A MAV Future of Local Government Conference
Governance as Leadership in Local Government
Good Governance is core business
Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Arts Centre Melbourne (Pavilion room), 100 St Kilda Road
Communities are crying out for their governing bodies to focus on good governance. Yet for
many institutions and governments it remains an elusive concept. Recent surveys in Victoria
indicate rising levels of citizen satisfaction with Local Governments but governing well and
remaining connected with the communities Councils serve remain significant challenges in
times of increasing public cynicism towards politics and representative governments.
This Conference will use expert panels and inclusive Q&A discussion to explore the
important components of Good Governance and will seek out opportunities for new and
different approaches including:
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What might a Review of the Local Government Act deliver?
Are we certain that Victorian Local Government’s “Fundamental Architecture” is
meeting our needs?
Are there new and better ways of building connections and engaging with our
citizens?
Is Representative Democracy still the answer or are there new ways to support Local
Democracy?
Can we learn from other places – What is happening elsewhere?
How can we introduce a stronger ethical framework into the way we govern?
The Local Government Brand seems easy to damage – Can we do more to protect it?
Who should attend? Councillors, CEOs, Directors, Senior Managers, Governance and strategic
planning managers, and anyone with an interest in a better future for local government.
Strong leadership and good governance will be critical to the success – and even the survival – of
organisations as they negotiate an era of accelerating change, structural reforms, a rapidly evolving
citizen/consumer context and the journey to open government. Good governance is a pre-condition for
delivering consistently good decisions and is the primary determinant of a Council’s reputation. Governance
processes are our business. Governance is multi-faceted: corporate, democratic, community. It is, to some
extent an opinion business. We all want strong, democratic local governance. This conference will seek to
examine whether the governance “model” mostly found in Victorian Local Government is still working…. or,
is it an out-dated model from a different era? Is there a better way and how do we find it?
Program
Facilitator: Gavin Mahoney
Day one: Monday, November 9, 2015
8.45 am
Registration and coffee
Welcome: Bill McArthur, MAV President
9.00 am
The Minister for Local Government, the Honourable Natalie Hutchins MP, “ What the
9.10 am
Victorian Government hopes to Achieve through a review of the Local Government Act
(TBC)
Panel 1: Reviewing the Local Government Act – What can we hope for?
9.35am
Background: The Minister for Local Government has announced there will be a review of
the Local Government Act. It would be a great opportunity wasted if the review only
amounted to a “tidy-up” of the current legislation. It is suggested the Review needs to be a
proactive reform of Local Government legislation which actually modernises Victorian Local
Government:
 from a legal perspective, what needs to change?
 what are the ‘grey areas’ in the current legislation which need to be clarified, and
more particularly, currently lead to role confusion between Councillors and
Management. Can the roles be better defined and practiced?
 does the current legislation sufficiently focus on arrangements that support “Good
Governance’? Is it too concerned with compliance and does it adequately address
inappropriate governance practices?
 are potential Councillors put off by issues such as low remuneration, extensive time
commitments expected of Councillors and different behavioural standards?
Panellists:
 Graeme Emonson, CEO Knox City Council, formerly President LGPro and CEO of
several other Councils
 Kelvin Spiller, Acting CEO City of Greater Geelong, formerly CEO of six
organisations
 Noelene Duff, CEO Whitehorse Council, formerly President of LGMA, President of
LGPro and Vice President Oceania for the International City Managers Association
 John Watson, Chair Brimbank City Council Panel of Administrators, formerly
Executive Director of Local Government Victoria and CEO of several Councils
10.45am
11.15am
Morning tea/networking
Panel 2: Is Victorian Local Government’s “Fundamental Architecture” Fit for
Purpose?
Background: Local Government restructuring in Victoria the early 1990’s created much
larger, fewer Councils. But today’s average sized Victorian Council looks small when
compared to more recent restructuring in Queensland and proposals in New South Wales.
And metropolitan-wide issues such as planning, waste and traffic management continue to
be essentially managed in a relatively fragmented fashion by local governments. Are we
certain that the size, shape and functions of our Councils suit the 21st century? Are we
maximising the potential in both our elected and bureaucratic elements? Can we do better?
Are we seeing a move from representative democracy to participatory democracy? Does
effective integrated land use planning and Infrastructure Coordination suggest structural
change for Victorian Local Government?
Panellists:
 Philip Shanahan, Local Government Consultant, formerly CEO of several Councils
(Lead speaker)
 Cr Amanda Stevens, Mayor, City of Port Phillip
 Peter Seamer, CEO Metropolitan Planning Authority, formerly CEO Federation
Square and several Councils
 Cr Jan Vonarx, Mayor, Alpine Shire Council
 Susan Benedyka, Managing Director The Regional Development Company,
formerly CEO Dubbo City Development Corporation, Charles Sturt University
Council member
12.45pm
1.35pm
Lunch
Panel 3: Effectively Engaging with our Communities – What is the Cutting Edge
Background: Since the 1980’s Council’s community communication resources have
mostly been deployed towards “ media management “ – that is, making press releases,
facilitating press conferences, dealing with media enquiries and continuing to rely on
printed “ good news” publications delivered to the letter box.
