Councils demand national voice

It calls for the Australian Government to include an ALGA representative as a permanent participant in National Cabinet meetings and sub-committees.

It also urges the establishment of a Local Government Advisory Council as a “dedicated forum to strengthen co-operation on shared national priorities”.

It was unanimously supported by the 1400 local government delegates in attendance.

Berrigan Shire CEO Karina Ewer said the goal is for the Federal Government to give more consideration to community impacts when creating policy.

“We want policy that provides for us (local government and communities) to have more say.

“We want to be considered before things become policy, and we want to have more of a genuine say in the development of those policies.

“When Federal and state governments say they have consulted with us, more often than not they’ve put something on their ‘have your say’ page, but not told anyone it’s there. We want more.

“Local governments often bear the brunt of implementing federal and state policies, especially in rural and remote areas.

“Providing them with a stronger voice ensures equitable resource allocation and policy design that considers the diverse needs of urban, rural and remote communities.

“This reduces policy misalignment and enhances efficiency in service delivery.

“Challenges like climate change, infrastructure deficits and public health crises require co-ordinated responses across all levels of government.

“Formalised local government participation in National Cabinet fosters a whole of government approach, ensuring strategies are comprehensive, cohesive and locally implementable.”

Council’s motion recognises that the exclusion of local government from National Cabinet represents a governance gap.

“By granting ALGA a permanent presence in National Cabinet, the proposal ensures local government’s unique perspectives are integrated into policy development and national responses,” Berrigan Shire’s supporting information for the motion states.

“The establishment of a Local Government Advisory Council complements this by providing a consistent platform for collaboration on shared priorities like infrastructure, disaster management and climate resilience.

“This approach fosters a co-ordinated effort across all levels of government, promoting efficient service delivery and reinforcing the principle of subsidiarity, where decisions are made at the most effective level.

“The proposed changes align with recommendations from the 2024 COVID-19 response review, which highlighted the critical role of councils in implementing national priorities.”

As Berrigan Shire’s motion was supported at the National General Assembly, it is now added to ALGA’s suite of policy platforms.

ALGA will be charged with progressing the motion through discussions with the Federal Government.