Australia Daily News – plus a new briefing on Victoria’s kindergarten reforms and its demands on the sector.
Rents in Perth soaring, leaving families homeless
Good morning LGIU members! Grab your morning brew ☕ as we catch you up on everything happening in the world of local government today. Get in touch if you have a story that you'd like to share.
Victorian kindergarten reforms and demands on the sector
Guidance | 7-min read ⌛
In June 2022, the Victorian Government announced that it would be expanding its ‘Best Start, Best Life’ kindergarten program. This briefing provides an overview of the reforms, the impacts on the local government sector, the kindergarten sector more broadly, and the different ways local governments are responding. Full summary below.
HOUSING & PLANNING
Rents in Perth soaring, leaving families homeless
Rents in Perth have risen 19% in the past year, forcing some families on $160,000 salaries to find alternative accommodation, including sleeping in cars. Kath Snell, CEO of Shelter WA, said that the shortage of affordable homes in Western Australia is leading to the state's worsening rental crisis. Recent data from the National Housing Finance & Investment Commission forecasts that WA will be 20,000 homes short of meeting housing demand over the next three years. Even households with six-figure incomes are unable to find rentals. Two WA regions, Goldfields and Central Coast, have experienced significant rent rises. The Urban Development Institute of Australia highlighted the critical role of state and federal governments in addressing the housing shortage. Rental increases have been witnessed across the country, with Canterbury-Bankstown and Sydney's CBD recording the highest jumps. Melbourne and Perth tied for the highest rent increases among capital cities.
News.com.au
SA Government proposes allowing non-family members to rent granny flats
Granny flats in South Australia could be rented out to non-family members as part of proposed changes by the SA Government to address the rental crisis. Planning Minister Nick Champion has called for practice directions to prevent councils from restricting who can lease a granny flat. The government also plans to amend the Rental Tenancies Act to reflect the new arrangements. These changes aim to increase rental stock, lower rental prices, and provide more affordable housing options. Current planning rules do not prohibit leasing granny flats to non-family members, but many councils have added conditions to development approvals to prevent this. If approved, the changes will take immediate effect. "This type of accommodation plays an important role in helping families care for relatives," said Mr Champion. The South Australian government's proposal seeks to give property owners the opportunity to offer granny flats to the broader community.
ABC Online
Housing crisis looms in Launceston
Launceston is facing a housing affordability crisis as a review of the city's land supply reveals a shortage of residential land. The study commissioned by the City of Launceston Council found that there is not enough land available to cater to anticipated population growth until 2036. The study suggests pushing through approvals for new dwellings in greenfield development sites and infill areas. Dr Jeff Wolinski, the author of the study, emphasised the importance of focusing on areas like South Prospect for residential development. The council has been urged to prioritise assessment and approvals processes for these developments. Unlocking land supply in areas such as Cedar Grove and Green Estate could also help alleviate the housing shortage. Infill development is seen as a way to increase housing density and diversity. Dr Wolinski suggests implementing a multi-faceted program to boost infill development rates. The housing crisis in Launceston requires immediate action to ensure affordable housing for the growing population.
Tasmanian Examiner
Residents rally to save former kindergarten site from council auction
Residents of Apollo Bay in Victoria are opposing Colac Otway Shire Council's decision to auction off a former kindergarten site. The property, which has a long community history, is being sold despite a dire shortage of affordable housing in the area. Almost 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for the land to be used for community benefit. The decision to sell at auction was made by the council after Homes Victoria rejected its offer to sell the site for affordable housing. Residents are fighting for the property to be repurposed for social and affordable housing, or other community assets. A recent study concluded that there was a need for approximately 340 new social housing properties in the area. The council will address the community petition at its next meeting in October.
ABC Online
WASTE
Sydney mayors demand funding to address waste crisis
Sydney's mayors are calling for adequate funding to tackle the state's waste crisis, warning that councils will struggle to collect rubbish from residential streets without it. The waste disposal problem in Sydney requires overhauls in council collection, processing, and commercial buy-in to meet state and national obligations for organic waste. Metropolitan mayors argue that they do not receive enough revenue to deal with the urgent waste management problems, as costs rise and landfill space is expected to run out within a decade. Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, stated that councils need more funding to meet government targets and transition to a circular economy. The lack of suppliers, processing infrastructure, and accessible waste collection sites pose challenges for all Sydney councils. The Domestic Waste Management Charge has already increased by almost 20% for households, and future increases are anticipated. Mayors emphasise the need to invest more waste levy funds into waste reduction programs and resident education.
The Australian
Make the most of your LGIU Australia membership
LGIU Australia members have access to a huge library of local government briefings. You'll find a wealth of key information, round-ups and in-depth analysis - always useful for research, writing reports or when you are searching for new ideas.
You are an LGIU Australia member, so take a look today.
