General News

1.  Local government represented on new climate change body

Local government will play a key role on a special council established by the Federal Government as part of its campaign to combat the impact of climate change on Australia’s coastal communities.

President of the Australian Local Government Association, Geoff Lake; the Mayor of Gold Coast City Council, Ron Clarke; and the Mayor of the City of Mandurah in Western Australia, Paddi Creevey, are part of the new seven-member Coasts and Climate Change Council.

The council will engage with the community and stakeholders, and also advise the Federal Government in the lead-up to a Coastal Climate Change Forum to be held in early 2010. The forum will bring together all levels of government to develop a strategy for adaptation to the effects of climate change on coastal areas.

The establishment of the Coasts and Climate Change Council coincides with the release by the Federal Government of a new report mapping the impacts of climate change on coastal communities.

'Climate Change Risks to Australia’s Coasts' is the first continental-scale mapping of residential buildings at risk from climate change. It also details the risks to coastal infrastructure, services and industry in Australia as a result of climate change. The report shows between 157,000 and 247,600 existing residential buildings will be at risk from sea inundation by 2100 under a sea-level rise scenario of 1.1 metres.

Chair of the Coasts and Climate Change Council, Professor Tim Flannery of Macquarie University, says the report shows the extent of the climate change challenge facing Australia and the need for all levels of government to take action now. He says state and local governments, businesses and communities will need to play a major part to prepare for unavoidable climate change impacts.

'Climate Change Risks to Australia’s Coasts' is available from the Federal Department of Climate Change website here.

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2.  Lehman seeks to appeal court ruling that cleared way for council litigation

Lehman Brothers is seeking to appeal to the High Court of Australia over a Federal Court ruling made earlier this year that cleared the way for councils to pursue legal action against the company over losses suffered on Lehman's investment products.

The Full Court of the Federal Court found against the validity of a deed of company arrangement that had the effect of preventing councils and other parties from pursuing claims against various Lehman entities in Australia and elsewhere, and from pursuing payment under various insurance policies.

Under the deed of company arrangement approved by creditors in May 2009, councils and charities who were investors were deemed to be contingent creditors and offered only between two cents and 13 cents in the dollar.

Susanna Khouri of IMF Australia - which is preparing to fund the legal action of a group of Australian councils - says Lehman Brothers Asia Holdings Ltd and Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. are seeking leave to appeal to the High Court.

Ms Khouri says the High Court will decide on December 11 as to whether it will hear Lehman Brothers' appeal against the Federal Court’s decision or if it will disallow the appeal.

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3.  Top Jobs - New CEO for North Burnett Regional Council

The new Chief Executive Officer of Queensland’s North Burnett Regional Council is Mark Pitt, the present General Manager of Northern Midlands Council in Tasmania.

Mr Pitt will leave Northern Midlands Council in early January 2010 to take up his new appointment and be nearer his family.

Other senior positions currently on offer among Australian local governments include: Manager Community Services for the City of Melbourne; Manager of Planning, Delivery and Quality for Townsville City Council in Queensland; Manager Economic Development and Tourism for Bellingen Shire Council in New South Wales; Senior Engineer Asset Management for Launceston City Council in Tasmania; Executive Officer for the Kimberley Zone of WALGA; and Shire Services Manager for Victoria Daly Shire Council in the Northern Territory.

More information about these positions is available on the website of LG Jobs, the specialist email and web-based service that assists councils to locate administrative, executive and engineering personnel, available at www.lgjobs.com.au.

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4.  Council lobbies Canberra over flaw in emissions trading scheme

Marrickville Council has written to federal political leaders calling on them to fix what the council describes as a serious flaw in the Rudd Government’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

The letter expresses the council’s concern that the emissions trading scheme does not recognise the voluntary efforts of local governments, residents and businesses to reduce emissions.

