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NEWS

1/COUNCIL MANAGER, Feb-Mar 2011

1

Green master plans

a “world first”

for Sydney

A series of Green Infrastruture Master Plans being developed by the City of Sydney are the first of their kind in Australia and the world, according to Lord Mayor, clover Moore.

Ms Moore said the plans would enable the council to retrofit the city wit green infrastriture and technologies that would deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. She said they incorporated a proposed network of trigeneration energy systems, a recycled water network and an automated waste collection system.

The network of trigeneration energy systems would provide precincts or clusters of buildings with low-carbon electricity and zero-carbon heating and cooling, while reduc-ing emissions by 40% to 60%.

Ms Moore said other green infrastruc-ture would piggy-back on the trigeneration networks, creating precincts.

The City of Sydney’s climate change specialist, Allan Jones, said consultancies were nearly completed for the energy master plans for trigeneration and renewable energy, and the business case for alternative waste management.

Mr Jones said trigeneration was nearly three times more efficient than coal-fired power, which was responsible for 80% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. He also said tenders for a decentralised water master plan-including a city-wide recycled water network - were presently being evaluated, and a tender for the automated waste collection master plan would follow.

2 43Mentoring program

assists Mackay

council staff

Staff at Mackay Regional Council in Queensland have responded positively to a mentoring program that aims to lift staff retention levels, develop career paths and create a productive work environment.

The council’s Organisational Develop-ment Advisor, Christine Lindsey, said the ini-tiative was in its infancy, but it had triggered interest across different age groups and levels of council employees.

Ms Lindsey said the program aimed to build leadership throughout the council and was not focused on any particular department. She said staff who had applied to be mentored included young people starting out in their careers and mid-level employees who had not previously had on an apportunity to take advantage od such an initiative.

Ms Lindsey said 2010 was the first year of the program and 15 mentors and 18 partici-pants had signed up. She said the mentors include a councilor, directors, executive managers and managers.

Ms Lindsey said before the program was started, the mentors and staff seeking mentoring were given tips on how the program should work by an external consultant.

She said the 2010 mentoring program would be reviewed before next year’s program was put in place, but there were already staff who had expressed an interest inbeng involved inthe 2011 version.

Mackay councilors, Darryl Camilleri, said the inititive was part of a drive by the council to break down inter-departmental barriers by building leadership skills and offering engagement with leaders in the council.

Cr Camilleri said the council was one of the largest employers in a rapidly grow-ing region and it was important the council achieved organisational excellent through providing training and development avenues for employees.

For inforamtion on the program, contact Ray Harris, Mackay Regioal council’s Man-ager Human Resources, on 1300 622 529.

Report highlights

crisis in maintaining

local roads

A period of formal mediation between Lehman Australia and councils and other organisations taking legal action against the institution had been set down for mid-December.

The medication, which had been sched-uled for December 13-16, was contained in a decision handed down earlier this year by the Federal Court. The decision allowed parties that suffered major losses through investing in complex structured debt products provided by Lehman Australia to proceed with a class action against it.

The councils and other organisations that applied for the right to proceed with the class action alleged that Lehman Australia - now in liquidation - breached its fiduciary duties, was involed in deceptive and misleading conduct and breached its duty of care to the parties.

A spokeperson for IMF Australia, which provied funding of legal claims, said if the mediation was successful, the settlement reached would have to be approved by the Federal Court. The sopkeperson said the court would also be expected to allow Lehman Brothers Asia Holdings and Lehman Brothers Inc to put forward their views on the terms of any settlement.

If the mediation process failed, the case would return to the Federal Court in 2011, possibly in February.

Vic council health

plan being adopted

by interstate councils

Council in Queensland and Tasmania are signing up to a scheme initially designed for local government employees, their families and councillors in Victoria.

The Local Government Employee Health Plan was launched in April 2009 by the Municipal Association of Victoria, Health Link Consultants and the not-for-profit health insurer, GMHBA.

The Majority of Victoria’s 79 councils are members of the scheme and now 15 Queensland and five Tasmianian councils ahve also signed up. Another 15-20 Queensland councils are considering joining the plan.

The Victorian version achieves premium savings of up to 45% by providing a facility called the Excess Refund Pool. Money from the pool is used to reimburse any excess payable in the event that a fund memeber or his/her family is hospitalised.

Members of the plan can opt for health cover that attracts the lowest premium and the highest excess, and know they will be refunded the full amount of the excess charged.

Feb-Mar 2011, COUNCIL MANAGER/2

5 6 7Gold Coast offers

cadetships to attract

engineering staff

A series of Green Infrastruture Master Plans being developed by the City of Sydney are the first of their kind in Australia and the world, according to Lord Mayor, clover Moore.

Ms Moore said the plans would enable the council to retrofit the city wit green infrastriture and technologies that would deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. She said they incorporated a proposed network of trigeneration energy systems, a recycled water network and an automated waste collection system.

The network of trigeneration energy systems would provide precincts or clusters of buildings with low-carbon electricity and zero-carbon heating and cooling, while reduc-ing emissions by 40% to 60%.

Ms Moore said other green infrastruc-ture would piggy-back on the trigeneration networks, creating precincts.

The City of Sydney’s climate change specialist, Allan Jones, said consultancies were nearly completed for the energy master plans for trigeneration and renewable energy, and the business case for alternative waste management.

