Trans-Tasman Roundtable on Local Government Finance
: : : : : Roundtable Background : : : Program : : : Delegates : : : Resources : : : : :
The Roundtable focused on the long term sustainability of the systems of local government in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in light of revenue constraints, changing community needs, the impacts of globalisation on government finances generally, emerging problems with infrastructure, and the viability of smaller councils.
OBJECTIVES
- To share information on recent and current studies and inquiries into local government finance generally, and infrastructure funding, and the problems faced by smaller councils in particular
- To clarify key issues for both Australian and New Zealand local government in light of the findings of those studies and inquiries
- To consider the scope for strengthening local government's revenue base and improving inter-government relations with regard to definition and funding of respective roles and responsibilities
- To explore opportunities for improved financial management and infrastructure maintenance and renewal
- To inform ongoing inquiries in both countries and identify the most promising ways forward.
PROCESS
The Roundtable was in two parts. The first was an introductory session on Thursday evening that included an overview of issues and background briefings on the New Zealand and South Australian inquiries. The Roundtable proper was on the Friday. This followed 'Chatham House' rules whereby all comments were unattributed and unreported except as agreed for the purposes of the summary to be prepared by the UTS Centre.
OUTPUTS
The UTS Centre for Local Government will produce and circulate a summary of proceedings in due course. This document will:
- Provide an informed commentary on recent and current studies and inquiries in the two countries, including definition of key issues and lessons learned
- Identify the most promising avenues for future improvements in local government funding and financial management
- Facilitate an ongoing trans-Tasman exchange on issues of common concern
- Establish the basis for further roundtables or conferences that will explore specific issues in greater depth and / or engage a wider range of participants.
We expect that ongoing trans-Tasman exchanges of information and ideas will be supported in part through a partnership between the UTS Centre for Local Government and the new Local Government Centre at the Auckland University of Technology that was represented at the Roundtable.
The UTS Centre for Local Government gratefully acknowledges the financial support and active cooperation of the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services in staging this Roundtable.
Session panellists, from left to right, Chris Champion, David Ehrhardt, Fiona Giles, Geoff Baker.
DAY ONE: THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER
:::: 4.30 SESSION:Welcome and Introduction: CHAIR: Graham Sansom / Mick Paddon::::
- Intoductory Remarks, Adrian Beresford-Wiley
- Overview of Issues and Key Themes: Thirty Years of Inquiries: Graham Sansom / (PPT-436KB)
- The South Australian Inquiry: Chris Russell (PPT-280KB) (Supp.WDoc)/ Alan Tregilgas (PPT-157kb) (Supp.PDF)
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The New Zealand Inquiry: Mike Reid / Fiona Illingsworth / (PPT-117KB)
DAY TWO: FRIDAY 30 SEPTEMBER
:::: 8.30 SESSION: Current Status of Local Government: CHAIR: Graham Sansom ::::
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Introduction to Day 2
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Key Issues: Brian Dollery / (PPT-78KB)
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Chief Officers Group / Access Economics: David Spokes/ (PPT-347KB) (Supp.WDoc-67KB)
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Future of Small Councils: Adrian Beresford-Wylie/ (PPT-347KB) * Please note: Inquiries concerning State responses to council viability should be made to specific State local government Departments.
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Lead Respondent: Glen Snelgrove
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Roundtable Discussion: Special contributions: Clare McArdle, Peter McKinlay, Ray Pincombe
:::: 11.00 SESSION: Alternatives for Infrastructure Funding: CHAIR: Mick Paddon ::::
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Overview: Mervyn Carter/ (PPT - 498KB)
- SGS Economics and Planning: Pat Fensham / (PPT-134KB)
- Lead Respondent: David Ehrhardt
- Roundtable Discussion: Special contributions: Geoff Baker, Chris Champion (PDF-832KB), Bob Dickinson, Paula Giles (PPT-732KB), Paul Waterhouse, Ross Woodward
:::: 1.30 SESSION: Ways Forward: CHAIR: Mick Paddon :::
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Tasmania's Partnership Agreement: Proposed Australian Intergovernment Agreement: Allan Garcia (PPT-1,341KB)/ Margaret Sing / (PPT-68KB)
- Proposed Australian Intergovernment Agreement John Pritchard / Adrian Beresford-Wylie
- NZ Prospects: Eugene Bowen / (Presentation unavailable)
- Lead Respondent: Alan Tregilgas
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Roundtable Discussion: Special contributions: Paul Braybrooks, John Wright (Supp.WDoc), John Neish, Alan Tregilgas
::: 3.30 SESSION: Summary and Future Directions: CHAIR: Graham Sansom :::
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Australian View: Alan Morton / (WDoc-68KB)
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NZ View: Peter McKinlay / (WDoc-202KB)
- Roundtable Discussion
- Concluding Remarks: Graham Sansom
A question from Leonie Burke in response to a presentation by Pat Fensham from SGS on the issue of local government infrastructure
Percy Allan, Principal of Percy Allan and Associates& Chair, Inquiry into Sustainability of NSW Local Government Finances
Geoff Baker, Manager, Policy and Legislation, Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport & Recreation, QLD
Adrian Beresford-Wylie, General Manager Local Government and Natural Disaster Relief, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Eugene Bowen, Chief Executive Officer, Local Government New Zealand
Paul Braybrooks, Mayor of Cootamundra, Shires Association of NSW
Leonie Burke, Advisor to the Minister Jim Lloyd MP, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Mervyn Carter, Assistant Director, Local Government Section, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Ian Chalmers, Chief Executive, Australian Local Government Association
