News

1.  Productivity Commission holds talks with local government on planning

The Productivity Commission has held talks with local government associations around Australia as part of the study it is undertaking into Australia's planning, zoning and development assessment systems.

The study is focusing on the operation of planning and zoning systems of the states and territories, particularly as they impact on business compliance costs, competition, and the efficiency and effectiveness of how cities function.

A spokesperson for the commission says it has also met with federal and state government agencies and businesses in state capitals, and is now assessing which major regional centres to visit as part of its consultation process.

Councils and other interested parties have until July 16 to respond to an issues paper released by the Productivity Commission as part of the study.

The issues paper questions what effect the removal of local government from decision-making processes has had on the efficiency and effectiveness of how cities function. The reference relates to instances where state agencies or regional planning panels have been made responsible for decision-making processes at the expense of councils.

On the issue of costs, the paper says they can be imposed on business at any stage of the planning, zoning and development chain. It says, however, regulatory compliance costs associated with planning, zoning and DA systems are generally “up-front costs”, rather than ongoing costs associated with land use.

The paper also discusses how the systems impact on competition – including unjustifiable restrictions on competition. The issues paper can be accessed here. The Productivity Commission is due to release a draft report by the end of October.

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2.  Federal Government’s fibre optic legislation remains unresolved

Legislation requiring planning regulations across Australia to mandate the installation of fibre optic cabling in new developments won’t be debated further until Federal Parliament resumes after the winter recess.

The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2010 facilitates the roll-out of optical fibre and fibre-ready telecommunications infrastructure to greenfields developments to ensure high-speed broadband connections are immediately available to new residents.

The framework allows the Federal Government to set out in subordinate legislation which kinds of developments need to have optical fibre and which ones need fibre-ready. The government may also specify conditions for both fibre and fibre-ready facilities to ensure they meet technical and service standards.

Parliament is scheduled to resume on August 24 unless Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, decides to call a Federal election later this year.

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3.  Local Government Sustainable Development Conference 2010

August 24 - 25th 2010, Dockside Convention Centre, Sydney

~ PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ~

The Local Government Sustainable Development Conference 2010 is the leading sustainable development conference for local government, with CEOs, Mayors, Councillors and senior managers from local councils around Australia attending each year.

The national Conference will showcase leading edge examples of outstanding environmental initiatives by Australian local governments, including the winners of the Australian Sustainable Cities Award and the International Liveable Cities Awards as well as international best practice case studies.

Topics will include:

• Climate change and energy efficiency
• Integrating sustainability into economic imperatives
• Future directions for asset management
• Practical approaches to water management
• Sustainable planning and urban design
• Waste management and resource recovery
• Land remediation
• Community engagement in environmental initiatives
• Green purchasing and procurement

Invited speakers include:

• Chris Davis, Commissioner, National Water Commission
• Cr Paul Bell, President, Local Government Association of Queensland
• Professor Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute
• Professor Gary Jones, Chief Executive, eWater CRC
• Kelly Pearce, Assistant Secretary, Waste Policy Branch, Department of Environment and Heritage
• Rod Welford, CEO, Australian Council of Recyclers
• Dave West, Founder, Boomerang Alliance
• Pete Williams, CEO, Deloitte Digital
• Ian Blair, Director, Quadraco Asia-Pacific
• Martin Brennan, Deputy CEO, ICLEI Oceania
• Tom Roper, President, Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council
• Wayne Wescott, Chair, Local Government Task Group, Green Building Council of Australia
• Dr Ralf Haese, Project Leader, Coastal Research and Management, Geoscience Australia
• Sean Rooney, Sustainability Program Manager, Sinclair Knight Merz
• Marcus Spiller, Director, SGS Economics and Planning
• Dan Atkins, Managing Director, Shaper Group
• Cr Angelo Tsirekas, Mayor, City of Canada Bay
• Shayne Silcox, Chief Executive Officer, City of Melville
• Bob Gaussen, Managing Director, Review Today Pty Ltd
• Percy Allan, Research Director, Review Today Pty Ltd
• Michele Leembruggen, 1200 Buildings Program Coordinator, City of Melbourne
• Colin Pitman, Director, City Projects, City of Salisbury
• Charles Turner, Manager Asset Management, Bayside City Council
• Greg Hunt, Executive Officer, South East Councils Climate Change Alliance

