Sustainability Victoria is delivering a series of free workshops in partnership with BehaviourWorks Australia and Councils across the state, to help volunteer and community groups learn how human behaviour can play a role in successful sustainability projects.  The workshops are designed for community volunteers who are working to create sustainable changes across their community and include: An introduction to key concepts of behaviour science Tools and frameworks to help participants develop behaviour change interventions that will enhance the effectiveness of their sustainability proj ..read more

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has warned that if action is not taken to stop cost shifting, local councils and ratepayers could be footing the bill for a $2.2 billion infrastructure funding deficit.  The LGAQ said that new research conducted on its behalf has revealed councils will have to cover the enormous funding gap if the state does not increase the cap on how much councils can charge property developers for infrastructure vital for liveable communities.  LGAQ President, Mark Jamieson, said that the state-set infrastructure charges cap has not been approp ..read more

The ALGA has made a submission to the 2024-25 Federal Budget seeking $120 million over four years to standardise kerbside bins across Australia and introduce a new national education campaign.  ALGA said that a national approach to kerbside recycling would help Australia’s councils to reduce the 5MT of waste sent to Australian landfills every year.  ALGA President Councillor Linda Scott said confusion around which products can be recycled – and which kerbside bin should be used – remains a significant barrier to diverting waste from landfill. “Australia’s councils are committed to re ..read more

The Federal Government has provided $150 million to the New South Wales Government to deliver 36 flood mitigation infrastructure and community resilience projects across all seven local government areas in the Northern Rivers impacted by the devastating 2022 floods. The new projects are being rolled out as part of the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP), including bridge expansions, upgraded pumps, enhanced evacuation routes and nature-based projects.  A number of the projects are now moving from design to delivery phase and aim to reduce the impact of future disasters ..read more

The Queensland Government has put out a call to industry to submit housing project proposals to its new streamlined approvals process, which is designed to speed up the development of new homes.  Led by the government’s new State Facilitated Development team, this new process will prioritise fast-tracking developments that align with state priorities, including diverse and affordable housing.  Projects featuring affordable housing, especially for low to moderate income households, will receive top priority.  This comes after the State Facilitated Development team pathway was cem ..read more

The Victorian Government has approved planning for hundreds of new social, affordable and market homes in Melbourne, as part of efforts to ease the housing crisis.  Victorian Minister for Housing, Harriet Shing, announced that the government has fast-tracked the approval of 522 new homes at Simmons Street in South Yarra. These are the first new homes to get underway as part of the Ground Lease Model 2 and will be delivered across multiple apartment buildings. The new one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes will be modern and energy efficient – meaning residents will be warmer in the wi ..read more

The Inspector-General Emergency Management (IGEM) is set to conduct a review of weather events from the 2023-24 Severe Weather Season, which will inform Queensland as it prepares for future natural disasters.  The review will include the severe storms, tropical cyclones, tropical lows, flooding and bushfires and will also include any other significant weather events that occur prior to the conclusion of the severe weather season. The Review will identify enhancements to inform and ensure continuous improvement in Queensland disaster management arrangements. IGEM is expected to also engage ..read more

Queensland parliament has passed the Housing Availability and Affordability (Planning and Other Legislation Amendment) Bill 2023, allowing the faster development of more homes for Queenslanders.  The bill will support more homes being built faster through a new pathway – the State Facilitated Development team who will fast track the assessment of development applications for infill housing developments that delivers diverse and affordable housing. Through the new team, once declared by the Queensland Minister for Housing and Planning, applications can be assessed within a minimum of 75 bu ..read more

Glenelg Shire Council has reappointed two municipal officers in the hopes that they can continue to support good governance at the council and assist in the recruitment of a new CEO.  Victorian Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, announced today that Jim Gifford and Steven Kingshott have been reappointed as municipal monitors from 15 April 2024. Mr Kingshott’s appointment will conclude four weeks after an ongoing CEO is appointed to the council, and Mr Gifford’s appointment will conclude on 31 December 2024. The two monitors were first appointed to the council for three months f ..read more

A suite of land reforms has been passed by parliament which is set to give Queensland councils expanded powers of the day-to-day management and use of land, allowing for more timely responses to community needs.  The Land and Other Legislation Amendment Bill No 2 introduces a new process which will be established to make it easier for trustees to convert land used for public infrastructure like aged care facilities, emergency services, and water treatment plants to freehold.  The reform supports Queensland’s economic growth through timely delivery of priority projects by simplifying ..read more