News

1.  Work underway to standardise development assessment systems

The Federal Government has taken a major step in developing nationally consistent electronic development assessment systems that would improve the efficiency of local government processing of development applications.

The government has signed contracts and made the first payment as part of a $3.6 million program to ensure electronic development assessment and online tracking of development applications is consistent across the states.

Federal Housing Minister, Tanya Plibersek, says the program will develop electronic development assessment interoperability specifications (eDAIS). Ms Plibersek says the specifications will ensure a common protocol for the electronic lodgement of planning and development assessments.

She says Western Australia's Department of Planning and Infrastructure will host a National eDAIS Project Team that will develop the specifications, with the Federal Government to fund the team's work until June 30, 2011.

Ms Plibersek says the government believes it is important to help the states to develop electronic development assessment systems. She says such systems will cut red tape associated with lodging a development application and streamline the assessment process, resulting in lower costs for builders and developers.

The eDAIS program announced by Ms Plibersek is a component of the $30 million allocated by the Federal Government to help finance the national roll-out of electronic development assessment systems. The $30 million is itself a component of the Commonwealth's $512 million Housing Affordability Fund.

 

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2.  Federal Government's Major Cities Unit starts work

The first objective of the Federal Government’s Major Cities Unit, which is now operational, will be to improve productivity in Australia’s capitals and major regional cities.

A spokesperson for Federal Infrastructure Minister, Anthony Albanese, says the unit has been staffed and it will be “full steam ahead” once the newly appointed head of the unit, Dorte Ekelund, starts work during November.

Ms Ekelund has more than 25 years experience in the urban development sector. She has developed strategies to manage urban congestion making greater use of rail to transport freight, and has addressed the issues of climate change, coastal vulnerability and demographic change.

The Major Cities Unit will aim to improve productivity through reducing urban congestion and ensuring people and goods move efficiently across cities.

Mr Albanese says the unit’s second objective is sustainability. The minister says it will help cities avoid “growing pains” by supporting integrated policies for sustainable land-use planning, building and infrastructure investment.

Mr Albanese says the third objective of the unit is to improve liveability by ensuring communities are better planned around jobs, services, public transport options, schools, shops and parks.

The Major Cities Unit will operate within the Office of Infrastructure Australia. It will work closely with the office, governments, councils, businesses and the community to develop better policies for cities.

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3.  Mildura improves development assessment efficiencies

Mildura Rural City Council has successfully implemented a range of measures to improve the efficiency of its planning processes and cut the number of development applications waiting for assessment by its planners.

The regional Victorian council recently restructured its planning department to create separate departments for statutory planning and strategic planning functions.

The strategic planning department, which is comprised of a manager, five planners, an enforcement officer and a subdivisions officer, is tasked with developing long-term land-use plans for the municipality. The manager and two planners in the statutory planning department are responsible for assessing permits and development applications.

When the restructure began in June 2008, 170 planning applications were in the process of being assessed by the council. By the time the restructure was completed in September this number had been reduced to 106.

In the four months from June to September inclusive, the council received 164 planning applications for assessment and completed assessments for 250 planning applications.

During the first four months of 2008, before the restructure took place, the council received 198 planning applications for assessment and completed assessments for 155 planning applications.

Mildura Councillor, Sharon Morrison, says the creation of the separate statutory and strategic planning departments has allowed the council to increase its focus on the land use demands of its growing community and efficiently and appropriately process planning applications.

In response to the shortage of planning staff faced by the region as a result of the national shortage of town planners, Mildura Rural City Council has also sought to attract locals to its planning department by providing a planning scholarship to assist local students to undertake tertiary education to qualify as planners.

Scholarship recipients undertake paid work experience with the council during academic breaks as part of their scholarship. For more information, contact Mildura Rural City Council on (03) 5018 8100.

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4.  Top Jobs: Council seeks senior strategic planner

Lismore City Council is seeking to appoint a Senior Strategic Planner, a position that will be responsible for strategic land use planning for the northern New South Wales municipality.

Depending on qualifications and experience, Lismore City Council is offering a salary of up to $83,453, inclusive of 9% superannuation, per annum.

This position is a party to a lease-back vehicle and the council’s Rostered Day Off arrangement of a nine-day fortnight as well as associated benefits including a training support program and additional study initiatives.

The council says it will negotiate beyond the proposed remuneration package with outstanding or exceptional applicants.