REGISTRATIONS

Register now by going to http://www.halledit.com.au/lgsd2010 or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

SPONSORSHIP/EXHIBITION

For sponsorship and exhibition enquiries, contact Brian Rault on 03 8534 5014 or email brian.rault@halledit.com.au

PLATINUM SPONSOR

SUPPORTING PARTNER

NETWORKING DRINKS SPONSOR

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4.  NSW councils call on Premier to revoke cap on developer levies

New South Wales councils, particularly those in high growth areas, have urged Premier, Kristina Keneally, to revoke a government decision to place a $20,000 cap on developer contributions.

President of the NSW Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, says councils in growth areas are facing shortfalls in infrastructure funding running into billions of dollars.

Cr McCaffery says the decision to cap development levies will mean local infrastructure will have to be deferred or cancelled and rates will need to increase dramatically. She says councils need to make their communities aware that they face "exorbitant" rate increases and fewer facilities as a result of the cap.

The NSW elections are being held next year, and Cr McCaffery has also foreshadowed a campaign in marginal seats focusing on Labor candidates in western Sydney. She says revoking the cap on developer levies is not an unreasonable request.

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5.  Top Jobs: Coastal NSW council seeks new development manager

Coastal New South Wales’ Port Stephens Council is seeking to appoint a Development and Building Manager, and is offering a salary range of $104,585 to $121,514 plus super, retention allowance and a motor vehicle with full private use.

The successful applicant will lead one of the council’s key business units within its Sustainable Planning Group - providing support, advice and guidance relating to the development assessment process.

Applications for the role close on July 25. Further information about the position is available on the PlanJobs website here.

These and many other jobs 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 Manager Development Assessment at Cairns Regional Council in Queensland; a Statutory Planning Team Leader at Manningham City Council in Victoria; and a Senior Strategic Land Use Planning Officer at Fairfield City Council in NSW.

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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6.  Panel to review capital city strategic planning systems

Specialists in the fields of local government and planning comprise an Expert Panel established to help review capital city strategic planning systems in Australia.

The panel's role will be to support the Council of Australian Government Reform Council to ensure planning systems meet the agreed national criteria to make cities more productive, sustainable and liveable.

In undertaking the review, the COAG Reform Council will consult local government, which is a key partner in the governance of capital cities. Local government will have vital roles in the planning of cities and in ensuring the plans meet the needs of local communities.

The Expert Panel will be Chaired by Brian Howe, a former Cabinet Minister in the Hawke and Keating Governments. The Deputy Chair will be Lucy Turnbull, wife of former Federal Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, and Lord Mayor of Sydney from 2003-4.

Other members will include:

• Jude Munro: former CEO of Brisbane City Council for 10 years;
• Meredith Sussex: an administrator of Brimbank City Council and senior executive in state and local government;
• Duncan MacLennan: an internationally renowned expert in the areas of cities, neighbourhood renewal and housing economics;
• Rod Pearse: former managing director and CEO of Boral, and former Chair of the Business Council of Australia's Sustainable Growth Taskforce;
• John Denton: a leading architect and urban designer renowned for his work on major landmark buildings and urban projects; and
• Sue Holliday: a private consultant in the area of urban change and immediate past president of the Planning Institute of Australia.

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7.  City of Greater Geelong wins acclaim for urban design

The City of Greater Geelong is one of the winners of the Australia Award for Urban Design 2010 for its Youth Activities Centre at the Geelong Waterfront.

The award is made each year to highlight the best of design in the built environment and acknowledges the role of quality urban design in the development of towns and cities around the country.