Marrickville Council’s Manager Environmental Services, Jan Orton, says political parties must ensure that voluntary actions to reduce carbon emissions - which many local governments are encouraging within their communities - are counted as additional to government-mandated caps, ensuring those actions do not merely subsidise big polluters.

Ms Orton says under the present scheme, voluntary actions are counted as part of the required government-mandated targets, effectively allowing big emitters to pollute more. She says the scheme does not recognise initiatives at a local level to cut greenhouse emissions and discourages people from changing their behaviour.

Ms Orton says recognition of voluntary, cost-effective actions under the CPRS will send a strong message that government wants to engage all Australians in tackling the climate change challenge.

The council’s letter has been sent to the Prime Minister, Minister for Climate Change, Liberal and National Party Leaders, Christine Milne of the Australian Greens, Senator Steve Fielding and Senator Nick Xenophon. Ms Orton says the council has received a reply from Christine Milne congratulating it on its stand.

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5.  Tougher penalties for breaches of Vic Local Government Act

The penalties for a range of offences under Victoria’s Local Government Act have been significantly toughened under legislative reforms passed by the state's Parliament.

Victorian Local Government Minister, Richard Wynne, says many of the penalties in the Local Government Act were set in 1989 and are now out of date and inconsistent with other similar laws, particularly in relation to electoral matters.

Under the new regime, the maximum penalty for offering, giving or accepting a bribe in connection with an election will increase to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $70,000 - up from a prison term of two years.

The same penalties apply to a councillor or member of a council committee who misuses his or her position for personal gain or to benefit, or harms another person. The penalties are up from a fine of $12,000.

The maximum penalty for interfering with ballot boxes or impersonating a voter will increase from six months' jail to two years' jail or a fine of up to $28,000.

The Bill also deals with the definition of an “applicable gift” in relation to conflicts of interest - a concern raised by local government. The definition will now exclude hospitality received from a not-for-profit organisation at a function or event that a mayor, councillor or council staff member attends in an official capacity.

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6.  Shire seeks to secure new offices through long-term lease arrangement

Cardinia Shire Council is seeking to secure new office accommodation for its workforce by entering into an innovative long-term lease arrangement with a preferred developer.

The council, located in Melbourne’s south-east, is presently dealing with three tenderers from a field of 20 applicants that submitted interest in providing new civic centre accommodation on a long-term lease arrangement.

The council expects the 25-year lease arrangement with a selected developer will deliver a more cost-effective solution than buying new offices or upgrading and expanding its existing civic centre.

Cardinia’s Mayor, Bill Pearson, says the proposed arrangement is like a public-private partnership and Cardinia has already had enquiries from other councils about the concept of a lease arrangement.

Cr Pearson says Cardinia is a small shire in a growth corridor that cannot afford to buy new offices because of its debt level. He says it would be unrealistic for ratepayers to have to fund the purchase of a new council complex.

Cr Pearson says the new centre will cost about $25 million and have the capacity to accommodate 500 staff. The council presently has about 280 staff.

Cr Pearson says it is time the council explored new options for office accommodation because the current centre has been in use for more than 25 years. He says it has reached capacity in terms of office space, electricity and sewerage facilities.

The companies that have been sent tender documents have until February 11, 2010, to lodge their submissions with the council. Cardinia Shire expects to make a decision on its preferred tenderer in April.

Cr Pearson says tender details, including the locations of prospective sites for the new civic centre, are presently confidential.

He says the council will ensure the new centre is environmentally sustainable, located in a position that is readily accessible to residents and close to existing services and infrastructure.

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7.  NSW Gov moves to ban councillors from receiving developer donations

Councillors in New South Wales will be covered by the provisions of new legislation that will ban donations from developers.

Legislation presently being drafted by the NSW Government will make the ban on developer donations apply to all state Members of Parliament, local councillors and all political parties.

A spokesperson for the NSW Premier, Nathan Rees, says the legislation is expected to be introduced when Parliament sits again next week. The spokesperson says Premier Rees has challenged the Opposition parties to give bipartisan support to the Bill to ensure its passage through Parliament.

