International
The Centre has strong international links and is a member of:
- Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
- LOGOTRI - Network of Local Government Training and Research Institutes in the Asia-Pacific
- United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG, formerly International Union of Local Authorities), Asia-Pacific Section
Centre Director, Graham Sansom, is a member of the CLGF Board and sits on the Policy and Resources Committee. Until recently the Centre's Program Manager, Robert Mellor, was Vice President of LOGOTRI.
The Centre has undertaken international consultancy and research projects for AusAID, NZAID, UNDP, UNESCAP, the Cities Alliance, CLGF, the South African Government and a number of local government authorities. These have focused on decentralisation and capacity building for more effective local governance - key objectives of government policy in many developing countries. Centre staff have been invited to contribute to seminars, training workshops and expert group meetings in South Africa, India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Fiji, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan and China.
Projects have included both in-country activities and running training programs, workshops and study tours for groups visiting Australia.
The Centre also maintains direct contacts and working links with a number of similar centres and institutes in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. It regularly hosts visiting academics and local government specialists from other countries. Recent visitors have come from New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, China, Thailand, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States and Germany.
Overview of Recent Projects
South Africa
South African Government - Advice on Performance Management in Local Government: report to the then national Department of Constitutional Development for consideration in the formulation of new legislation and administrative systems, 1999.
AusAID - Local Government Reform Study Tour: facilitation of Australian study tour for senior South African officials, 1999.
AusAID - Local Government and Intergovernmental Relations Study Tour: facilitation of Australian study tour for senior South African officials, 2000.
AusAID South Africa Local Government Project Identification and Design Missions: investigation and design of a 3-year capacity building project for South African local government, 2000.
AusAID: Review of Australia-South Africa Local Governance Partnership: A mid-term review of the 3-year capacity building project, 2003.
AusAID: Australia-South Africa Local Governance Partnership Completion Report: An independent assessment of the process and achievements of the capacity building project, one year after its completion, 2006.
Vietnam
UNDP and Vietnam Office of the National Assembly - Training Program for Vietnamese Local Government Officials: extended program on local government management and policy issues, 2001.
UNDP and Vietnam Office of the National Assembly - Feasibility Study for a Local Government Training Centre: detailed analysis of issues involved and formulation of preliminary proposals for implementation, 2001.
UNDP - Strengthening Local Government: a 4-year project to build capacity in four provinces, 2006-09.
China
Visit to Nanjian Community, Beitang District, Wuxi
China-Australia Communitry Democracy Workshop: The Centre was invited by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission to make a presentation at the China-Australia Community Democracy Workshop held in Wuxi in mid-September. This formed part of the China-Australia Human Rights Technical Cooperation Program. Simone Schwarz represented the Centre and was one of only 4 Australian presenters.
Click here to read the Workshop Report.
Qingdao Delegation 2001
Qingdao City Government - Training Program:focus on city planning processes and community participation (in conjunction with UTS Faculties of Business and Design, Architecture and Building), 2000.
Xicheng District Government - Training Program: introduction to Australian system of government and key issues in local governance (in conjunction with Penrith City Council and University of Western Sydney), 2002 and 2003.
Huangpu District Government - Training Program: introduction to Australian local government and city planning (in conjunction with UTS InSearch), 2002.
Philippines
AusAID (Philippines-Australia Governance Facility) - Capacity Building Partnership with Ateneo de Manila University: 9-month project to assist the Ateneo School of Government enhance its curriculum for local government training and trial distance education, 2001-02.
Philippines League of Cities - Training Program for City Mayors: training for a large group of Mayors from across the Philippines on Australian local government and city planning issues, 2002.
Asia-Pacific Region
AusAID - LOGOTRI (Asia-Pacific Network of Local Government Training and Research Institutes) Development Program: 12-month program of special projects, exchange visits and workshops to enhance the capacity of the LOGOTRI network, 2001-2002.
LOGOTRI Regional Research Project: international comparative research on performance measurement and management, 2001-03.
LOGOTRI Network - Workshop Support: provision of support in planning and facilitating regional workshops on Innovative Training Methodologies, Public-Private Partnerships, Good Governance and Public Participation,1999-2002.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific - Pro-Poor Public-Private Partnerships: participation in expert group meetings and formulation of guidelines for documenting examples of partnerships involving local government, 2003.
Commonwealth Local Government Forum: Asia-Pacific Symposium on Local Government Service Partnerships, Kuala Lumpur, July 2005. Planning and facilitation of the Symposium and preparation of the Symposium report for publication by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Commonwealth Local Government Forum: Evaluation of Council Partnerships with Papua-New Guinea. Review of the Commonwealth Best Practice Scheme's operations in PNG, including an assessment of technical partnerships between three Australian local councils and PNG counterparts, as well as links between local government associations, 2004.
Commonwealth Local Government Forum: monitoring and evaluation of the Pacific Local Government Project involving nine countries across Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, 2006-09.
NZAID: Support for Honiara City Council. Design of 5-year program to help re-build the capacity of Honiara City Council, incorporating funding for in-house positions, works projects, consultancy support and exchanges with councils in New Zealand and Australia, 2006.
Other
AusAID - Training Program for Indonesian Local Government Officials: Introduction to Australian local government and strategic planning (with World Wide Project Management Services), 2001.
CLAIR (Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations): Training Program for Japanese Local Government Officials: Annual program of training on various aspects of local government practice in Australia, 1997-06.
CLAIR (Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations): Pacific Forum 2004. Robert Mellor facilitated the CLAIR Forum held in Fiji in early December. This theme was Intergovernment Relations for Good Local Governance.
Cities Alliance: Review of City Development Strategies. Case studies of cities in ten countries around the world, plus preparation of a monitoring and evaluation framework for future strategies (in conjunction with ECON Analysis of Norway), 2004-05.
