President’s column – 2 November 2021

The 2021-22 high-risk weather season has arrived – along
with renewed concerns about disaster preparedness and capability.

Our commitment to working with our communities to help them prepare
for whatever this cyclone and bushfire season might throw up remains rock
solid.

However, we need greater support and stronger partnerships across all tiers of Government, and are calling on the Commonwealth, states, and territories to urgently implement the Royal Commission’s recommendations on National Natural Disaster Arrangements, which were tabled in the Parliament 12 months ago last week.

We are particularly concerned that recommendation 11.1 in the
Royal Commission’s report – directing state governments to take responsibility
for the capability and capacity of councils to which they have delegated
natural disaster preparation, response and recovery functions – remains in
limbo.

Councils in regional areas where exposure to fires and floods is greatest – but whose budgets are often small – have no capacity to fund major mitigation measures or significantly increase preparedness and response to natural disasters.

I raised this issue at last Friday’s National Emergency
Minister’s Meeting, which I attended on behalf of your ALGA, and I urge you to
also speak to your local state and federal members about the support we require.

If our jurisdictions choose not to support local government,
particularly in these challenging times of multiple disaster events, we cannot
effectively prepare our communities for future disasters, and these events
could devastate us financially.

We also need increased investment in mitigation, and ALGA
continues to advocate for an annual $200 million disaster mitigation program
for four years.

Besides supporting economic growth and job creation, each dollar spent on mitigation can save on average up to four times that in recovery and reconstruction costs. It’s a no-brainer.

The last few weeks have shone a spotlight on emissions
reductions and our ability to accelerate national efforts at the local level.

I recently spoke on our capacity to help the Commonwealth
deliver on its emissions targets at the Accelerating Action at COP26: Virtual
Forum on 21 October convened by ALGA, ICLEI Oceania, and the Council of Capital
City Lord Mayors.

A recent survey found that more than 70 percent of councils
have set or are planning ambitious corporate or operational emissions reduction
targets, while 80 percent have set or are investigating developing
community-wide emissions reductions targets.

Our ability to meet community expectations for reduced
carbon emissions, greater energy efficiency, and improved heat adaptation
strategies is not in doubt, and I am hopeful that COP26, together with the Federal
Government’s commitment to zero net emissions by 2050, will drive more partnerships
and collaborations with local government on climate action.

In the lead up to the next federal election, we will be calling for a four-year $200 million Local Government Climate Response Partnership Fund, which would support us to reduce our own carbon footprint, as well as carbon emissions in our communities.

Thanks to federal Local Government Minister Kevin Hogan
and Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt for a very positive meeting last
week.

I
outlined to them some of the many outstanding examples of our work and
commitment on Closing the Gap, boosting COVID vaccination rates, and
accelerating indigenous employment and self-determination, and both ministers
responded positively.

The
result will be closer engagement between ALGA and their respective offices and
departments which will be helpful in our efforts to drive these important
national objectives.

The announcement that ALGA will be a member of a federal task force to look at the impact of bank branch closures on regional communities is one I welcome.

The ripple
effect that branch closures have on small communities and businesses is
familiar to many of us.

It may be this
is being driven largely by technological progress and can’t be reversed. If so,
it underlines the need for our regional and rural communities to have
equitable access to digital telecommunications.

I will be making this point plainly and clearly when the task force meets this month, as we work together towards ensuring no community is left behind.

Linda Scott,
ALGA President