Applications close November 28. More information about this position is available on the PlanJobs website here.

This and many other jobs on offer within Australia’s planning industry are currently available on the PlanJobs website www.planjobs.com.au – the nation’s leading employment service for planning positions within local government and the private sector.

Other positions currently available on PlanJobs include: a Program Leader - Planning & Design at Logan City Council in Queensland; a Building & Development Officer at Hawkesbury City Council in NSW; a Social Planning and Development Officer at Manningham City Council in Victoria; and a Coordinator, Place Planning at the City of Swan in Western Australia.

For further details about these positions visit the PlanJobs website www.planjobs.com.au. For more information about PlanJobs contact Blake Duggin by emailing blake.duggin@halledit.com.au or telephone (03) 8534 5012.

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5.  New version of leading-edge sustainable design tool due for 2009 release

A new version of an innovative tool that is being used by nine Victorian councils to assess the sustainability of non-residential development applications is expected to be released in January 2009.

The City of Port Phillip is upgrading the ‘Sustainable Design Scorecard’ with a view to raising the standards for sustainable development and to make the tool more user-friendly.

The scorecard is used in the planning stages of non-residential buildings to assess ecologically sustainable development in the categories of energy-efficiency, water, waste, materials, indoor environment quality and excellence in ecologically sustainable design.

In each of the categories, minimum point scores must be achieved to provide a comprehensive environmental rating.

The City of Port Phillip has described the upgrade as the “most significant” to take place in the history of the scorecard, which was originally developed in 1999.

The council recently sought feedback on a discussion paper outlining its plans to upgrade the scorecard, and is now considering the submissions received through the consultation process as it works towards launching the new version early 2009.

Under Port Phillip’s sustainable design policy, the use of the scorecard is compulsory for all major capital works projects. The tool is also used by the cities of Moreland, Knox, Darebin, Yarra, Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong, as well as Nillumbik Shire Council, to assess the environmental sustainability of non-residential developments.

The scorecard operates in conjunction with the 'Sustainable Tools for Environmental Performance Strategy’ (STEPS), developed by Port Phillip and Moreland city councils, but managed by the latter, to assess the sustainability of residential planning applications.

While the interface of the scorecard is expected to be altered to become more user-friendly, the scorecard is to remain in its present format as an Excel spreadsheet rather than being developed into an online tool.

As part of the upgrade, the City of Port Phillip will assess if and how the changes to the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) can be integrated into the upgraded version of the scorecard. To view the upgrade's discussion paper, visit here.

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6.  Mosman among councils to achieve major planning efficiencies

A New South Wales Government analysis of councils' development application processing times has found that a number of metropolitan local governments have been able to significantly improve the efficiency of their processing systems, with Mosman Council leading the pack by cutting its average application processing time by 41% in the space of a year.

Rockdale, Warringah, Ryde and Lane Cove councils also achieved major cuts to their average development application processing times during 2007/2008, according to the State Government's annual Local Development Performance Monitor.

The recently-released report found that councils in New South Wales marginally improved their average times for processing development applications during 2007-08. The average gross processing time for all DAs by local councils was 74 days in 2007/08, compared to 76 days during 2006-07.

Temora Shire Council was the fastest in New South Wales at processing development applications, with a gross mean average determination time of seven days. Hay Shire Council’s determination time was 10 days; Broken Hill City Council’s was 14 days; and Murrumbidge Shire Council’s 17 days.

At the other end of the scale, it took Ashfield Municipal Council 160 days on average to process applications. 

The value of development applications increased by $600 million to $22.3 billion in 2007/08, despite the fact there was a 4.6% drop in DAs and determined and complying development certificates issued. The report found that, during 2007/08, NSW councils processed 82,000 development applications.

A total of 97% of development applications were for works valued at less than $1 million, and 66% of DAs were valued at under $100,000.

NSW Local Government Association President, Genia McCaffery, says application processing times are significantly different in regional and city areas because of factors including density, overshadowing, traffic management and heritage. Cr McCaffery has cautioned that care needs to be taken when analysing the Performance Monitor because it does not differentiate between the different types of DAs and locations where developments are proposed. The performance monitor can be found here.

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7.  Darebin seeks partner for $140m development

Melbourne's Darebin City Council has called for expression of interest from developers interested in partnering with the council in a $140 million urban redevelopment project.

