Narrandera Shire Council Deputy Mayor Cameron Lander has reported on some of the many issues discussed at the 2023 Australian Local Government Association National Assembly that he felt were of particular interest to Narrandera Shire Council.

Cr Lander represented the Council at the assembly.

Among the issues he considered relevant to Narrandera were:

• Potential funding of the stormwater improvements and raising of highways at Gillenbah through the Disaster Ready Fund
• Recognition of local government in the Australian Constitution designed as a possible first step to enshrining unfixed funding for local government in the constitution
• Resilient Building Council which assists with improving the resilience of new and existing buildings to natural disasters – has the Council used them or a similar organisation and is the Council promoting an approach with builders and owners.

Options for addressing Council workforce issues were:

• NSW Strong Start Cadetship program: grow your own through partnerships with partners such as Narrandera High School and University of New England
• para-planners similar approach to para-legals
• using community obligation payments or other sources to fund school to job pathways
• sponsorship of international students.

The 2023 NGA theme was “Our Communities, Our Future” and looked at ideas on new federal programs and policies that would support councils to build stronger communities in the future.

The 2023 ACLG Forum was also held at the National Convention Centre immediately following the NGA.

The future of local government, achieving economic and industry growth (in local governments), local governments as trusted delivery partners (for the Federal government) and creating resilience in the regions were some of the main themes for the forum.

2023 NGA motions focused on eight priority areas – productivity, local government infrastructure, community wellbeing, local government workforce, data, digital technology and cyber security, climate change and renewable energy, natural disasters and housing.

In the lead up to the NGA, the Productivity Commission identified nine ways that local governments can contribute to the capacity of the broader community:

• providing urban infrastructure
• mitigating externalities in urban development
• place making and the visitor economy
• providing land for housing
• better local labour markets
• climate mitigation and adaptation
• providing land for business
• business clusters and innovation; and
• circular economy.

Speakers over the four days of the assembly and forums included:

• the Hon Kristy McBain MP, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
• the Hon Darren Chester MP, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
• His Excellency, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd)
• His Excellency, Vasyl Myroshnychenko Ambassador of Ukraine
• the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia, and
• the Hon Peter Dutton MP, Leader of the Opposition. 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 27 July 2023.