Mr Jones said trigeneration was nearly three times more efficient than coal-fired power, which was responsible for 80% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. He also said tenders for a decentralised water master plan-including a city-wide recycled water network - were presently being evaluated, and a tender for the automated waste collection master plan would follow.

Brisbane Council

release its own plan

for fibre optic roll-out

A period of formal mediation between Lehman Australia and councils and other organisations taking legal action against the institution had been set down for mid-December.

The medication, which had been sched-uled for December 13-16, was contained in a decision handed down earlier this year by the Federal Court. The decision allowed parties that suffered major losses through investing in complex structured debt products provided by Lehman Australia to proceed with a class action against it.

The councils and other organisations that applied for the right to proceed with the class action alleged that Lehman Australia - now in liquidation - breached its fiduciary duties, was involed in deceptive and misleading conduct and breached its duty of care to the parties.

A spokeperson for IMF Australia, which provied funding of legal claims, said if the mediation was successful, the settlement reached would have to be approved by the Federal Court. The sopkeperson said the court would also be expected to allow Lehman Brothers Asia Holdings and Lehman Brothers Inc to put forward their views on the terms of any settlement.

If the mediation process failed, the case would return to the Federal Court in 2011, possibly in February.

New asset valuatio

system saves

Waverley Council

millions of dollars

The National Sea Change Taskforce has called for a national growth plam to be implemeneted to meet the challenges facing coastal Australia.

Taskforce Chair, barry Sammels, said suc-cessive Federal Governments have failed to act on coastal management in policy terms or by providing the resources necessary to keep pace with growth.

Cr Sammels, Mayor of Rockingham, said coastal council did not have the capacity or resources to keep pace with growth on the large scale predicted. He said an ayalysis by the taskforce of revised population projec-tions indicated the population of non-met-ropolitan coastal areas would increase 94% by 2050 from the current 6.8 million to 13.2 million.

Cr Sammels said there was no end insght to coastal growth and recources were not flow-ing with the increase in population. He said that, as a result, the challenges facing coastal Australia were impacting on communicaties in every state, placing at risk the high biodi-versity and scenic value of the coastal zone, and the character of coastal settlement.

For further information on Waverley Council’s initative call Dr Kelly on (02) 9369 8115 0r email brownynk@waverley.nsw.gov.au

3/COUNCIL MANAGER, Feb-Mar 2011

NEWS

8 9Sustainable

population

advisory panels

pushing ahead

A series of Green Infrastruture Master Plans being developed by the City of Sydney are the first of their kind in Australia and the world, according to Lord Mayor, clover Moore.

Ms Moore said the plans would enable the council to retrofit the city wit green infrastriture and technologies that would deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. She said they incorporated a proposed network of trigeneration energy systems, a recycled water network and an automated waste collection system.

The network of trigeneration energy systems would provide precincts or clusters of buildings with low-carbon electricity and zero-carbon heating and cooling, while reduc-ing emissions by 40% to 60%.

Ms Moore said other green infrastruc-ture would piggy-back on the trigeneration networks, creating precincts.

The City of Sydney’s climate change specialist, Allan Jones, said consultancies were nearly completed for the energy master plans for trigeneration and renewable energy, and the business case for alternative waste management.

Mr Jones said trigeneration was nearly three times more efficient than coal-fired power, which was responsible for 80% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. He also said tenders for a decentralised water master plan-including a city-wide recycled water network - were presently being evaluated, and a tender for the automated waste collection master plan would follow.

Back to business

for liverpool Council

after major fire

A period of formal mediation between Lehman Australia and councils and other organisations taking legal action against the institution had been set down for mid-December.

The medication, which had been sched-uled for December 13-16, was contained in a decision handed down earlier this year by the Federal Court. The decision allowed parties that suffered major losses through investing in complex structured debt products provided by Lehman Australia to proceed with a class action against it.

The councils and other organisations that applied for the right to proceed with the class action alleged that Lehman Australia - now in liquidation - breached its fiduciary duties, was involed in deceptive and misleading conduct and breached its duty of care to the parties.

A spokeperson for IMF Australia, which provied funding of legal claims, said if the mediation was successful, the settlement reached would have to be approved by the Federal Court. The sopkeperson said the court would also be expected to allow Lehman Brothers Asia Holdings and Lehman Brothers Inc to put forward their views on the terms of any settlement.

If the mediation process failed, the case would return to the Federal Court in 2011, possibly in February.

Housing affordability

initiative by Qld

councils

The National Sea Change Taskforce has called for a national growth plam to be implemeneted to meet the challenges facing coastal Australia.

Taskforce Chair, barry Sammels, said suc-cessive Federal Governments have failed to act on coastal management in policy terms or by providing the resources necessary to keep pace with growth.

Cr Sammels, Mayor of Rockingham, said coastal council did not have the capacity or resources to keep pace with growth on the large scale predicted. He said an ayalysis by the taskforce of revised population projec-tions indicated the population of non-met-ropolitan coastal areas would increase 94% by 2050 from the current 6.8 million to 13.2 million.

Cr Sammels said there was no end insght to coastal growth and recources were not flow-ing with the increase in population. He said that, as a result, the challenges facing coastal Australia were impacting on communicaties in every state, placing at risk the high biodi-versity and scenic value of the coastal zone, and the character of coastal settlement.

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10Feb-Mar 2011, COUNCIL MANAGER/4