Darebin’s General Manager of City Development, Kevin Breen, says the project will completely transform the Preston Civic Precinct. Mr Breen says the council is looking for expressions of interest from groups and companies that have the qualifications to work on such a large-scale project.

The development will consist of an inter-cultural centre and community hub; commercial office space for more than 460 jobs; a residential development consisting of affordable housing; council and civic facilities; minor retail shops; a civic plaza and car parking.

Mr Breen says the initial phase of the EOI process is a Request for Qualifications. The Request for Qualifications period closes on November 27. He says a shortlist will be created in 2009 and the parties on the shortlist will be invited to submit detailed proposals by mid-year.

Mr Breen says the council hopes to negotiate a development agreement with a partner by the end of 2009, subject to funding commitments and the development approval process. The four-year construction of the project is expected to start in 2010.

Victoria’s Planning Minister, Justin Madden, says the Preston Civic Precinct project will assist in renewing local infrastructure, improving local amenity and facilities, and creating fertile ground for employment and economic growth.

For further information on the project contact Nick Mazzarella, Manager Major Projects at Darebin Council on (03) 8470 8526.

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8.  Ipswich to borrow $45m to purchase shopping precinct

Queensland’s Ipswich City Council has announced it will spend close to $45 million to purchase one of the city’s key shopping precincts in order to drive the redevelopment of the site.

Ipswich City Council’s Mayor, Paul Pisasale, says the purchase of Ipswich City Square will be funded from borrowings, but the council expects to recoup the capital outlay within three to four years.

He says Ipswich City Square is considered a key site in the council’s ongoing efforts to revitalise central Ipswich, with the purchase designed to overcome years of wrangling over how the city centre should be developed.

Ipswich City Square presently comprises nearly 26,000 square metres of retail and office space, of which just 40% is currently tenanted.

The council is close to signing a contract for the purchase of the city square. Cr Pisasale says that once the contract is signed, the council will quickly seek expressions of interest from private sector bodies for the redevelopment of the site.

He says the redevelopment could include the establishment of major department stores, restaurants and up to 20 levels of commercial space and residential accommodation.

The council will seek to aggressively market the city square’s redevelopment in order to attract new stores to the site.

Cr Pisasale says council ownership of the city square may not be finalised until early to mid 2009.

Ipswich City Council has an annual budget of about $460 million. To contact Ipswich City Council phone (07) 3810 6666.

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9.  Innovative joint land-use strategy fails to win council support

The implementation of an innovative common strategy for land use within three regional Victorian municipalities has stalled, with one council choosing not to adopt the strategy at a recent council meeting.

Greater Shepparton City Council and the Moira and Campaspe shire councils have worked collaboratively to develop the regional land use strategy, which aims to provide a consistent approach to planning principles across the neighbouring local government areas, and take into account rural issues that impact on the entire region.

All three councils recently considered the strategy for approval at their council meetings, but only Moira and Campaspe shire councils decided to adopt the strategy in its present form. Councillors at Greater Shepparton rejected the strategy in its current format.

Acting CEO of Greater Shepparton City Council, Peter Harriott, says the council still supports the concept of implementing a regional strategy for land use throughout the three municipalities.

However, Mr Harriott says some of Greater Shepparton’s councillors felt the data contained in the strategy needed to be more localised to take into account issues specific to the Goulbourn Valley, and were concerned about restrictions on subdivision sizes contained in the strategy.

It is not yet clear whether all three councils will adopt an amended strategy for regional land use as a result of Greater Shepparton’s decision not to adopt the strategy in its current form.

It was originally intended that once the final strategy was approved by the councils, each individual council would use the strategy to amend their planning schemes with the aim of applying a standard land use policy across Greater Shepparton, Moira and Campaspe.

The councils worked together to develop the strategy with the aim of ensuring that it provides protection for broad-acre farmland under planning legislation; encourages continued growth and investment opportunities in the agricultural sector; and facilitates the growth of existing farms in the municipalities. For more information about the strategy, visit here.

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10.  Decision over potential landfill gas leak class action to be made soon

The law firm representing residents affected by the landfill gas leak in the City of Casey says it will decide within weeks if it will launch a class action against the council.

More than 370 property owners in the Brooklands Green Estate have now formally retained law firm Slater & Gordon to act for them in future potential damages claims arising from the methane gas migration from the Stevensons Rd Landfill site into the estate.