In addition to the immediate ban on developer donations, the NSW Government will refer the issues of campaign spending caps, donation caps and public funding of elections to the state's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.

The cross-party committee will examine all aspects of donations and public funding, and make recommendations to the State Government by the end of March 2010. The government will consider legislation based on the recommendations.

The Premier’s spokesperson says the New South Wales Government supports the need for national reform of donations and campaign funding, and is determined to lead the debate. The NSW Government has also announced a ban on the appointment of lobbyists to all public boards and committees.

 

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8.  EPA to review landfill operations in Victoria

Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority will undertake a major review of best practice guidelines for landfill operations in Victoria in the wake of a landfill gas leak that prompted a class action against a local council.

Issues surrounding the operation of landfills was highlighted earlier this year in a report by Victoria’s Ombudsman into a 2008 methane gas leak that forced the evacuation of residents from a housing estate in Cranbourne in south-east Melbourne.

About 450 residents of the Brookland Greens Estate have lodged a Supreme Court class action against the City of Casey as the owner of the landfill for stress and property devaluation they say resulted from the council’s alleged failure to contain the methane gas.

The EPA will review the Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines for Siting, Design, Management and Rehabilitation of Landfills. The Municipal Association of Victoria has advised councils of the review.

The association says the review may have a significant impact on landfill sites managed by local governments and it has urged councils to be part of the inquiry. The MAV says updated draft Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines are expected to be released in early 2010.

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9.  Water funding deadline draws near

Councils, state and territory governments, water service providers and the private sector have until December 1 to submit proposals for projects designed to help secure urban water supplies in towns with fewer than 50,000 people.

Successful proposals will be allocated funding under the second stage of the National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns Program.

The money will help centres to improve the reliability, efficiency and sustainability of their urban water resources while reducing the demand on potable water. Projects that can be supported include recycling and reuse, stormwater capture and reuse schemes, desalination and water sensitive urban design initiatives.

Federal funding is capped at 50% of total project costs and the minimum contribution is $250,000. There is no maximum project size, but the Federal Government’s contribution is capped at $10 million per project. Eligible projects must be completed by the end of June 2012. For further details on the National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns Program visit here.

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10.  Queensland councils support review of local government legislation

Queensland councils have backed the State Government’s decision to simplify legislation affecting local government, but say the move is long overdue.

Local Government Association of Queensland President, Paul Bell, says councils are grateful Local Government Minister, Desley Boyle, understands the difficulties they have in working through various pieces of legislation which affect local government business.

Cr Bell says the association has been lobbying for the past five years for legislation impacting on councils to be streamlined. He says Ms Boyle would have had in-house experience of the difficulties legislation creates for councils as a former City of Cairns councillor.

Ms Boyle says the review will assess the adequacy of existing statutes that apply to local government, reduce unnecessary and excessive legislative requirements, and streamline administrative and procurement processes.

She says the outcomes of the review will be the repeal of duplicated, redundant and irrelevant provisions, and rationalisation of similar provisions across Acts. The review will be completed by the end of 2011.

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11.  New tool to help develop more sustainable suburbs

A new tool designed to guide the development of environmentally sustainable suburbs has been released by the New South Wales Government.

The tool, known as 'Precinx', analyses and guides sustainability performance in the planning of neighbourhoods.

NSW Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, says the program will inform developers on the most sustainable way a housing estate can be built in a specific location, factoring in the local geography and climate.

Ms Keneally says working on a suburb by suburb basis leads to more significant sustainability gains than working house by house or building by building, particularly when major infrastructure is involved.

She says the State Government agency, Landcom, will be piloting the program at all new developments with a longer-term view to making the software more widely available to private sector developers and public agencies.

Landcom Director of Sustainability, Stephen Driscoll, describes Precinx as a mathematical diagnostic tool that assesses environmental, economic and social performance of large-scale projects.

