Just like our nurses who have the Nurses Association, teachers with the Teachers Federation and Police with the Police Association, local councils also has an industry association that represents their interests.
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Local Government NSW, with its former incarnations being the Local Government Association and Shires Association, is the organisation set up by councils in order to speak as one voice for all NSW councils.
The association has an industrial relations role where is it the legal entity that negotiates with unions over pay and awards for council staff.
However, the association’s most prominent role is to be the voice for councils. Its mission statement is “To be the Sword and Shield of Local Government in NSW”.
In recent times LGNSW has been on the front lines battling the state governments forced merger of councils as well as advocating against state cost shifting to local councils. The association serves a role of being industry advisors. At any time councils have the ability to pick up the phone and be on the line to everything from employment advisors right through to tourism best practice assistance. One of the main roles that the association advocates for is infrastructure spending and allocation to councils.
LGNSW has been a key player in pushing for the retention of the Roads to Recovery program, as well as other state based initiatives like the small town water and sewage funds. I am particularly pleased that they push for essential service funding for projects like roads, water and sewage instead of just campaigning for bells and whistles projects.
These days too many politicians promise projects that look pretty and exciting but at the same time fail to allocate funding for basic infrastructure. Every two years councillors gather from across the state to the annual conference and they elect a board of 14 directors (plus a president and treasurer).
At the recent annual conference I was lucky enough to be voted into the board from my fellow councillors. While my first election to the board was in 2006, at this election I am equally humbled to have been given the confidence of my fellow councillors this time around.
As a board member of LGNSW I have had the unique perspective of being able to see all councils across NSW including their strengths and weaknesses. I hope to continue to be able to bring new initiatives and better efficiencies to The Dubbo Region now that I have been re-elected to the board.
About Local Government NSW:
As the peak organisation that represents the interests of NSW Councils LGNSW aims to strengthen and protect an effective, democratic system of local government. Some of the services LGNSW provide include:
- Representing members in industrial disputes and award matters and providing specialist industrial relations advice
- Monitoring legislative and other developments to protect and maintain local government interests
- Providing policy advice to councillors and staff across a range of local government matters such as finance, infrastructure, planning, environment and social policy
- Confidential mentoring programs for mayors, chairpersons and councillors
- Organising major conferences, workshops and forums on topical issues in local government
- Advising councils on legal matters and legal policy
- Building capacity in the sector and providing networking and professional development opportunities for councillors and staff
- Providing a range of management services including recruitment, facilitated performance reviews, salary and HR benchmarking surveys, and organisation reviews
- Managing a variety of local government awards programs in areas such as environment, arts and culture and communication.
For more information about LGNSW check out their website at lgnsw.org.au
