Nearly 1,000 local government leaders from across Australia gathered in Canberra in early July for the 2024 National General Assembly of Local Government, including Moira Shire Council's Chief Executive Officer Matthew Morgan and Administrator Suzanna Sheed AM.
Mr Morgan emphasised the significance of the National General Assembly as a platform for sharing perspectives and strategies to address the challenges and opportunities facing local government organisations.
"Attending the National General Assembly provides a unique opportunity to 'cross-pollinate' while gaining insights into best practices that can be implemented in our municipality. We are committed to leveraging the knowledge and connections gained to drive positive change within our region," said Mr Morgan.
"The insights gained from this assembly will inform strategic planning and help us address the challenges and opportunities facing Moira Shire. We are excited to bring back new ideas that will benefit our residents."
Participants engaged in workshops and sessions aimed at enhancing strategic initiatives and fostering collaboration with other local government organisations. They Assembly featured addresses by the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency, the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, as well as many members of federal parliament, including the Hon Catherine King, the Hon Kristy McBain, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, the Hon Darren Chester, and Luke Gosling OAM MP.
Administrator Sheed highlighted the value of the Assembly, stating "it is important for us to continue to learn from other councils and share experiences. Opportunities like this also strengthen our ability to advocate for our community's needs at a federal level."
This year's National General Assembly included sessions on housing and community infrastructure, emergency management, roads and transport, and energy transition, that provided councils with the opportunity to exchange ideas between councils, the federal public service, and other stakeholders. The program also included consideration of 160 motions submitted by councils, outlining opportunities for the Federal Government to better support councils and Australian communities.
Moira Shire Council welcomed the Federal Government announcement at the Assembly that Roads to Recovery funding has been doubled – a program used to fund road renewals – and other road funding infrastructure programs would be increased. This includes the Black Spot Program, which provides funding to upgrade road infrastructure for safety purposes.
