1. Blood, Sweat and the Third Tier
Councillor term

2. The nation

3. Commonwealth policies that impacted local government
Fifteen hours of kindergarten
Constitutional recognition for local government
HACC Reforms
NDIS
Roads to Recovery increased funding
Financial assistance grants freeze

4. The State

5. State policies that impacted local government
Country Roads and Bridges Program
Putting locals first
Local Government Infrastructure Program
Performance Indicators
Negative messaging
Rate Capping

6. Rate capping

7. Some comparisons Victorian Government Local government Property taxes
Victorian Government
Local government
Property taxes
2015  2016
14.7% growth
$6.97 b  $7.99 b
2.5% capped
$4.9 b
Estimated employee
expenses
7% forecast increase
(State Budget Papers 2016)
Expected to be less than 3.4% based on 40 EBA renegotiations
Defined benefit
entitlements
$47 billion
$27 billion unfunded
$4,500 for every Vic resident
Fully funded

8. “But what is clear is the Victorian government can’t have it both ways.
If Premier Daniel Andrews and Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins insist rate caps are necessary to give ratepayers a ‘fair go’, they must be prepared to come to the table when it comes to contributing to services like the library.
Without adequate funding, services that keep us safe, like the SES, or improve our quality of life, like the library, cannot function effectively”.
- Jason Walls, journalist

9. Local Government

10. Trust in Institutions September 2016 (Source Essentialvision.com)
No Trust
State Police 63%
Federal Police 63%
The High Court 57%
The ABC 53%
The Reserve Bank 47%
Charities 43%
Enviro Groups 39%
Your local council 36%
Commonwealth PS 36%
Business Groups 27%
State Parliament 26%
Federal Parliament 26%
Religious Organisations 26%
Trade Unions 25%
Political Parties 14%
10% 8%
13%
14%
22%
24%
17%
27%
35%
40%
49%

11. Wangaratta

12. Geelong

13. The good… Roads to Recovery: doubling of funds in 2015, 2016 & 2017
Public libraries: review following reinstatement of State recurrent funding cuts and Love Your Libraries campaign
MCH funding: 15.8% increase in 2016 State Budget restored MCH to 50:50 arrangement
Planning fees: Long awaited review - RIS contained one option to increase council fees by $40 million pa
Australia’s first municipal bonds: MAV LG Funding Vehicle
Street lighting: 80% of Vic councils completed energy efficient street light installations by ,000 lights installed

14. The not good…
Defined benefit shortfall: $396.9 million payable from 1 July 2013
Constitutional Recognition of LG: vote abandoned due to 2013 Federal election
FAGs: Three-year freeze on Financial Assistance Grants indexation from 2014 – estimated loss of more than $130 million to Victorian councils over three years
Loss of funding: $160 million Country Roads and Bridges program; $100 million Putting Locals First and $100 million LG Infrastructure Programs
Landfill levies: $430 million collected/unspent by State
Rates Capping and the erosion of autonomy

15. The LG sector Councillors at beginning: 628 Councillors at end: 602
Councillor retirements in the term : 66
7 resigned within 6 months of next election
8 Councillors died
1 Councillor jailed
18 by elections
41 count backs

16. CEO Positions CEO movements Left the Victorian sector
39 between 2013 – 2016
Left the Victorian sector 31

17. We should be proud of our achievements
Things local government started
Electricity
Tramways
Maternal and Child Health
Home Care
State Emergency Service, etc.
How the community was supported through the last four years

18. The Next Term Challenges
Impact of constrained revenue and the need to maintain services
State Government continuing challenge to council autonomy
Ongoing negative media from State
Managing the challenges of massive population growth or slow population decline
Retaining the creative spirit

19. My view We need to work together, disunity is death.
Manage internal challenges with an eye to the community view.
Be innovative about the way we operate.
Recognise the financial contributions from Commonwealth and State
Be watchful about attempts to undermine sector independence.

20. MAV Chief Executive Officer
Rob Spence
MAV Chief Executive Officer
#MAVconf16