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Our MAV - President's update

MAV President's Update - March 2024

Dear friends and colleagues,

It's been a busy time at the MAV, continue to lead the conversation on planning reform, engage with both levels of government on the sector's financial sustainability, and launch our Stand For Council campaign.

There will be much to discuss when we come together as a sector at our next State Council on Friday, 17 May. It's now time for delegates and council CEOs to register, which you can do by clicking here.

Warm regards,

Cr David Clark
MAV President

In this issue

Victorian Recycling Infrastructure Plan briefing session

The Federal Minister for Local Government, the Hon Catherine King MP, has referred an inquiry into local government sustainability to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport.  The terms of reference will focus on:

  1. The financial sustainability and funding of local government
  2. The changing infrastructure and service delivery obligations of local government
  3. Any structural impediments to security for local government workers and infrastructure and service delivery
  4. Trends in the attraction and retention of a skilled workforce in the local government sector, including impacts of labour hire practices
  5. The role of the Australian Government in addressing issues raised in relation to the above
  6. Other relevant issues.

Submissions are due by 3 May 2024. The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) will be developing a submission to the inquiry – see its media statement.

The Victorian Government is also progressing its property tax reform agenda, with its response to the Parliament’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee Inquiry into land transfer duty fees released this week. It proposes a range of changes to stamp duty, with new exemptions for first home buyers, pensioners and commercial property. Land transfer duties are proposed to transition to a new commercial and industrial property tax in legislation introduced into the Victorian Parliament.  Given that rates on property are the main revenue stream for councils, alignment of revenue sources across federal, state and local government is needed to enable each tier deliver their responsibilities.  

MAV will keep councils advised about the development of a sector-wide submission to the federal inquiry, and key messages which could be replicated in any individual submissions councils wish to make. For further information please contact Rosemary Hancock at the MAV – rhancock@mav.asn.au.

State's response to Operation Sandon special report

The State Government has recently released this media statement together with its response to the IBAC Operation Sandon Special report.

The MAV’s Strategic Plan 2024-27 outlines our commitment to working with all levels of government to ensure active local democracy. We support both the State Government and the local government sector to continuously improve good governance practices and to address the planning issues raised by this IBAC report.

In its response, the State Government has committed to establishing an interdepartmental taskforce to facilitate cooperation across government and support implementation of the recommendations by relevant portfolio ministers.

Planning

We welcome the State’s commitment to improving consistency, transparency and accountability in the planning system. We are particularly pleased that the need for improvements to the planning scheme amendment authorisation process have been acknowledged.

Recommendation 11 called for amendments to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to remove statutory planning responsibilities from councillors and introduce determinative planning panels for statutory planning matters. The Government’s response indicates it will consider this recommendation and new decision-making models more broadly as part of its review and rewrite of the Act. We look forward to working with the sector to inform and influence the Act review.

Governance

The MAV supports the need for the development of effective guidance in keeping with the principles-based approach to the Local Government Act 2020.  We will seek such guidance (and training and development to accompany the guidance) to be co-designed with the sector.

On CEO employment and remuneration the State Government’s response says:

  • It will consider options to achieve greater consistency in CEO employment matters across the sector in a way that acknowledges that currently the employment decisions in relation to a CEO are matters for councils; and
  • In considering options the State Government will work with the peak bodies for local government and the Local Government Inspectorate.

We look forward to working with the State Government regarding CEO employment matters.

Our position remains that as a council CEO is the only staff member appointed by the council any lessening of this key responsibility would diminish the effective democratic mandate of the council.

Another pleasing response is that the State Government has identified the 2024 review of the Local Government Performance Reporting Framework will consider the collating and publishing of data about the internal arbitration and the councillor conduct panel processes.

More transparency regarding the conduct framework is required as an evidence base for future reform.

Finally, it’s important to acknowledge that as a sector we are pleased the State Government has released its response.

Our priority now is to continue to engage constructively with the relevant ministers and departments as they work to implement the recommendations.

Stand For Council campaign

The MAV is pleased to be launching the 2024 Stand for Council Program.

In partnership with Victorian councils, we are delivering a number of information sessions for the community and prospective candidates. These sessions can be attended either in-person or online.

These Community and Candidate Information sessions provide the prospective candidates with information about:

  • The role and purpose of local government
  • The role, responsibilities and expectations of a councillor, including the requirements of the new Local Government Act 2020
  • Information on the municipal area (or areas within a region)
  • The experience of being a councillor.
  • The electoral process

We're holding sessions with host councils around the state. You can check out all the locations and dates, find out more information or to register for the sessions by clicking here. 

Stay tuned via MAV social media channels to keep up to date with the latest from the Stand for Council program.

Leading Healthy Communities

Have you considered how you can best use your position as a community leader to promote the conditions for good health in your community?

Would you be prepared to assist in the development of a resource for councillors and executives by participating in an interview or attending a consultation workshop? 

A wide range of perspectives are sought to assist in the development of the resource for councils to support leadership of healthy populations and communities. 

This partnership between VicHealth and MAV will be assisted by Health Futures Australia to develop the content of a contemporary training resource. A wide range of perspectives is sought from those with years of council experience or those new to roles and we would value input from rural, regional, interface and metro councils.

Please contact Jan Black jblack@mav.asn.au for further information or Contact the Health Futures Australia team to arrange an interview or join a group discussion by 30 April.

Contact: Kevin Mao, Health Futures Australia
Email:kevin@healthfutures.org.au

2024 Resilient Australia National Awards

The Resilient Australia Awards celebrate and promote initiatives that build whole of community resilience to disasters and emergencies around Australia as well as capture and share examples of resilience in action.

The awards recognise collaboration and innovative thinking across a broad range of sectors and initiatives that strengthen disaster resilience with communities, institutions, and the private sector. Innovative models and approaches that create sustainable change are highly regarded.

The Resilient Australia Awards is proudly sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with the states and territories and managed by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR).

Click here to read more or submit a project - submissions close Friday, May 31.

National Awards for Local Government

Voting for the 2024 National Awards for Local Government is now open!

As the peak body for local government in Victoria, the MAV can't wait to see these councils get the recognition we know they deserve.

Vote here: https://lnkd.in/gEtcvu57

The National Awards for Local Government highlight initiatives implemented by councils that are innovative, make a difference to their communities, display excellence, and have outcomes that are replicable across the country.

Want more info? Go to https://lnkd.in/gpB6TXwg