Mr Driscoll says it looks across suburbs at six related input modules – onsite energy, embodied CO2, potable water, stormwater, housing diversity and transport. He says the modules feed into four key performance indicators for the suburbs: greenhouse gases (tonnes of CO2 per year), potable water (kL H20 per year), total affordability (dollars per week) and vehicle hours travelled (hours/week).

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12.  3rd Victorian Sustainable Development Conference

The 3rd Victorian Sustainable Development Conference is to be held on May 25-26, 2010, at Zinc, Federation Square, Melbourne.

The Conference will be solution-oriented, bringing together key decision-makers from the private and public sectors, industry leaders, local government, scientists, conservationists and others to discuss ways in which to achieve real and lasting change in areas such as:

• Water
• Waste and resource recovery
• Energy efficiency
• Climate change response
• Planning and urban design
• Land remediation
• Air quality
• Human health
• Sustainable workplaces

Speakers include:

• Dr Kate Auty, Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability
• Anita Roper, Chief Executive Officer, Sustainability Victoria 
• Rob Freeman, Chief Executive, Murray-Darling Basin Authority
• Professor Chris Davis, Commissioner, National Water Commission
• Dr Deborah Peterson, Deputy Secretary, Policy & Strategy, Department of Primary Industries
• Kevin Love, Deputy Secretary, Department of Sustainability and Environment
• Clare McArdle, Executive Director, Melbourne @ 5 Million Integration Unit, Department of Planning and Community Development
• Fiona Calvert, Director, Sustainable and Active Transport Policy, Department of Transport
• Professor John Thwaites, Chairman, Monash Sustainability Institute
• Stuart McConnell, Director, Future Focus, EPA Victoria
• Brendan Sydes, Principal Solicitor, Environmental Defenders' Office
• Peter Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte Digital 
• Carl McCamish, Executive General Manager, Origin Energy
• John Hunt, Technical Manager, Thiess Services
• Louise Hicks, Partner, DLA Phillips Fox
• Dave Appels, Economist, Frontier Economics
• Erin Simpson, Sustainability Services Manager, Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Professor John Wilson, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Swinburne University/Spokesperson, Engineers Australia
• Professor John Fien, Innovation in Leadership Programme, RMIT
• Professor Ralph Horne, Director, Centre for Design, RMIT
• Dan Atkins, Managing Director, Shaper Group
• Chris Newman, Manager, Councils Reforming Business, Local Government, Department of Planning and Community Development
• Phil Hughes, Principal Consultant: Sustainability and Water Management, Halcrow
• Jennifer Williams, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Corporate Express 
• Mike Lloyd, IP Management Consultant, Griffith Hack Patent and Trademark Attorneys
• Donavan Marley, Research Scientist, CSIRO Land and Water

The Conference will also feature best practice case studies in the above areas, as well as addressing challenges of sustainability, and provide advice on how state and local government and business can truly achieve social, environmental and economic sustainability.

The price for registering to attend the two-day Conference is just $695.

To view the Agenda or to register, go to www.halledit.com.au/vsd2010 or contact Denise McQueen on (03) 8534 5021 or denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

Platinum Sponsor    

Gold Sponsor

 

Supporting Partner

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13.  Coastal mapping program benefits Vic councils dealing with sea level rise

Local governments in Victoria are making use of new digital elevation mapping of the state’s entire coast to better understand the risk of rising sea levels.

The Victorian Government has committed $13.5 million to the Future Coasts Program, which has produced the high-resolution mapping of the coast. The program models projected impacts of extreme storm tides under different sea level rise conditions.

Victoria's Climate Change Minister, Gavin Jennings, says councils, catchment management authorities and Melbourne Water are using the data to estimate coastal flood risks and to gauge the impacts of coastal processes such as sand movement and erosion in the context of climate change and rising sea levels.

