25 March 2022 

I write to you from the nation’s capital this week, where I am attending the ALGA Board meeting.

High on the agenda of course is our sector’s pre-election advocacy campaign, Don’t Leave Local Communities Behind. Many of you have already passed motions of support for the campaign, and I’d urge you to continue that support via your communication channels using a range of materials and assets developed by our national peak body. 

The campaign focuses on 17 priorities designed to create 43,000 jobs and add $6.46 billion to Australia’s annual Gross Domestic Product. I know many of us will be tuning in to the Federal Budget on Tuesday night to see how many of our priorities have received the attention they deserve.

Flood relief for councils
We were all delighted to welcome the NSW Government’s desperately needed Local Council Support Package, which includes:

• $40 million to provide grants to councils to address urgent and immediate operational challenges
• $80 million to establish a working capital fund to supplement councils with flood and disaster recovery where residents are unable to pay their rates
• $145 million for the urgent repair and replacement of water and sewerage critical infrastructure capacity in the Northern Rivers disaster declared LGAs. 

It is particularly pleasing that water and sewerage infrastructure has been recognised as critical infrastructure and provided with recovery funding. Water and sewerage infrastructure has previously been excluded from funding under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, so it’s great that our consistent advocacy for this change has borne fruit.

There are now 58 councils eligible for assistance under DRFA – nearly half the total number of councils in NSW – which shows how catastrophic these floods are.

The damage in many areas is so extensive that DRFA arrangements will be totally inadequate and additional recovery funding beyond the DRFA is desperately required.

Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy legislation passes
The passage of the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Bill 2021 is another advance in our Save Our Recycling campaign, which focuses on the need for NSW to transition to a circular economy, assisted by funding from the Waste Levy.

The new legislation prohibits problematic or unnecessary plastic waste, sets new design standards and establishes product stewardship programs to promote the reuse of materials already in circulation. It will be supported by a wide-scale education program, one of four key demands of the LGNSW state-wide campaign. 

 $150 million for remote roads upgrades
LGNSW also welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of a new $150 million Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program, which responds to our ongoing advocacy for funding to improve road safety outcomes.

The pilot program will target unsealed roads throughout remote Australia to improve safety with works, including resurfacing, removing dangerous corners and managing vegetation. 

Supreme Court judgment on election outcomes
Last week the Supreme Court handed down its judgment on election outcomes for Kempsey Shire Council, Singleton Shire Council and Shellharbour Council Ward A, declaring all of the affected councillors’ elections void due to system issues with iVote. (See Minister Tuckerman’s statement).

Importantly, Mr Justice Robert Beech-Jones declared all candidates to be completely innocent of any of the conduct that caused the elections to miscarry.

This disruption to local democracy is deeply disappointing, and LGNSW recognises that the NSW Electoral Commission has made repeated requests to the NSW Government for additional funding, noting that saving measures imposed on the NSW Electoral Commission would "entail an increased risk of failure of election events". LGNSW reiterates our call for the NSW Government to adequately fund the NSW Electoral Commission to ensure the health of local democracy.

LGNSW appreciates the NSW Electoral Commission indicating to the Supreme Court that the councils involved will not have to pay for two elections.

Reminder: Pat Dixon Scholarship
Applications are now open for the Cr Pat Dixon Memorial Scholarship, which provides up to $5000 to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander councillors or council staff for further study, professional development or research.

Cr Pat Dixon was the first Aboriginal person elected in local government in NSW and spent 17 years as a councillor, working tirelessly to increase participation of other Aboriginal councillors and staff in local government. This scholarship was set up in her name to continue to build the capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councillors and staff working in local government.

All councils should consider encouraging their talented Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander councillors and council staff to apply before the 4 April deadline.

Vale Paul Hawker
We were all deeply saddened to learn of the death of Paul Hawker, who served as an LGNSW Board Director between 2013 and March 2016.

Paul was a former Mayor of Campbelltown and was first elected to Campbelltown Council in 2004. His long and dedicated service to the community was exceeded only by his love and care for family and friends. Vale.

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