Slater & Gordon Practice Group Leader, Ben Hardwick, says the law firm will make a final decision on whether to commence the action in the coming weeks. Mr Hardwick has previously stated that a class action would likely seek a multi-million dollar compensation figure.

City of Casey CEO, Mike Tyler, says the council is aware that Slater & Gordon is seeking to sign up landowners for a class action, but that “given the complex background to the matter, it is unclear what the basis for any action against council would be”.

Mr Tyler says “if and when” Slater & Gordon determine the basis of any claim, the council will only then become aware if the claim is against the City of Casey, other parties or a combination. He says until then it is premature to offer any comment on defence to a possible class action.

Victoria's EPA and Country Fire Authority in September advised residents within a 250 metre radius of a house in the City of Casey's Brookland Greens Estate, where explosive levels of methane gas were detected, to vacate their homes.

The methane gas has leached from the neighbouring Stevensons Road landfill, which closed in 2005. The landfill site is owned and managed by the City of Casey, which in 2006 installed a system to extract the methane gas from the landfill before it migrated away from the site.

The CFA at the end of October announced the situation at the Brookland Greens Estate had been downgraded from an "emergency status" to a "management scenario".

According to Slater & Gordon, any class action by residents would be commenced against the City of Casey and would seek compensation for the short-term losses incurred as a result of the evacuation and gas migration this year, including relocation costs, as well as the long-term impact on the value of homes in the estate.

The Waste Management Association of Australia’s Carbon Committee Chairman, Mike Ritchie, says he is not aware of any other landfills in Australia that have generated methane gas that has migrated offsite and affected nearby households.

The City of Casey in 2003 refused developer, Peet & Co’s, development application for construction of the estate with a 200 metre buffer distance from the landfill.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2004 overruled the council’s decision and allowed construction of the estate to take place with a 200 metre buffer zone from the landfill. For more information visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/stevensonsroad.

 

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11.  Dozens of councils pursue Housing Affordability Fund monies

Nearly 50 councils from around Australia have applied for funding under the first round of applications for grants from the Federal Government’s $512 million Housing Affordability Fund.

The government has established the fund over five years to finance initiatives that will reduce planning and infrastructure costs incurred when building new housing developments. It is believed councils were likely to seek funding for projects such as the streamlining of planning processes or construction of public infrastructure whose cost would otherwise be subsidised by levies placed on new homes.

The government received a total of 91 applications by the October 15 deadline. The applications came from councils, local government associations and state and territory governments.

Federal Housing Minister, Tanya Plibersek, says the level of response was “at the higher end of expectations”. She says interest was particularly high in South Australia from where 23 applications for funding were received. Nineteen applications were lodged from bodies in New South Wales, 16 from Queensland, 15 from Victoria, 10 from Western Australia, 5 from Tasmania, 2 from the ACT and 1 from the Northern Territory.

Ms Plibersek says the focus of the Housing Affordability Fund is on proposals that improve the supply of new housing and make housing more affordable for home buyers entering the market. The minister says the fund addresses two significant barriers to the supply of housing: holding costs incurred by developers as a result of long planning and approval waiting times; and infrastructure costs, such as water, sewerage, transport, and open space.

Ms Plibersek says the fundamental test for assessing the applications will be a proposal’s value for money measured as savings to home buyers. Successful applicants are expected to be advised by the end of 2008 and Ms Plibersek says the government intends to begin distributing the grants in February. 

The second round of applications for grants under the Housing Affordability Scheme is expected to open in March 2009. For more information about the Housing Affordability Fund visit here.

 

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12.  Controversial planning panels to start work in NSW next year

Joint Regional Planning Panels established earlier this year under legislation passed by the New South Wales Parliament to reform development assessment processes will come into operation by mid-2009.

The NSW Government has also moved to increase the amount of major development projects that the panels will be responsible for approving, further reducing the role of councillors in the development assesment process.

The panels (JRPPs) will comprise three State Government-appointed members and two council-appointed members from the local government area where a development application has been made.

NSW Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, says the State Government will lower the threshold value for residential, mixed use and commercial development projects to be determined by the panels to $10 million.

Ms Keneally says the decision is in line with a recommendation contained in the report into Wollongong City Council by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. She says the panels will also determine public and private community infrastructure and ecotourism development decisions worth more than $5 million.

