National General Assembly of Local Government

• Introduction
• How to use this document

1. National government and democratic processes
2. Local government finances
3. Regional equity and regional development
4. Local roads, transport and other infrastructure
5. Capacity and sustainability in local communities
6. Natural and built environments
7. Connecting the local government sector

• Appendix 1: Strategic plan 2003-05

Introduction

The National General Assembly of Local Government is convened by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) for councils across Australia. The General Assembly develops and expresses a united voice on the core national issues affecting local government and their communities. It provides an important platform for local government to inform and influence political and departmental decision-makers in the federal sphere of government.

Pursuing core issues affecting councils is a collective responsibility for the local government community as a whole. The National General Assembly guides and drives collective action to improve the governance of Australia.

The General Assembly is vital to the standing, credibility and effectiveness of local government at national level. Although its resolutions are not binding on ALGA or individual councils, the General Assembly fulfils an essential role in ensuring that the nation-wide issues of concern to councils are identified and addressed. Resolutions of the National General Assembly inform the ALGA Board and the ALGA members which appoint it - the state and territory local government associations - when developing national priorities and policies on behalf of local government.

The Program of Action: including the ALGA Strategic Plan has been developed to assist understanding how resolutions are dealt with in the context ALGA's annual workplan. It is a short narrative of the policy work being undertaken by ALGA, with reference to the National Agenda for National General Assembly of Local Government. The Program of Action demonstrates how resolutions of the National General Assembly inform ALGA and contribute to the national agenda setting for ALGA.

Local government is people; it is alive and proactive. Consequently, its activities are in a constant state of flux as it responds to the needs of its community. Therefore this document cannot be definitive. It provides a general framework for action. By its very nature it does not give details of each area of policy work being carried out at ALGA.

For more information about the work of ALGA please visit www.alga.asn.au or telephone ALGA on 02 6122 9400.

How to use this document

This document should be read in conjunction with:

• National Agenda for National General Assembly of Local Government
• Resolutions carried at each annual event
• ALGA Strategic Plan (Appendix 1)

Main areas of the ALGA Strategic Plan are:

1. local government finances
2. roads and transport
3. sustainability and the environment
4. regional equity and regional development
5. social policy and human services
6. information and communications technology
7. whole of government collaboration
8. strengthening democratic processes

Sections defined by headings in National Agenda for National General Assembly of Local Government are:

1. Preamble
2. Principles of Local Democracy
3. Intergovernmental Relations
4. Finance and Microeconomic Reform
5. Regional and Economic Development
6. Transport
7. Infrastructure in Local Government
8. People and Community
9. Environment and Planning
10. Communications Technology
11. Indigenous Issues
12. International links
13. Appendix One - Declaration on the Role of Australian Local Government

Program of Action describes areas of work under the Strategic Plan which is informed by the National Agenda for National General Assembly. The following table shows the areas of work in each chapter which illustrate how the National Agenda for National General Assembly informs the ALGA strategic plan.