The judging panel that selected the activities precinct said the project related strongly to Geelong’s waterfront and central business district. The panel said the centre interpreted the history of Geelong with contemporary structures and buildings, and provided a safe and active environment during the day and at night.

City of Greater Geelong’s Youth portfolio holder, Jan Farrell, says the young people consulted during the design phase of the activity centre deserve credit for its success. Cr Farrell says their valuable input clearly contributed to the success and popularity of the public space.

The Australia Award for Urban Design is judged by a panel comprising representatives of professional bodies including the Planning Institute of Australia, the Australian Institute of Architects, the Property Council of Australia and the Green Building Council of Australia. For further details of the 2010 award click here.

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8.  Bids due soon for major council redevelopment contract

Two short-listed companies chosen to bid for the redevelopment of the Ipswich City Square Shopping Complex have until the end of July to lodge their final submissions with Ipswich City Council.

Alba Capital Partners Limited and Leighton Properties were selected earlier this year to lodge submissions for the Ipswich City Heart project, which has the potential to exceed $1 billion when fully developed.

They were among four companies that responded to a national call by Ipswich City Council for expressions of interest. A council spokesperson says a joint venture partner will be announced in September.

The council acquired Ipswich City Square Shopping Complex in March 2009 for $45 million. The purchase was made by Ipswich City Properties, which is wholly-owned by the council. Since the purchase, the occupancy rate of the complex has increased to 81% of the centre.

Chairman of Ipswich City Properties, Cr Paul Tully, says the ultimate plan is for the area to be transformed into a world class regional centre. He says the site lends itself to apartment buildings, office towers, and major retail, restaurant and entertainment precincts.

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9.  Managing rapid growth issues examined in latest Council Manager

The methods that senior managers of councils facing rapid population growth are using to ensure their administrations effectively deal with the many growth-related issues they face is examined in the latest edition of Council Manager magazine.

The May/June edition of Australia’s national magazine for senior local government managers includes commentary from a number of local government CEOs on how they are ensuring their management structures are best addressing the infrastructure, financial and employment challenges their organisations face as a result of rapid growth.

This edition also includes articles detailing Playford City Council’s leading long-term financial plan, and Campaspe Shire’s design of an innovative asset renewal strategy as part of a sweeping review of the council’s financial sustainability.

Also included in the May/June edition are articles looking at how councils have implemented initiatives designed to encourage more women to take up senior management positions.

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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10.  Boost for fortunes of major Gosford redevelopment

Plans by Gosford City Council to revitalise the Gosford City Centre have been boosted by a New South Wales Government decision to declare part of the redevelopment a potential State significant site.

The overall revitalisation project could be valued at $1 billion and the component declared a potential SSS is the Gosford Waterfront site.

NSW Planning and Lands Minister, Tony Kelly, says the waterfront site has the potential to attract considerable economic investment and fuel employment growth. He says it could generate about a-thousand local jobs and about 800 new dwellings close to the city centre.

Mr Kelly says the NSW Land and Property Management Authority will prepare a State significant site study with Gosford City Council so local knowledge and resources are utilised to deliver the best planning outcome.

Gosford City Council’s Directory City Centre Development, Colleen Worthy-Jennings, says the city centre is being redeveloped under a master plan that has won 84% approval from the local community. Ms Worthy-Jennings says the revitalisation will be overseen by a Central Coast Regional Development Corporation and it’s planned to include a performing arts centre and a regional library. A corporation general manager has already been appointed to drive the development.

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11.  Another two Qld councils 'go live' with Smart eDA

Gladstone and Isaac Regional Councils are the latest Queensland local governments to start rolling out the Smart eDA initiative – an electronic development assessment system to speed up application processing.

Gladstone and Isaac join 14 other councils that accept electronic lodgement of applications using Smart eDA.

Smart eDA has been developed by the Queensland Government in association with the Local Government Association of Queensland and councils. It transforms the existing paper-based development assessment system to an interactive internet-based system.