Ms Keneally says the changes to the thresholds will mean the number of applications the Joint Regional Planning Panels are expected to determine will increase from 180 to about 330 per year.

The composition of the panels has been criticised by the NSW Local Government and Shires Associations, which say the balance of power will be held by government appointees, including representatives from the development industry.

President of the Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, says developers have been lobbying Minister Keneally to take powers away from councils and they have won. Cr McCaffery says local residents will have virtually no say over what is built in their neighbourhood.

She says decisions on even minor developments such as housing estates and shopping centres will be made by unelected bureaucrats who have no accountability to the community and little understanding of local needs and issues.

Minister Keneally says councils will continue to assess projects and consult with the community as they currently do. She says, however, the councils will make recommendations on developments to a Joint Planning Panel for determination, instead of to councillors.

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13.  Major shake-up for NSW planning authorities

The New South Wales Government has scrapped the state's Growth Centres Commission, whose planning and land release functions will be transferred to the NSW Planning Department.

The changes are part of a major restructure of New South Wales planning agencies ordered by the state's Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, who says the changes are aimed at speeding up the release of land for new housing.

Ms Keneally says the Growth Centres Commission, set up in 2005, was useful in kick-starting planning and development in Sydney's south-west and north-west, but the merging of the commission with the department will help ensure a state-wide acceleration of land releases for greenfield development as well as the redevelopment of existing urban areas.

A team of specialist project managers will also be established as part of the restructure that will manage the rezoning of land across the state and speed up the processing of applications for major developments that are assessed by the State Government.

The new managers will be responsible for the early identification of any issues relating to land use or major projects and will also handle inquiries from applicants, local government and developers.

Ms Keneally says the government needs to keep the economy of Sydney and NSW moving during tough economic times and it can not afford to have the development of land for housing and commercial use held up by planning red tape.

She says 85% of major projects will have to be finalised within three months and 95% within five months. Major Local Environment Plans (land release or urban renewal) will have to be prepared within six to 12 months and minor LEPs (spot rezonings) will have to be prepared within three months.

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14.  Major review of Victorian planning laws commences

The first review of Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act in more than 20 years has started to be undertaken by a five-member panel appointed by Planning Minister, Justin Madden.

The aim of the review is to ensure the 1987 Act responds to contemporary planning issues and simplifies the current laws and language.

Mr Madden says the panel will consult with local government, the planning profession, the development industry and the broader community before an amendment Bill is presented to the Victorian Parliament in 2009.

The panel will work with the Department of Planning and Community Development to prepare a discussion paper that will form the basis of stakeholder consultation on improvements to the planning system. A spokesperson for Mr Madden says the discussion paper should be released by the end of 2008. 

Mr Madden says the panel will consider the workability of the planning system. It will look at how to simplify current laws, eliminate duplication, remove redundant provisions of the Act, modernise the language and strengthen the certainty and timelines of the planning process.

He says the panel will also prepare advice on ways the Act can be improved to more effectively meet Victoria’s future planning challenges.

The department’s Executive Director of Statutory Planning System Reform, Peter Allan, will chair the panel. The other four members are:

- Mark Dwyer; Deputy President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and leading planning lawyer;
- Liz Johnstone; from the Municipal Association of Victoria and former mayor of the City of Port Phillip;
- Duncan Turner; experienced local government planner; and
- Claire Sim; Senior Consultant for Coomes Consulting Group.

A reference group of key planning professionals and government and industry representatives will work with the panel on specific issues.

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15.  Best practice in Local Government OH&S strategies

• November 19 - 20, Dockside Convention Centre, Sydney
• Visit www.halledit.com.au/lgohs08

The Local Government Occupational Health and Safety Conference 2008 will deliver important insights into occupational health and safety strategies being adopted by local governments across the nation. It will focus on leading examples of councils’ strategies to increase the health and safety of their staff, and reduce the cost of occupational health and safety. The conference will also provide information on emerging legal issues in Occupational Health and Safety including occupational stress and workplace bullying.

