled out in regional areas in the coming months, and metropolitan areas next year. We understand there are still a number of questions in our sector and communities about how it will work, and are advised that the State Planning Commission has invited council mayors, councillors and CEOs to attend a briefing and Q&A session on the changes. The first session will be held next Thursday 23 May from 5.30-7pm at 50 Flinders Street, Adelaide, with an extra session to be held on 30 May. The 30 May session will be livestreamed for regional mayors, councillors and CEOs unable to attend in person. RSVPs can be provided to saplanningcommission@sa.gov.au. Building Upgrade Finance The LGA recently collaborated with the Central Facilitator of the Government’s Building Upgrade Finance (BUF) program to produce a guide for council staff and elected members. BUF may provide an opportunity for your council to support local businesses to upgrade their buildings to operate more efficiently, helping reduce operating costs, and improving their competitiveness. It can also help with attracting investment, activating buildings, and supporting sustainability objectives. This guide can be downloaded from our website. For further information or to submit |