STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT;

1. STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT; National Local Government Corporate Services Conference. Sofitel Melbourne, October 10, 2012. Bill Scales.

2. A very important conference; An important conference because; • An efficient and effective Corporate Services is central to ensuring Local Government has the ability to deliver some of the core services effecting our local amenity and our living standards. • This conference gives you an opportunity to discover and discuss your particular role in an ever changing Local Government landscape.

3. A very important topic; Striving for Excellence in Local Government is an important topic because; • It forces us to consider what we mean by excellence in the provision of Local Government Corporate Services. • It demands that we understand the strategic place of Corporate Services in contemporary Local Government in Australia. Excellence in Corporate Services; A necessary condition for Excellence in Local Government more broadly. • A thorough examination will help you to discover your very particular challenges in achieving excellence and how to address them.

4. Main issues to cover; • Some possible futures for Local Government. • Some implications for Local Government Corporate Services. • The future actions required by those involved in Local Government Corporate Services to achieve excellence.

5. Some possible futures for Local Government; A redefined role for all levels of Australian Government • A National Government with an expanded funding and regulatory role in areas traditionally occupied by State Governments, such as health, education and environmental regulation. • The maintenance of the States role in legal and policing matters. • A reduction in the independence of States in most areas of service delivery and significant infrastructure development. • International competition drives an imperative for national consistency in service delivery and States act primarily as contract managers on behalf of the National Government for the delivery of services such as health, education, infrastructure and transport. • Local Government maintains many of its traditional roles and has an extended role in the provision of services on behalf of the National Government in areas such as aged care and disability care. Increased involvement of Local Government in infrastructure projects of national significance.

6. Some possible futures for Local Government; State based ‘radical’ reform • The National Government’s relationship with local Government remains the same. • State Governments radically reform Local Government by significantly increasing the size of all local government areas to improve their financial and operational viability and their productivity. • Alongside of this ‘bulking up’ of local government areas, there is reform of the Local Government Act to allow popularly elected mayors, and ‘tickets’ for the election of like minded individuals.

7. Some possible futures for local Government; Incremental, ill-defined and opportunistic changes; • Change to the role of local government is opportunistic and incremental, and happens without clearly redefined roles for the National and State governments.

8. General environment under which Corporate Services will operate under any of these possiblefutures; • The productivity imperative; - continually doing more, with less. • A communications and information revolution. • A rapidly changing labour market. • Uncertainty about whether our current governance arrangements will allow us to meet the challenges of the future. • The demands for significant improvements in the performance of Local Government will continue.

9. What excellence might look like for some specific Corporate Services; Human Resources and People; • A deep understanding of Local Government labour markets. • A commitment to applying only efficient internal labour market regulation. • A Human Resources system aimed at motivating all staff to meet the needs of their particular clients. • A contemporary professional development system.

10. What excellence might look like for some specific Corporate Services; Finance; • Detailed knowledge of contemporary accounting and finance principles, laws and practices. • The custodian of a comprehensive data and analysis capability. • Outstanding and timely financial reporting. • Sophisticated understanding and analysis of risk. • An outstanding Internal Audit System. • A timely and comprehensive provision of internal divisional financial reporting aimed at supporting divisional improvement initiatives.

11. What excellence might look like for some specific Corporate Services; Information and Digital Technology; • The availability of reliable and appropriate, information, digital and communications technology. • Constant monitoring of the performance of the IT, digital and Communications capabilities from a user perspective. • A disciplined approach to the funding of the implementation and maintenance of all IT, digital and communications initiatives. • The development and constant upgrading of the organisations IT, digital and Communications strategic direction.

12. What excellence might look like for some specific Corporate Services; Procurement; • High levels of integrity. • Sophisticated Procurement Strategies. • Outstanding ‘tendering’ systems. • Impeccable stock control. • Ability to develop competitive markets where they don’t exist. • Driven by a need to give citizens ‘value for money’ procurement.

13. What excellence might look like for some specific Corporate Services? Corporate Communications; • The acknowledged thought leader in contemporary ideas, principles and practices in corporate communications. • A clearly defined Communications Plan. • Constant monitoring of the effectiveness of the Plan in relation the communication and information needs of Council, staff, Governments and the community. • Involvement in the training of all relevant staff in modern communication techniques and skills.

14. Demands on Corporate Services under any possible future; • Ability to work in an uncertain and constantly changing world. • Flexibility. • Resourcefulness. • Technical Excellence. • Outstanding communication skills and capabilities. • Ability to work within and across ‘portfolios’ and with all levels of government and the private sector.

15. Summary; • This is an important conference. Local Government Corporate Services are important. • Creating and maintaining excellence in Corporate Services in Local Government is an important issue for our community. • Under any likely future scenario for Local Government, Corporate Services in Local Government has a critical role in achieving and maintaining efficient and effective performance. • Excellence in Corporate Services; A necessary condition for Excellence in Local Government more broadly. • Each area of Corporate Services will need to have it’s own well defined ‘Excellence’ agenda.

16. Conclusion; • Supported by an outstanding Corporate Services Sector, Local Government in Australia canhelp to improve the productivity of our nation and the well-being of its citizens. • This is your challenge, this is your opportunity.

17. Thank you