Keynote for Livewire - Encouraging innovation in local Government

Editor's Notes

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2. Today we are going to talk about being responsible as an organisation\n
3. There are three areas of responsibility\n\nThis is called a triple bottom line approach -> we are aiming for surplus in each of these areas\n\nIPR process is essential to ensuring that this approach is implemented\n
4. This covers: fair work/employment; safety; training opportunities; equality; happiness\n\nPeople will gravitate towards local government because they want to make a difference to their community, it is the responsibility of the organisation to support these personal goals\n\nFor LGAs, this specifically relates to your level of engagement with your communities\n
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6. This is the main thing people think of when you say ‘Sustainability’\n\nTo be responsible, you must first understand, then set targets, then manage, then evaluate\n\nEnvironmental policies alone don’t have any impact (Walmart comment of eco product on shelf)\n\nEvery LGA would have some form of environmental policy but most are far from it being a strategic resource\n
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8. Strong economic growth should equal more employment, training and a greater capacity to give back\n\nWhen dealing in ‘public money’, you’re responsible for financial stewardship\n\nEmployees and community aren’t (usually) stupid, unless you tell them the strategy behind economic policies, they will judge you on the input not the output\n Eg “things are tight, don’t spend money” vs “we love projects under 2yr payback and under 100K”\n
9. Internal and external value creation - from where you raise revenue to where you provide services\n Council is not simply income wealth distribution, but creates value through addressing market failures for services that have externalities eg. free youth centres keep kids off the street where they wouldn’t otherwise pay\n\nI’m sure most LGAs want to say they they have a ‘well balanced’ city. But what are your ‘hooks’?\n How do you keep your university graduates from leaving?\n\nBest organisations drive growth through revenue and profitability through efficiency\n\nEvery stakeholder has expectations on the responsibility of the business - these can conflict and must be managed\n
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11. Federal and state government will not fix this problem, LGAs are in the same category as business\n\nBusiness will not be able to ‘survive’ on the fence, they need to innovate and adapt or risk becoming obsolesce - help them to attract further investment in your area - because we’re looking\n\nNumber 1 risk isn’t government policy, it’s losing proactive high-growth businesses to other regions that support their innovation\n
12. We have achieved great wealth in Australia and enjoy higher wages - implications on manufacturing but also delivery of LGA services - costs have increased quicker than revenues\n\nTo achieve a truly sustainable council, we need to be more productive and efficient in how we operate\n
13. Every person in this room has the ability to be entrepreneurial within their own council\n\nThere has been an underlying theme in the last two days on leadership and innovation\n\nA low-carbon sustainable council requires you to start things, lots of things...gain momentum\n\nThis is a hot topic and will get media attention if you can get things moving\n
14. Employee engagement: employees feel like they have influence on their work and the direction of the organisation\n\nEngaged employees: praise, perform, persist, perfect - Ben Palmer (yesterday)\n
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24. 50:50 funding - so it’s not free money\n\nWill help councils who have tight investment guidelines to improve return on investment ratios\n
25. Town halls, community centres, libraries, historic buildings, showgrounds, church halls\n\nSports grounds and stadiums, swimming pools, community attractions\n\nPlaygroup and youth centres\n
26. Pick a project that provides significant joint benefits beyond the funding\n\neg. standardising street lighting -> upgrade together for long-term buying power and inventory management\n
27. Pick a project that provides significant joint benefits beyond the funding\n\neg. standardising street lighting -> upgrade together for long-term buying power and inventory management\n
28. lighting, air conditioning, co-gen or tri-gen, building management systems, community transport\n\n- This may be exciting for engineers, but for the rest of us...\n
29. lighting, air conditioning, co-gen or tri-gen, building management systems, community transport\n\n- This may be exciting for engineers, but for the rest of us...\n
30. Websites, community monitoring, workshops, spreading learning\n\nYou all can have an active role in shaping these projects\n
31. Websites, community monitoring, workshops, spreading learning\n\nYou all can have an active role in shaping these projects\n
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