The Smart eDA provides a more efficient, transparent and consistent development assessment process – further information can be found here.

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12.  Local government releases set of principles for NBN roll-out

Australia’s local government sector has presented the government-owned company established to roll out the nation’s National Broadband Network with a set of principles for the engagement of councils and local communities in the roll-out.

President of the Australian Local Government Association, Geoff Lake, says local government realises the significant potential of a high-speed, reliable, and accessible broadband network on the lives of all Australians.

Cr Lake says, however, it is imperative that the Federal Government and NBN Co consult effectively at the community level so the implementation is as unobtrusive as possible.

He says the principles stress the importance of observing local planning controls, the need to preserve as many land and road reserves as possible, and the desirability of flexible business models to minimise disruption to communities as the roll-out gains momentum.

Cr Lake has welcomed NBN Co's engagement to date with local councils and communities in the current five mainland trial sites of the broadband network. He says local government acknowledges there is already a good level of adherence to the principles the sector has outlined, but it wants to make sure this will continue through the next few years of the massive implementation task.

Cr Lake says the principles will help to set the framework for ongoing discussions with the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy. The principles can be accessed here.

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13.  NSW councils concerned about possible extension of 10-day approvals

A proposal by the New South Wales Government to expand the 10 day approval process to housing developments on small lots has triggered concern from the state’s Local Government and Shires Associations.

The government has released a discussion paper outlining proposed changes to the NSW Housing Code – the paper will be on exhibition until August 6, 2010.

Proposed amendments to the code include:

• extending the existing code to lots of at least 300 square metres (down from 450 square metres) and road frontage of at least 10 metres (down from 12 metres);
• developing a new part of the code which specifically applies to small lots of at least 200 square metres and a frontage of six-to-10 metres; and
• allowing minor external alterations such as enlarging windows and doors.

State Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, says it is estimated more than an extra 150,000 lots across metropolitan Sydney could come under the code changes.

President of the Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, says the proposed changes will mean developments on small lots can be approved in 10 days without consultation. She says changes to small lot developments are better managed by a council with careful assessment and the ability to keep residents and neighbours informed.

Cr McCaffery says the changes have the potential to alter the look and feel of streetscapes and suburbs, and to impose negative consequences on residents, including loss of privacy and sunlight. Information on the proposed changes can be found here while submissions can be emailed to codes@planning.nsw.gov.au.

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14.  Qld Government moves to upgrade planning procedures

The Queensland Government says a State Planning Instruments Program it has developed will mean councils are better placed to ensure their land planning schemes align with state interests.

State Infrastructure and Planning Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, says the program establishes a process for ensuring the state’s interests are appropriately represented in land use planning. He says the initiative gives councils the ability to effectively account for SPIs when they are preparing their planning schemes.

Mr Hinchliffe says by setting clear priorities and improving communications, state and local government will be able to use their resources in the most effective manner.

He says the government pledged to streamline state planning arrangements at the recent Queensland Growth Management Summit and the SPI program is an example of how the government is meeting that pledge.

The SPI program for July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 can be found here, and Mr Hinchliffe says every mayor in the state has also been posted a copy.

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15.  Property industry calls for expanded Federal role in developing cities

An alliance of property industry groups has called for an expanded role for the Federal Government in urban policy, including the release of a national urban policy with performance targets.

The call by the alliance – Built Environment Meets Parliament or BEMP – follows the release of a report on the performance of Australia’s capital cities by the consultancy KPMG.

BEMP commissioned the KPMG audit of capital city planning systems. It measured each capital city against the performance criteria for effective city planning adopted by COAG in December 2009 and provided an overall score and ranking.

The report also measured the planning frameworks against actual performance in the areas of: budget performance, population planning, housing affordability for key workers and traffic congestion. It provided an overall score against the criteria (out of 100) and ranking.