Mr Jennings says authorities have moved to identify areas where future development should not take place along the coast. He says in some cases, planning has already started on how to address areas of the coast that have been identified as having the potential for erosion.

Mr Jennings says the Future Coasts Program will also inform the Coastal Climate Change Advisory Committee – a body to assist the Minister for Planning on how land use planning and development controls can best support the State Government’s policy for managing the coastal impacts of climate change.

He says the mapping has been complemented by the release of CSIRO data about the potential extent of extreme sea levels under a range of scenarios for the years 2030, 2070 and 2100. More information about the Future Coasts Program can be viewed here.

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14.  CCTV helps cut crime in City of Swan

The City of Swan in Perth says the use of CCTV is helping to cut crime rates in the municipality’s industrial centre of Malaga.

City of Swan councillor and Malaga Crime Management Forum chairman, Mel Congerton, says a major reduction in crime statistics has been experienced in the area compared with other industrial centres.

Cr Congerton says Malaga has a number of CCTV cameras in place that capture video footage 24 hours a day across strategic sites. He says footage from the cameras has been used to capture incidents of crime and the footage has helped police in their investigations.

Cr Congerton says the Malaga Crime Management Forum is an ongoing initiative and it is working with local businesses to help them feel more secure. He says the forum is delivering anti-crime projects for the industrial and commercial communities, as well as anti-crime promotional products for businesses to use. Further information on the forum can be found here.

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15.  LGAQ to conduct inquiry into population policy

Groundwork is being laid by the Local Government Association of Queensland for an inquiry into population policy in the state.

The association says it is holding talks with one of the world’s leading urban demographers to chair the inquiry, which will be held in February and March 2010, with a view to handing down its report in June.

The LGAQ says urban planning, infrastructure and finance specialist, Alan Morton, has already accepted an invitation to be the inquiry’s secretary.

LGAQ President, Paul Bell, says the association has been calling on the Queensland Government for a number of years to develop an “urgently needed” population policy.

Cr Bell says other states, notably Victoria and South Australia, have assembled policies to develop growth. He says the LGAQ’s inquiry aims to tackle the myriad problems which will arise as Brisbane, as predicted, more than doubles in size by 2049.

Cr Bell says the inquiry will be seeking a wide range of presentations and submissions, including those of the State Government. He says the association is confident the inquiry will produce recommendations on policy options and initiatives that will be worthy of consideration by the three tiers of government.

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16.  Leadership development strategies analysed in Council Manager

The methods that local governments can employ to enhance the leadership qualities of senior staff are analysed in the latest edition of Council Manager magazine.

The November/December edition of Australia’s national magazine for senior managers in local government features commentary from leading local government CEOs and General Managers on the tactics and strategies they have used to encourage leadership within their organisations.

This edition of Council Manager also features an article that examines the City of Frankston’s development of a best practice Corporate Planning and Reporting Framework through the streamlining of systems and processes.

Other articles include an analysis of Central Highlands Regional Council’s successful program to develop a strong organisational culture and efficient work practices, and a case study of Gannawarra Shire’s implementation of a new system for handling public enquiries.

Published by Hallmark Editions, which also produces LG News and Councillor Magazine, Council Manager is a quarterly magazine that provides senior management of local governments across Australia with a rich stream of case studies about leading-edge council management practices that managers can use to benchmark their own council’s performance.

For information about how to subscribe to Council Manager, please phone Naomi Braham at Hallmark Editions on (03) 8534 5000, email naomi.braham@halledit.com.au or visit here.

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17.  Administrators appointed to Brimbank City Council

Three administrators have been appointed by the Victorian Government to oversee the operations of Melbourne’s Brimbank City Council for the next three years.

The appointment of the administrators follows the approval by State Parliament of the Local Government (Brimbank City Council) Act to dismiss the council.

The administrators will be chaired by Peter Lewinski, who provides consultancy services to the private and public sectors on corporate governance, business planning, auditing and risk management.