Presentations at the Local Government Occupational Health & Safety Conference will include insights into the following topics:
• Emerging governance and legal issues in relation to OH&S
• Embracing OH&S and promoting a culture of safety
• Comparing AS/NZ 4801 to National Self-Insurer OHS Audit Tool
• Effective integration of OH&S in management systems
• Managing OHS for an ageing workforce
• Whole-of-organisation health and well-being programs
• Stress reduction initiatives
• Activity-specific OH&S
• Mitigating specific risks
• Externally monitored systemic approaches to OHS
• Strategic contractor management

Over 25 speakers will be presenting at the conference, including: Sue Pilkington, President, Victorian Division, Safety Institute of Australia; Gabrielle Carlton, National Safety Council of Australia; Andrew Newton, Chief Executive Officer, Glen Eira City Council; Janice Walsh, Group Manager, City Works Unit, Newcastle Council; Bernie Cronin, Director, Wyndham Services, Wyndham City Council; Scott Wilcox, Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator, Hobart City Council and Jill McCorkell,  Occupational Health and Safety Officer, Wollongong City Council.

For the full agenda and conference registration details, please go to www.halledit.com.au/lgohs08 or for further information contact Denise McQueen on (03) 8534 5021 or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

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16.  Glen Eira receives top award for best practice HR strategies

The sophisticated human resources initiatives Glen Eira City Council has undertaken to solidify its reputation as an “employer of choice” and enhance its recruitment and retention rates have seen the council named best employer of choice in the public sector at the 2008 Australian HR Awards.

The council was also highly commended under the award category of Best HR Strategic Plan.

Glen Eira has imbedded a value-driven workforce culture that is helping to optimise its service delivery standards. The council also offers a range of flexible work practices to its employees, as well as a comprehensive suite of training and development options.

Glen Eira's leading HR practices and its efforts to become an employer of choice are analysed in-depth in the next edition of Council Manager magazine.

Other articles in the magazine’s November/December edition will include: analysis of how new local government CEOs can best address the challenges of heading up a council administration for the first time; and details of how WA’s City of Armadale has put in place strategies for managing its ageing workforce that are designed to guard against an abrupt loss of skilled employees as they head into retirement.

Also included in the next edition of Council Manager magazine will be an examination of Manningham City Council’s development of an integrated management system that helps the organisation pursue continuous improvement through the system’s ability to be easily updated to reflect changes in best practice.

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.  NSW Government to prepare growth forecasts for all council areas

The New South Wales Department of Planning will prepare population growth forecasts for local government areas throughout the state to help determine future levels of investment in infrastructure and services that will be required to support the state's growing communities.

NSW Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, says State Government research has already shown that the NSW population will top nine million by the year 2036 – a 33% rise – and the number of households will be more than 3.7 million. Sydney’s population will jump by 40% to nearly 6 million by 2036.

She says between 2006 and 2036 the number of people aged 65 and over will increase by 111%; the number of people aged 18 to 64 will increase by 21%; and the number of people under 18 will increase by 19%.

Ms Keneally says the projections help the government to analyse trends and put in place plans to meet requirements of the different age groups. She says the government has established strong links between land use planning and planning for transport, housing estates and other infrastructure.

 

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18.  NSW Government to reconstruct housing codes

A decision by the New South Wales Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, to re-write new housing codes shows the minister is responsive to the views of councils and communities, according to the NSW Local Government and Shires Associations.

The new codes for single-storey houses were designed to help builders have their plans approved by councils in as little as 10 days. The codes were trialed by 11 councils and the associations say the trial showed the codes were more complicated and confusing than existing approval processes.

Ms Keneally says the codes were used for 11% of development applications during the trial, well below the 50% of development applications targeted by the government.

The associations say the minister’s decision to review the codes will provide an opportunity for councils and industry to work with the government to overcome problems.

President of the Shires Association of NSW, Bruce Miller, says the codes have to allow for local variations to accommodate the characteristics of communities. Cr Miller says the codes need to be reworked to ensure neighbourhoods retain their character and that residents continue to have input into development in their area.

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19.  Excellence in Local Government Customer Service Conference

November 13 & 14th, 2008

Dockside Function Centre, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney

The Conference is designed to provide local government customer service professionals with insights into benchmarking and best practice in customer service and client relations, including latest technologies, analysis of customer feedback, complaints handling, and a range of other challenges.