The report makes several recommendations, supported in-principle by BEMP, including:

• releasing a national urban policy with performance targets;
• launching a refreshed Better Cities program to target infrastructure investment;
• appointing a Cabinet Minister for Urban Affairs; and
• establishing a centre for design excellence.

Peter Verwer, CEO of the Property Council of Australia, says the report shows the performance of capital cities is critical if Australia’s nation-building agenda is to be turbo-charged.

Mr Verwer says delivering long-term plans to manage future growth is essential if Australia is to have more liveable, sustainable and productive cities. He says the report provides the basis for the Federal Government to extend its reach into the planning of capital cities, particularly within the framework of population policy. The report can be found here.

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16.  ALGA State of the Regions report highlights housing affordability problems

The latest State of the Regions Report commissioned by the Australian Local Government Association proves the current shortage of affordable housing cannot simply be blamed on council planning processes, according to ALGA President, Geoff Lake.

The ALGA commissioned Dr Peter Brain of National Economics to assess the causes of and solutions to housing affordability as part of the State of the Regions Report.

President of the ALGA, Geoff Lake, says the community will not be able to develop sustainable solutions to the issue if it fails to understand the factors driving problems that impact on housing affordability.

Dr Brain’s assessment found that decades of under-investment in infrastructure and misguided industry policy have resulted in housing shortages. Investment in commuter transport and freight transport would have supported job creation in regions with greenfield sites.

The assessment estimates the curtailment of government transport investment required to support new housing construction since 1980 has now generated an investment backlog of $350 billion. In addition. Government investment in industry policy and service provision has fallen short by about $150 billion.

Cr Lake says all levels of government and industry must cooperate to address a problem of such magnitude, instead of indulging in what he describes as “some old fashioned council bashing”. He also says the time has passed for tinkering at the edges of administrative planning reform.

The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW have welcomed the report. President of the Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, says the report rightly argues that housing shortages and affordability have come from successive policy failures at a national and state level; policies well beyond the influence of local government.

Further information on the report can be found here.

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17.  Sea Change taskforce calls for national policy for coastal Australia

The National Sea Change Taskforce has called on the Federal Government to play a leading role in developing a national policy framework for coastal Australia.

The taskforce says the formulation of the framework should be based on a whole-of-government approach through the Council of Australian Governments.

It says only the Federal Government is in a position to play a leadership role because the responsibilities for coastal planning and management currently reside with the three spheres of government.

The taskforce says Federal action will help address “potentially dangerous inaction” on climate change in some of Australia’s most vulnerable communities. It says any policy framework should incorporate elements including:

• a new funding formula to enable coastal local government areas to respond effectively to the social and economic needs of local communities;
• the establishment of funding programs to enable local government to access the support they require to undertake natural resource management activities in coastal areas;
• a national growth management policy to ensure the management of population growth and to ensure infrastructure is coordinated on a national scale;
• a policy initiative to address the social and economic needs of ageing populations in coastal communities; and
• a consistent national response to the legal and insurance risks associated with coastal planning, the impact of climate change and rising sea levels.

The taskforce also wants to see the Federal Government declare 2012 The Year of the Coast.

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18.  Victorian Ombudsman critical of Port Phillip Council over Triangle development

The City of Port Phillip did not have the capacity or the expertise to manage the tender process for the ill-fated $400 million St Kilda Triangle development, according to a report by the Victorian Ombudsman.

The development was terminated by the council in December last year and the developer – the Citta Group – was given a commercial settlement of $5 million over three years by the council.

The Ombudsman’s report to the Victorian Parliament says the City of Port Phillip did not have expertise in large, complex tenders and the St Kilda Triangle Development was a “high-risk, complex and controversial project”.

Victoria's Ombudsman, George Brouwer, says the council conducted the tender process on behalf of the Victorian Government through the Department of Sustainability and Environment. He says given the size of the project, the department should have played a more hands-on role in the administration and management of the tender process.

Mr Brouwer says one of the main themes to emerge from his investigation into the development was conflict of interest.

