Council to submit motions to state and national conferences

Published on 27 January 2022

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Murray River Council has resolved to submit motions of local significance to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly and the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual Conference.

Council agreed on seven motions which cover the lack of nationally recognised accreditations for building surveyors, rate-capping reviews, issues surrounding the e-planning portal and legislation surrounding animal breeding facilities in NSW, among others.  

Murray River Council Mayor, Cr Chris Bilkey said these conferences provide an important platform to share ideas and discuss issues facing the Local Government sector.

“We need to look at how we can best strengthen the Local Government sector and improve services and conditions for local communities.”

“In putting forward our motions we are calling on all spheres of government to work in partnership if we are to meet the ongoing challenges that we know of, and the ones that may inevitably arise,” he said

At its ordinary meeting on Tuesday, Council resolved to raise the following motions:

  1. That a collaborative approach between all three levels of government, to prepare and deliver the change required to support the conversion from the internal combustion engine to electric, and possibly hydrogen, powered vehicles be urgently developed.

     

  2. The Government collaborate with Local Government to remove impediments within the National Construction Code Series (BCA) and associated Australian Standards, that dissuade industry from adopting 3D printing, and the Government provide instruments to incentivise private industry to develop 3D printing.

     

  3. (ALGA AGM) The ALGA National General Assembly immediately requests that the federal government and relevant State governments immediate relax the cross-border accreditation requirements for Building Surveyors to operate nationally under the Australian Building Code. Further to this that federal government introduces a Rural/Regional Specific accreditation to ease the burden on regional Councils.

     

  4. (LGNSW) That the Government urgently review and amend the 2022/2023 FY rates cap, raising to a minimum of 2.5% (plus growth allowances), to allow the continuation of services to be maintained to community expectations.

     

  5. (LGNSW AGM) That the NSW Government provide certainty to local governments by confirming that local governments will not be required to carry the RFS assets in their financial statements, on the basis that local governments do not fund these assets, have no control whatsoever over the use of these assets, and do not benefit from these assets in any way and such assets do not meet the criteria identified in the accounting standards for inclusion in the financial statements.

     

  6. (LGNSW AGM) That the NSW State Government conduct an independent review of the E-Planning Portal system and engaging with all NSW Councils for its overall performance, streamlining Development Applications processes, reducing turnaround times on applications and reinstating the requirement for Mandatory Documents to be submitted prior to the system allowing acceptance of any application

     

  7. (LGNSW AGM) The NSW Government has failed in their attempt to update legislation and codes of practice in relation to puppy farms in NSW. A new Animal welfare Code of Practice for breeding cats and dogs was published on 30 August 2021, which failed to align the requirements closer to Victoria.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly will take place from 19-22 June 2022 in Canberra.

The LGNSW Annual Conference will be held 23 -25 October 2022 in the Hunter Valley. 

 

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