Mr Lewinski’s fellow administrators are Meredith Sussex, who has extensive experience as a senior officer in government and local government, and Joanne Anderson, who has been a senior administrator with a number of councils.

Mr Lewinski says he is looking forward to working with the council administration and engaging with the community. He says the community has experienced a prolonged period of frustration and instability as a result of the council’s inability to govern in its best interests.

 

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18.  Legislation establishing Integrity Commission passes Tasmanian Parliament

The conduct of councils and council-owned companies in Tasmania will be able to be investigated by a new Integrity Commission under the provisions of legislation recently passed by the state’s Parliament.

The legislation was passed after the Legislative Assembly approved amendments referred to it by the Legislative Council.

The commission’s investigative work will focus on allegations of serious misconduct by senior and high-profile public officers including MPs, bureaucrats, chief executive officers, councillors and senior police.

Tasmania’s Attorney General, Lara Giddings, says it is important the Integrity Commission has investigative powers, but it will aim to avoid conducting inquiries by working to raise standards of conduct, propriety and ethics.

Ms Giddings says the commission’s primary emphasis will be on education and advisory services so the public can have confidence that government and local government office-holders are working to the highest ethical standards. Training of commission staff and other preparatory work will begin as soon as possible now the legislation has been passed, and the commission is expected to begin operations in mid-2010.

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19.  Call for WA councillor to resign over CCC report

Western Australia’s Local Government Minister, John Castrilli, has called on a councillor serving with the City of Bayswater to resign following the release of a report by the state's Corruption and Crime Commission.

Mr Castrilli’s call has been backed by the Mayor of Bayswater, who has also called on the councillor, Terry Blanchard, to quit his post.

The commission’s report into procurement and contract management at the City of Bayswater found that Cr Blanchard engaged in misconduct in his former position as Director of Technical Services.

The 2005 report, which has finally been made public, says that while an employee of the council, Cr Blanchard engaged in conduct that “adversely affects or could adversely affect, directly or indirectly, the honest or impartial performance of the functions of a public authority or public officer”.

Mr Castrilli has emphasised the report recommends no criminal action be taken against Cr Blanchard as he is no longer an employee of the city. He says, however, it is in the best interests of the Bayswater community that Cr Blanchard resigns.

Mayor of Bayswater, Terry Kenyon, says while the commission’s finding relates to Cr Blanchard’s time as an employee, rather than his service as a councillor, he believes it is in the city’s best interests for Cr Blanchard to tender his resignation.

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20.  NSW councils urge changes to pecuniary interest rules for planning panels

The Local Government and Shires Associations of New South Wales have urged the state’s Planning Minister to rectify what they believe are unequal standards for representatives of the new Joint Regional Planning Panels.

The associations say state-appointed members of the panels do not have to declare their pecuniary interests up front. The associations say lax provisions allow the state members to declare the interests only when they believe they have become pertinent to a hearing.

Local Government Association President, Genia McCaffery, says all councillors are required under the Local Government Act to provide a publicly-available declaration of all their pecuniary interests. She says that requirement covers, by default, all local government members of the JRPPs.

Cr McCaffery says the varying requirements covering pecuniary interests are leading to a differing level of accountability between panel members.

Cr McCaffery has also criticised provisions of the JRPP Code of Conduct that allow a panel or the Minister to rule a pecuniary interest is irrelevant to an application it is hearing. She says such a provision is not what councils would willingly allow as part of their own planning processes. Cr McCaffery says it makes a mockery of the concept of a fair system for the panels to be allowed to disregard the issue of pecuniary interests.

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21.  VLGA appoints new Chief Executive

The Victorian Local Governance Association has appointed Maree McPherson as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Ms McPherson succeeds Rae Perry, whose term as CEO was cut short when she was badly injured in a motorcycle accident in September 2008. Darren Rae served as acting CEO while the association was searching for a new Chief Executive.