Presentations will be delivered by leading private and local government customer service practitioners on a range of topics including:

• Measuring customer service in local government
• Future of customer service in local government
• Best practice in complaints handling
• Investing in a service excellence journey
• Vulnerable customer strategies
• Culturally intelligent customer service
• Integrating people, processes and technology
• New customer service technology
• Latest trends in contact centre technology
• Analysis of customer feedback
• Effective internal dispute resolution

Over 30 speakers will be presenting at the Conference, including:

• Brett Whitford, Executive Director, Customer Service Institute of Australia
• Paul van Veenendaal, General Manager, Customer Service Benchmarking Australia
• Jeannine Walsh, Australian Teleservices Association
• Shayne Silcox, Chief Executive Officer, City of Melville
• Pauline Webb, Customer Service Manager, City of Canada Bay
• Mike Urquhart, Director, Corporate Services, Liverpool Plains Shire Council
• Jack Crawford, Customer Service Manager, City of Port Phillip
• David Mayes, Manager, Strategic Planning and Sustainability, City of Melbourne
• June Ernst, Manager, Governance and Customer Service, City of Greater Dandenong

To view the Conference agenda, please go to www.halledit.com.au/ecs08/

For further information, please contact Denise McQueen on (03) 8534 5021 or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au  

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Conferences & Events

20.  Industry Experts to debate NSW Planning Reforms

INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO DEBATE NSW PLANNING REFORMS NOVEMBER 19
A GREAT PLANNING DEBATE
When: Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Time: 2.00pm - 5.15pm
Venue: Radisson Plaza Hotel, Sydney

Are recent NSW planning reforms a much-needed legislative overhaul that will streamline building rules and reduce the waiting time on development application? Or will they deny procedural fairness and access to justice?

Those are the two opposing sides in an upcoming debate put together by Legalwise Seminars as an entertaining and informative vehicle for airing different perceptions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Act, passed by the NSW parliament in June.

Arguing the case that 'the NSW planning reform changes cannot possibly work' will be prominent barrister Ian Hemmings and Kirsty Ruddock, Principal Solicitor with the NSW Environmental Defenders Office.

And leaping to the defense of the reforms will be architect/planner Michael Neustein and the Senior Policy Officer of Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), Tim Robertson.

Handing down the 'verdict' at the end of the debate will be property lawyer and town planning specialist Mary-Lynne Taylor, of Bartier Perry.

Make sure you are there for the verdict!

Reserve a seat by phoning Legalwise Seminars on 02 93878133 or click here to download the registration form.

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21.  2009 Planning Institute Australia National Congress

2009 PIA National Congress

Darwin – this fast paced, multicultural city is the meeting place for the 2009 PIA National Congress. ‘Northern Exposure – exploring new horizons’ will allow you to find out about the latest planning solutions around Australia and will inspire you to delve into new realms. Congress will explore planning reforms, TOD’s, demographic change, climate impacts, energy and water issues, housing, indigenous issues and so much more .

Register before 31 December to receive the Early Bird price. Further information regarding the program, international speakers and what Darwin has to offer can be found at www.pia2009.com.

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22.  NSW Sustainable Development Conference

The NSW Sustainable Development Conference is being held on April 1 & 2, 2009 in Sydney.

The NSW Sustainable Development Conference 2009 will bring together decision-makers from the private and public sectors, industry leaders, local government, scientists, conservationists and others to discuss the current and future directions and frameworks for sustainability in NSW, and how it will affect NSW state and local government, business and the community.

The Conference will provide an opportunity to examine progress towards sustainable objectives in a range of key areas such as: NSW policy and progress, water, waste and resource recovery, energy efficiency, climate change response and planning and urban design.

The Conference will also feature best practice case studies in sustainable development, including supporting workplaces to become more sustainable, addressing challenges of sustainability, and provide advice on how state and local government and business can achieve their sustainable development goals in a cost-effective manner.

For further information, and to register interest in the Conference, please go to www.halledit.com.au/nswsdc

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Announcements

23.  Nominations open for The Property Council's Innovation and Excellence Awards

Credit Crisis making you nervous?
Looking for a value for money marketing spend?
Want recognition from the industry’s peak body?

Get your message across to those who count – enter the 2009 National Innovation and Excellence Awards!

Nominating for the Awards offers a national branding opportunity for your organisation to communicate with and market to the key decision makers within some of the largest and most successful companies in Australia. Entering the Awards will ensure your projects even greater industry recognition and will concrete brand awareness through your affiliation with the industry’s peak leadership body, as we jointly recognise industry innovation and excellence.

There are 13 Award categories covering all facets of the property investment and development industry’s.

For more information on the Awards see www.propertyoz.com.au/awards

Nominating is quick and easy, simply complete a nomination form and a one page overview and send to the Property Council by 10 December 2008.

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