TRANSPORT
Melbourne councils clash over bike lane plans
Cycling advocates in Melbourne are facing opposition from residents as councils push for the implementation of new bike lanes. Maribyrnong City councillors initially approved a two-year trial of a bike lane along Summerhill and Rosamond roads, but the decision was later rescinded due to concerns over lack of community consultation. Similar conflicts have arisen in other Melbourne councils, with some residents complaining that new bike lanes will take away parking or road space. Experts argue that councils often make poor decisions about infrastructure needed for safe cycling, and that there should be an integrated transport plan for the city. Despite initial backlash, advocacy groups claim that once bike lane projects are completed, the benefits become obvious and former opponents often become supporters. However, poorly planned projects risk losing community support and hindering future development of cycling infrastructure. The challenge for councils is to find a balance between promoting cycling and addressing the concerns of residents.
The Age
GOVERNANCE
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announces new cabinet
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced her new cabinet, with a focus on housing, children, and economic growth. The cabinet, which includes a number of new portfolios, was sworn in on Monday. Allan aims to lead her party to victory in the next election and become the first woman in Victoria to do so. While infrastructure, transport, and health remain priorities, Allan wants to widen the government's focus. She stated: "The things that Victorians supported last November will continue to be the priority for the government, but we are also signaling today those important areas of housing, children, and strong economic growth will be the features of the government going forward." The new cabinet includes ministers with new responsibilities, such as Tim Pallas, taking on economic growth as well as being Treasurer, and Sonya Kilkenny, who has become minister for the suburbs and planning. Vicki Ward is the only new face in the cabinet, serving as Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and Minister for Employment. Allan expressed excitement about the new team and their commitment to delivering on important matters for the Victorian community.
Sky News AU
Sydney Lord Mayor's staff salaries exposed
The salaries of the staff employed by Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore have been exposed. The Lord Mayor's office spent $450,000 on foreign aid, drawing criticism for neglecting local opportunities. The annual salary of each staff member is $179,000, with a total budget of $47m over the next decade. This budget exceeds Sydney's affordable housing plan and could have been used for childcare services and free access to council swimming pools. The City of Sydney Council has been accused of misusing ratepayers' money. The Lord Mayor's office has spent $28m since 2015, more than the city's spending on diverse and affordable housing. The salaries of Moore's staff are higher than those of other government officials. The office also faced scrutiny for sending funds to charities abroad instead of addressing homelessness in Australia. The excessive spending and lack of focus on local issues have sparked calls for change at the City of Sydney Council.
Courier Mail The Daily Telegraph
NSW issues apology for rangers' interference in Indigenous Voice promotion
NSW administrators have apologised after rangers told Yes activists to cease handing out pamphlets and move on while soliciting support for the Indigenous Voice to parliament in Sydney's CBD. After hearing reports that Placemaking NSW, which controls some of Sydney's key public areas, informed Yes advocates they couldn't hand out information about the Voice, civil rights advocates raised concerns with Planning Minister Paul Scully. Mr Scully said he knew about two incidents, one at Darling Harbour and one at Circular Quay, in which campaigners were asked by rangers to stop distributing flyers and campaigning, stating: "Placemaking NSW advises me that this was a mistake and sincerely apologise. The NSW Government supports the Voice to parliament and I urge people to vote yes on October 14.”
Sydney Morning Herald
Long-serving councillors honoured for their service
The WA Local Government Association has recognised long-serving councillors in the Harvey and Waroona Shires for their excellent service and commitment to the community. The awards night, part of the annual WALGA Local Government Convention, recognised seven elected members from both councils. Among the recipients were retiring councillors Amanda Lovitt, Francis Burgoyne, Craig Carbone, John Bromham, John Mason, and Laurie Snell. Cr Paul Beech, who will finish his 12-year service as an elected member, expressed his gratitude for the accolade. The councillors were nominated by their respective Shires for the awards. The event was attended by over 500 elected members and staff from across the State.
West Australian
NEW BRIEFING
Victorian kindergarten reforms and demands on the sector
Guidance | 7-min read ⌛
In June 2022, the Victorian Government announced that it would be expanding its ‘Best Start, Best Life’ kindergarten program. This briefing provides an overview of the reforms, the impacts on the local government sector, the kindergarten sector more broadly, and the different ways local governments are responding.
Over the last couple of months we have seen another local government contemplate the exiting of early childhood education service delivery, joining the many others to have stopped delivering services over recent years. The sector has seen the state government increase available funding to support the delivery of infrastructure; however, is it enough to cover rising costs?
Every community will require a localised response to manage the delivery of increased kindergarten hours. The state government, local governments, NFPs, and the private sector will all need to play a role. The State Government worked with local governments in 2021 to develop a Kindergarten Services and Infrastructure Plan (KSIP) to develop a shared understanding of current and future kindergarten supply and demand in each local government area; however, these plans are now out of date, superseded by the additional demands of the reforms.
While the final implementation of the reform is still some years away, infrastructure, services, and workforce need to be planned for now. While focused on Victoria, this briefing has broader relevance for local government service and infrastructure planning and delivery.
Getting the most out of your LGIU membership
Like us, your council believes that local government is at its best when it is informed, engaged and connected, so they joined the LGIU.
We are your LGIU – use our extensive resources, get involved in our research, share your stories and experience with us and the LGIU local government community.