In recent times some Councils have been achieving better results through more direct
citizen engagement techniques, including social media
 communicating and building relationships with our Citizens in the twenty –first
century.”
 managing local media still remains a major challenge, especially for those Councils
with high exposure in print, radio and television media on a daily basis.
 making serious inroads into local Community engagement and relationships
through Social media.
 how difficult is it in the “fishbowl“ that is Local Government?
 do local newspapers have a role to inform and facilitate citizen participation?
Panellists:
 Marco Bass, Communications Manager, Moreland City Council, formerly Head of
ABC News and Current Affairs (Lead speaker)
 Deb Ganderton, Executive Manager, Communications and Engagement, City of
Boroondara
 Kate Redwood, Mayor of Hepburn and former Melbourne City Councillor
 John Trevorrow, Editor-in-chief at Leader Community Newspapers, formerly
Managing Editor Herald and Weekly Times
 Fergal Coleman, Director Symphony 3 and Vice President Irish Australian
Chamber of Commerce
3.05pm
Afternoon tea
3.30pm
Panel 4: Are There New Ways to Support Local Democracy
Background: Local government has changed in many ways over the past seventy years.
But, it could also be said that so much is fundamentally the same! It is mostly local
representative democracy with only infrequent excursions into true citizen participation and
citizen empowerment. Is there momentum for a different kind of local democracy?
 participatory Council Planning
 what’s different about Appointed Administrators?
Panellists:
 Mary Crooks AO, Executive Director, Victorian Women’s Trust (Lead speaker)
 Iain Walker, Executive Director, New Democracy Foundation
 Cr Ailsa Fox, Chair of Administrators Rural City of Wangaratta, formerly councillor
for the Shire of Mansfield, a commissioner of the Shire of Murrindindi and a
delegate to Cattle Council of Australia.
 Jane Nathan, Administrator Brimbank City Council, formerly a Councillor, President
of the Australian Population Institute
5pm
Networking function
6pm
Close
Day two: Tuesday, November 10
Panel 5: What is Happening Elsewhere around new forms of Good Governance?
9am
Background: Much is changing in Australia around the structure of Local Government. The
Queensland “Super Councils” and de-amalgamations, back to the future separations, New
South Wales reforms towards much larger Councils and other important changes are all
worthy of some examination.
Panellists:
 Brian Bell, General Manager, Lake Macquarie City Council (NSW), a member of
Hunter Councils Inc
 Graham Sansom, former Chair of the NSW Independent LG Review Panel and a
member of the South Australian LGA Local Excellence Expert Panel
 David Hammond, Chief Executive; Thames-Coromandel District Council (NZ)
 Percy Allen, author of ‘The Virtual Council’ and formerly Chair of the Independent
Inquiry into the financial sustainability of NSW Local Government
10.30am
11am
Morning tea
Panel 6: Meeting our Governance Responsibilities Ethically- The Ends does not
Justify the Means
Background: Ethical behaviours in government and, building and holding community trust
are surely inseparable issues. Do we have an ethical behaviours deficit that is contributing
to an alienation of governing bodies from their citizenry? It seems that the problem is widely
recognised but not enough changes.
Panellists:
 Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Executive Director, The Ethics Centre (Lead speaker)
 Ross Millard, Acting Chief Municipal Inspector, Local Government Investigations
and Compliance Inspectorate
 Yehudi Blacher, public sector specialist, formerly Secretary Department of
Planning and Community Development
 Peter Johnstone, Principal PJ Governance, formerly CEO in several State
Government organisations and Local Councils
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12.30pm
1.15pm
Kate Oliver, Maddocks lawyers
Lunch
Panel 7: The Local Government Brand- Easily Damaged, Difficult to Protect?
Background: It sometimes seems very easy for the print media, in particular, to discredit
Local government. Are we an easy target? Why? Is this inevitable media bashing by a
lazy, populous media, are we paranoid or are we our own worst enemy? Can we do better
to build and protect the Local Government Brand?
Panellists:
 Cr Geoff Lake, MAV Board and formerly President of the MAV and ALGA
 Cr Jackie Fristacky, Formerly Chair Metropolitan Transport Forum
 Cr Stephen Mayne, founder Crikey, shareholder activist
 Marion Macleod, former Boroondara Commissioner, Yarra Councillor, Telstra
executive, now consultant and board director.
2.45pm
– Open Forum – Where to from here?
3.15pm
Close
Cost: $583 (including GST).
To register: For online registration and conference details go to www.mav.asn.au/events
(click on ‘upcoming events’ and scroll down to November 9).
Queries: jhennessy@mav.asn.au
Note: Program subject to change.
Accommodation: Suggest Mercure Hotel, 13 Spring Street, Melbourne. Toll free: 1800
813442