He says conflicts of interest were not adequately declared or managed and the failure to manage such conflicts of interest allowed a perception that there was unfair treatment of tenderers.

Mr Brouwer also says the development agreement for the project was not published for 18 months and this contravened the principle of transparency and State Government policy. The Ombudsman’s full report can be found here.

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19.  Local government focuses on transport priorities for next 10 years

Local government’s roads and transport agenda for the next decade has been launched.

The National Local Roads and Transport Policy Agenda 2010-20 addresses key emerging issues such as road user charging, the growth of Australia’s population and climate change priorities, as well as long-standing local government concerns with road safety, the adequacy of road funding and support for public transport.

It establishes a framework which local government can use to respond to federal and state government policies and other issues as they emerge.

Transport is one of the major areas of local government expenditure representing about 20%, or more than $5 billion, of all money spent by councils.

Councils are responsible for transport infrastructure including local roads, bridges, cycle paths, regional airports and wharves, and community transport services such as community buses.

President of the ALGA, Geoff Lake, says local councils are directly responsible for 80% of all roads in Australia. Cr Lake says there is no point having some of the best highways in the world if the local road network that takes families from the highways to their homes, schools, farms and markets are not up to scratch.

The policy can be downloaded here.

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20.  LGAQ calls on State to adopt population inquiry findings

The Local Government Association of Queensland has called for the recommendations of the McDonald inquiry into the need for a population policy to be incorporated into the state’s Growth Management Study.

The McDonald inquiry was commissioned by the LGAQ which has urged the Bligh Government to develop a population policy before the next state election.

The key issues of the inquiry report centred on effective growth management and accommodating the growth without compromising liveability, affordability and long-term ecological sustainability. The report maintained rapid population growth required significant upfront investment in new public infrastructure to meet the needs of Queenslanders, including new residents.

After receiving the inquiry, the association engaged a consultancy to undertake a state-wide opinion poll of its recommendations.

LGAQ President, Paul Bell, says the inquiry’s final report and the community polling show there are concerns throughout Queensland with labour market stresses, housing affordability, growth management, regional development, infrastructure investment and sustainability of development.

Cr Bell says respondents to the polling expect there is little that can be done to stop strong population growth and appropriate policies are needed to effectively handle the issues stemming from the growth. He says all the issues need to be addressed in a state population policy.

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21.  Council releases land for Shepparton freight and logistics hub

The City of Greater Shepparton is holding talks with a number of investors interested in buying into a freight and logistics centre planned for 331 hectares of greenfield land.

The council has to secure at least one land sale to begin construction of the $16 million first stage of the Goulburn Valley Link, which will be situated near the Midland Highway at Mooroopna.

GV Link will consist of an intermodal terminal and general freight area. The intermodal terminal will provide a key link in the supply chain for regional industries and exporters to the Port of Melbourne by road and rail. The project is complementary to the Victorian Transport Plan and the Food Bowl Modernisation Project.

The private sector was invited by council to register interest in the GV Link after the city complied with the necessary statutory processes for the sale of publicly acquired land. The completion of the paper work means council is now legally able to sell land to interested companies.

The council will launch a national marketing campaign to promote the economic advantages of Goulburn Valley Link.

The first stage of the freight and logistics centre has attracted $3 million in Federal funding and $2 million in funding from the Victorian Government. The government assistance means the project is achievable once a sale of land has been finalised.

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22.  MAV backs new initiative for development in regional Victoria

The Municipal Association of Victoria says a $631 million initiative just released by the Victorian Government is the first coordinated state plan to provide a strategic direction on regional and rural Victoria’s role in responding to population growth challenges.

The government says the “Ready for Tomorrow: A Blueprint for Regional and Rural Victoria” is the culmination of 18 months consultation with regional councils, communities, and peak bodies.

State Regional and Rural Development Minister, Jacinta Allan, says the blueprint focuses on backing regional communities to be leaders in new job creation, new industry development and new ideas.