Chris Champion, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia
Libby Darlison, Panel Member, Inquiry into Sustainability of NSW Local Government Finances
Paul Desborough, Senior Strategic Advisor, Wellington City Council, NZ
Bob Dickinson, Chief Executive, Tasman District Council, NZ
Kerry Dobinson, Finance Manager, Logan City Council
Brian Dollery, Professor and Director, Centre for Local Government, University of New England
David Ehrhardt, Chief Executive, Castalia (NZ)
Pat Fensham, Director, SGS Economics and Planning
Allan Garcia, Chief Executive Officer, Local Government Association of Tasmania
Grahame Gibbs, Director Performance Management & Compliance, NSW Department of Local Government
Paula Giles, Director Policy, Programs and Commercial, Municipal Association of Victoria
Danny Grafton, Research Officer, UTS Centre for Local Government
Kevin Hough, Associate, UTS Centre for Local Government, Engineer and Management Consultant
Fiona Illingsworth, Manager Local Government Policy, Department of Internal Affairs (NZ)
David Jack, Chief Executive Officer, Waitomo District Council, NZ
Murray Kidnie, Executive Director, Austroads
Mark Mansfield, Policy Analyst, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Clare McArdle, Director Sector Development, Local Government, Department of Victorian Communities
Shaun McBride, Strategy Manager Planning, Finance and Economics, Policy and Research, Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW
Peter McKinlay, Executive Director McKinlay Douglas (NZ)
Robert Mellor, Program Manager, UTS Centre for Local Government
Alan Morton, Director, Morton Consulting
John Neish, General Manager, Parramatta City Council
Barry O'Neill, Section Head, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Margie O'Tarpey, Chief Executive Officer, Local Government Managers Australia (NSW)
Michael Paddon, Associate Professor, UTS Centre for Local Government
Ray Pincombe, Chief Executive Officer, Prospect Council, SA, representing Local Government Managers Australia, National
Andrew Pollock, Director of Finance, Waitakere City Council (NZ)
John Pritchard, Executive Director, Policy and Research, Australian Local Government Association
Mike Reid, Manager Governance, Local Government New Zealand
Chris Russell, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, Local Government Association of SA
Graham Sansom, Director and Associate Professor, UTS Centre for Local Government
Margaret Sing, Director, Partnership Agreements, Local Government Division - Department of Premier and Cabinet
Greg Smith, Director, City Services Rockdale Council representing Local Government Managers Australia, NSW Division
Glenn Snelgrove, Chief Executive, Western Bay of Plenty District Council (NZ)
David Spokes, Chief Executive Officer, City of Port Phillip (representing Chief Officers Group)
Valentine Thurairaja, Assistant Director Local Government, Department of Transport and Regional Services
Alan Tregilgas, Consultant, Access Economics
Paul Waterhouse, National Policy Manager, Property Council
Ross Woodward, Deputy Director General, NSW Department of Local Government
John Wright, Executive Consultant, Finance, SA Office of Local Government
Concluding the Trans-Tasman Roundtable, Graham Sansom with
(from left to right) Alan Morton and Peter McKinlay.
Delegate briefing papers:
Commonwealth-State Funding of Local Government: An Assessment of Reform Proposals, report for the Australian CEOs Group, Access Economics, Canberra August 2004. pp.1-22. (Limited access).
Funding Urban Public Infrastructure - Approaches Compared, report for the Property Council of Australia, Allen Consulting Group, August 2003. pp. 1-9.
http://propertycouncil.gravitymax.com.au/nat/page.asp?622=269448&E_Page=17720
2003-04 National Report, Chapter 4 - Local Government Infrastructure, and Local Government Finances, 'Share of taxation revenue by level of government', Department of Transport and Regional Services, Canberra 2004.
www.dotars.gov.au/localgovt/publications/national_report/03_04/index.aspx
Rising To The Challenge: Towards Financially Sustainable Local Government in South Australia, report of the South Australia Inquiry, Financial Sustainability Review Board, August 2005. Volume 1: Overview 'Findings & Recommendations', pp. 11-22.
www.lga.sa.gov.au/goto/fsinquiry
Guidelines for a Local Government Infrastructure Financing Manual, report, SGS Economics and Planning, July 2002, pp. 1-25.
www.dotars.gov.au/localgovt/publications/infrastructure_financing_manual/index.aspx
Final Outcomes: A Report by the State and Local Government Financial Reform Working Group, (Tas.), June 2003.
http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgo/partnerships/financialreform.html
Ancillary documents and links:
'Future of Local Government Summit: A New Zealand Perspective', presentation by Peter McKinlay, Local Government Centre Auckland.
www.mav.asn.au/folg2005
'Achieving Value from Your Community Outcomes', Presentation to the 2005 Local Government New Zealand Conference By Peter McKinlay, McKinlay Douglas Limited 26 July 2005.
http://lgnz.co.nz/events/conference/2005/presentations.html
Statewide Partnership Agreement between Government of Tasmania and Tasmanian Councils on Financial Reform.
http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgo/partnerships/financialreform.html
State and Local Government Partnership Agreements: Report to Parliament, November 2004, Local Government Division of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgo/partnerships/publications.html
SA Independent Inquiry into the Financial Sustainability of Local Government:
www.lga.sa.gov.au/goto/fsinquiry
www.lga.sa.gov.au/goto/fairshare
www.lga.sa.gov.au/goto/intergovernment
Size, Shape and Sustainability of Queensland Local Government, discussion paper, Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) March 2005.
www.lgaq.asn.au/lgo/resources/LGAQ/Circulars/SSSDiscussionPaper.pdf
Email Daniel Grafton with any questions about the Roundtable.
All photographs kindly supplied by Chris Russell from the Local Government Association of SA.
The UTS Centre for Local Government gratefully acknowledges the financial support and active cooperation of the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services in staging this Roundtable. |
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