Ms McPherson served as the Executive Officer of the Gippsland Area Consultative Committee from December 2001 until July 2009, and before that held a range of management roles in the water, health, finance and adult and community education sectors.

She is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds tertiary qualifications in social welfare and business.

Ms McPherson says she is delighted to be joining the association because of the diverse range of issues on its agenda, as well as the VLGA's reputation, culture and ethics.

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22.  LG Jobs now the leading local government employment website in Australia

- LG Jobs is the #1 Google search for “Local Government Jobs” & “Local Council Jobs”

LGJobs is now the largest online employment site for local government, with over 180 positions listed each week.

It is published by Hallmark Editions, who also produces Councillor Magazine, LG News and Council Manager magazine.

LGJobs is an excellent way to maximise the exposure of your positions vacant whilst minimising your advertising outlay. For a cost of only $250 plus GST (discounts available for advertising packages) your position will be listed on the LGJobs website www.lgjobs.com.au, which receives an average of 22,000 hits per day, and the weekly LG Jobs e-newsletter (18,000 subscribers) until the specified closing date, or for a six week period.

All relevant positions are also listed on our associated boards and mail outs - EnviroJobs, EngineeringJobs, PlanJobs, WaterJobs and RoadJobs FREE of additional charge.

To advertise with LGJobs simply email your ad copy to blake.duggin@halledit.com.au or telephone (03) 8534 5012. Your ad will be loaded and live on the website with a confirmation email and link sent to you before the close of business on the day received.

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Products and Services

23.  How to bring your Risk Management Framework to life

How to bring your Risk Management Framework to life

GuardianERM.net is a comprehensive and integrated web-based system designed to automate and streamline important risk management, audit, governance and compliance activities including tracking, monitoring and reporting.

A number of Councils are now using GuardianERM.net to:

• Record and analyse all types of risks e.g. strategic, operational, financial, project, process, OH&S.
• Record and evaluate control effectiveness e.g. preventative, detective, corrective.
• Measure inherent risk, residual risk and treated residual risk.
• Develop business continuity and response plans.
• Develop treatment plans.
• Profile risks at organisational, business unit and project level.
• Share risk profiles.
• Conduct all types of audits and control self assessments e.g. internal audit, OH&S audits.
• Develop Safe Work Methods Statements.
• Record incidents and track treatment plans to completion.
• Plan, action and sign-off critical compliance tasks.
• Integrated workflow to monitor, escalate and report progress via email.
• Report risks to management, Risk Management Committees and Audit Committees.

Stay tuned for more GuardianERM.net case studies in local government in future editions of LG News.

To find out more about GuardianERM.net visit www.guardianerm.com or contact InConsult on 02 9241 1344 to arrange an obligation free demonstration.

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Further Education

24.  Develop your career and create sustainable cities and environments with the University of Queensland

Tackle the Big Issues with the University of Queensland

Develop your career and create sustainable cities and environments.

Graduates of our postgraduate programs create strong, resilient communities, improve the sustainability of Australian cities, adapt settlements to climate change and shape where and how we will live in the future.

Upon completion of our programs, you will be equipped with the knowledge, experience and expertise to positively contribute to our changing urban environment and to help build our future. UQ provides students with expert training and access to state of the art resources.

Programs offered at the St Lucia Campus include:

• Urban and Regional Planning
• Regional Development
• Development Practice
• Environmental Management
• Geographic Information Science

To find out more, contact The School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management on (07) 3365 3752, gpem@uq.edu.au or visit www.gpem.uq.edu.au

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25.  Undertake Any Performance and Process Improvement Training Course in 2009 and SAVE $100 Off the Usual Price*

With the end of year fast approaching, there has never been a better time to up-skill in your current profession or re-skill for new opportunities before 2010, and with SAI Global's End Of Year Training Sale you can save $100 OFF!* the cost of remaining 2009 public training dates. To redeem this offer, book any of the courses in this email over the phone with our Customer Service Team on 1300 727 444 and quote the code EOYS09.