MAV President, Bill McArthur, says elements of the package particularly supported by local government are:

• a $260 million boost to the Regional Infrastructure Development fund from the beginning of July;
• a $59 million package for new population growth and land use strategies in regional areas; and
• a $50 million Sustainable Small Towns Package.

Cr McArthur says the blueprint includes a range of initiatives to further expand the strategic and operational capacity of local government to plan for, influence and respond to the challenges. He says it is pleasing to see a new process for stronger engagement between state and local government – the process will underpin sound decision-making and investment decisions for the regions.

Detailed information on the blueprint can be found here.

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Conferences & Events

23.  Fire Australia 2010 Conference and Exhibition

Australia’s leading fire protection conference will this year focus on community and infrastructure, encompassing the protection of society’s assets, heritage and resources. The three day program will include 25 presentations from leading industry personnel on these and other future focused topics. The 2010 program welcomes several international and keynote speakers, such as John Woodcock, President of the IFE, Jo Fowler, Engineer with East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and Russell Sanders, Executive Secretary of the NFPA.

To round out proceedings delegates can engage in extensive Q&A and panel discussion sessions with all speakers following their presentations. In addition, they’ll learn about the latest products and services through exhibitor presentations integrated throughout the program. A free exhibition, held adjacent to the plenary sessions, will accompany the conference with over thirty companies on display throughout the three days.

To ensure it’s not all work focused there’s a cocktail reception on the first evening and a farewell lunch at the end of day three. In addition, a night of food, drink, entertainment and raising funds for charity will be held on day two at the conference dinner. All of which provides plenty of time to network with industry peers and colleagues. There’s also three days of social tours for those wishing to bring their partners, which includes attendance to all other social functions.

Held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland, the venue is easily accessible via air or road. With many hotels within walking distance to both the convention centre and the beach, it’s the ideal opportunity to make a holiday out of a business trip. We’re anticipating good weather, good attendance and an exceptional conference, why not pack your beach towel and register now.

For more information and to register visit the conference website: www.fireaustralia.com.au

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24.  RMIT University - Green Building and Design Conference 2010

Greening the Existing Building Stock

Dates:
3rd – 4th September 2010

RMIT Centre for Design Website:
www.rmit.edu.au/cfd

Venue:
State Library of Victoria
Corner Swanston and La Trobe Streets
Melbourne

Register now and be ready for the challenge of transforming our existing building stock for a sustainable Australia.

The 8th Annual Green Building and Design Conference will explore innovative trends and practices in building retrofits. Public policy developments and initiatives, academic analyses and several case studies will address the opportunities inherent in sustainable building renovation in the commercial and the residential sector and illustrate successful strategies.

Hosted by the RMIT Centre for Design, this conference brings together architects and designers, policy makers, energy consultants, building owners and the building industry.

Take advantage of the conference to network with experts, expand your knowledge and be inspired to implement new strategies in your current and future projects.

Visit the conference website to view the program and the outstanding line-up of speakers.

The wide range of pertinent topics include -

• Renovating for a different future
• City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings Program
• Mandatory disclosure of building performance
• Material recycling
• Building transformation
• Wind energy
• Non-technical aspects of energy efficiency in office building
• Sustainability and heritage
• Life cycle perspective of renovations

Numerous site visits demonstrating the retrofits of commercial and residential buildings round out the program.

Attendance at the conference can be extended into a professional training single course at RMIT University.

Attendance can be in person or online..

Conference Fees (incl. GST):

Full fee: $ 1045

Register early by 30 July and save $275!

Discounts for group bookings are also available.

Online virtual participation fee: $ 770 (For those who are unable to attend personally)

Register online at www.shortcourses.rmit.edu.au or telephone RMIT Short Courses on 03 9925 8111.

If you would like more information on the conference or single course, visit www.rmit.edu.au/cfd/gbd2010 or contact Nicola Willand at nicola.willand@rmit.edu.au


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