Archived News for Professionals in Local Government

The inquiry into conditions at Victoria’s Fiskville Country Fire Authority (CFA) training base has heard that water was deliberately contaminated as part of a biological experiment.

Sewage spill brings $8,000 bill

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has fined Richmond Valley Council $8,000 after a big sewage spill.

Locals hit as uranium leaves NT

Energy Resources Australia (ERA) has ditched plans for its underground expansion project, Three Deeps, due to falling uranium prices.

Nats' anti-gas play fails

The Nationals have failed in a bid to make the Northern Rivers of New South Wales coal seam gas free.

Turnbull looks for NBN fast-lane

The Federal Government says it wants to fast-track the National Broadband Network, and must deregulate to do so.

Victoria welcomes winds of change

The Victorian Government has made it easier to set up new wind farms.

ALGA makes its mark on tax talk

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) says it has raised the importance of taxation revenue at the local and regional level for Local Government services in its submission to the Taxation Issues Paper.

Councils slam small window for big plan

Local Government NSW says it is absurd to expect councils to respond to the new Fit for the Future assessment methods, as they have been given just two weeks.

Greenhouse grown for political points

Market research says successive Australian governments have overstated greenhouse gas forecasts, in order to make it look like they are doing more to reduce emissions.

Jobs concern in IR reversal

Authorities in Queensland say reversing controversial industrial reforms will cost jobs.

Local Gov stung by Council's swing

The Local Government Association of South Australia says the state’s Property Council has had a dig at SA councils, in an otherwise nice report.

Vale Barry Jarvis

Consolations are flooding in following the death of Barry Jarvis; Mayor of Dorset Council, president of the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) and ALGA Board member.

Work tour seeks ways to boost jobs for disabled

The Federal Government will tour the nation to gather input for a new Disability Employment Framework.

Aqua-business caught out in QLD's "secret" deal

Environmentalists say the Queensland Government provided “special treatment” for a controversial $2 billion irrigation project in the state's far north.

ALGA hits the road to rally FAG support

The president of the Australian Local Government Association has been touring the country to rally support for the full restoration of Financial Assistance Grants.

Awards honour Indigenous efforts

Victorian councils and community groups have been honoured for their contributions to achieving reconciliation with the Indigenous community.

Broad fraud found in QLD councils

Queensland’s Audit Office has released a report on corruption in Local Government, and revealed that about half the state’s corruption is limited to a single council.

Councils clamber to fight ice

One local government is seeking to stem the spread of the drug ‘ice’, before it becomes a serious problem.

How to deal with dodgy developments

South Australia’s Local Government Association has put out a model enforcement policy for councils dealing with unlawful developments.

Bayer brought in for local farm help

Australia’s Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) has signed a deal with global chemical giant Bayer to bring new herbicides and pesticides to local farms.