PERFORMANCE & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT COURSES

SAI Global’s Performance & Process Improvement training courses offer innovative learning approaches and tool based solutions to enhance critical processes and ensure alignment to business goals and objectives. Whether your goal is to increase efficiency of your management systems, reduce duplication, eliminate defects from existing process, or optimise quality and performance, we have a course to suit your needs.

Remaining 2009 Dates – places still available – be quick!

Introduction to AS 4817:2006 - Project Performance using Earned Value	Brisbane – 09 Dec	0.5  Day	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Implementing & Assessing an AS/ISO 10002 Complaints Handling System	Brisbane - 08 Dec Melbourne - 09 Dec Sydney - 07 Dec	1 Day	MORE INFO	REGISTER
5S Lean Program NEW!	Melbourne - 09 Dec Sydney - 07 Dec	2 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Integrated Lean & Process Mapping Program NEW!	Brisbane- 30 Nov Melbourne - 23 Nov Sydney - 25 Nov	2 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Process Mapping	Brisbane - 12 Nov Melbourne - 03 Dec	2 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Auditing an Integrated Management System	Sydney - 23 Nov	2 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Continual Business Improvement - Methodology and Tools	Sydney - 03 Dec	2 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER
Effective Workplace Leadership	Adelaide - 25 Nov Brisbane - 25 Nov, Newcastle - 09 Dec, Perth - 02 Dec Sydney - 25 Nov	3 Days	MORE INFO	REGISTER

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To register, visit our website: www.saiglobal.com/training, call 1300 727 444 or email training@saiglobal.com. Don’t forget to quote the code EOYS09to redeem your $100* discount off bookings made for remaining 2009 dates.

Other courses
SAI Global offers a wide range of other Performance and Process Improvement courses delivered in major metropolitan areas or in-house. For more information on our courses visit the website.

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*Terms and Conditions: $100 off the usual price of any course listed in this email when you book over the phone on 1300 727 444 and quote the code 'EOYS09', to attend remaining 2009 training dates as at 19.11.09. Discount cannot be applied to bookings made via our online registration form. Discount applies to prices as listed at www.saiglobal.com/training as of 19.11.09. Does not apply to in-house training or bookings made on dates after 2009. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Public training dates are indicative and subject to change depending on demand. 

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Announcements

26.  The 6th Annual Survey of Local Government Fees and Charges is now Open

The 6th Annual Survey of Local Government Fees and Charges is now Open

Prior surveys have helped Councils –

• Identify new services developed by Councils
• Expand fees & charges
• Control an important revenue source
• Avoid community sensitivity to price increases

Participation in the 2010 survey helps Councils develop a more informed approach to applying discretionary fees and charges. Survey results mean Councils can identify new services, adjust prices in line with regional, state or national trends and expand income.

The survey, supported by the Municipal Association of Victoria, already includes data from over 50 councils from Victoria and NSW and includes benchmarks from other states. There are now nearly 700 price points (or service items) against which the survey seeks to match each Council. Results will be available in December 2009 using 2009-2010 prices.

Annual LGPrice surveys have been conducted since 2005. The first survey was of Victorian Councils but since then Councils from South Australia, Tasmania and NSW have joined in. The data format has been modified to keep track of changes in food regulation and building approvals.

All you do is send us a copy of 2009 Schedule of Fees and Charges, and we fill in the survey and analyse the data, you get the results.

The cost of subscription is -

• Survey and Results; Metropolitan and Regional Councils - $2,200 (plus GST); Rural Councils - $1,400 (plus GST)
• Free Results Workshop in Melbourne (three attendees per Council); or Free Workshop detailed consultation phone call or workshop for other states.
• Discount for Councils who subscribed last year; $200.

Subscribe by email to Byron Mitra or phone 0404 837 591.

Final registration closes Monday November 23, 2009.

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