Council Watch

Watching Central Coast Council on behalf of fair-minded and reasonable people.

Central Coast Council Watch

Administrator attends national conference

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Administrator Rik Hart gave himself permission at the March 22 meeting of Council-under-administration to attend the national conference of councils which is on in Canberra at the moment.
The conference will debate 106 motions including this one: https://www.cccouncilwatch.com.au/introducing-liquid…/
 
Other motions include number 54 from Yarra City Victoria which calls on the Australian Government to:
 
1. Endorse Australian Local Government Association’s call for a Local Government Climate Response Partnership fund of $200 million per annum over four years to help councils address the impacts of climate change in their communities;
2. Acknowledge that such a fund would create the multi-level governance called for in the Paris Agreement of 2015;
3. Create the fund and work with local governments on projects to rapidly drive down emissions before 2030.
4. Put in place a climate action regulatory reform working group to remove barriers to climate action for local governments and communities.
Nine other councils offered similar motions on that topic.
 
Other topics include housing affordability; Support the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s call for Indigenous constitutional
recognition through a Voice to Parliament; support for a transition to a circular enonomy to reduce waste; and to remove the GST
paid on sustainable and reusable alternatives to disposable and single-use products.
 

The South Australian City of Charles Sturt is calling for a referendum on financial recognition of local government in the Australian Constitution.

“The best way to protect direct federal funding for community services and infrastructure is to have local government financial recognition under the Australian Constitution,” the Council said.

“Local councils across the nation would benefit from financial certainty. If agreed by the Commonwealth Parliament, it will enable the Commonwealth to continue to provide direct funding to local government for vital community services and infrastructure. Without it – and by way of a direct example – funding road infrastructure programs are at risk because it is simply not clear if the Commonwealth can directly fund local councils.”

The annual general assembly ends on June 22.