The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has elected a new President, Mayor Troy Pickard, at its annual general meeting in Tamworth.
Mayor of the City of Joondalup, Mayor Pickard is also currently the President of the Western Australian Local Government Association. He has been a director of ALGA since 2007 and served as a vice president of the organisation since 2010.
Mayor Pickard said it was an enormous honour and privilege to be elected to the role.
He paid tribute to his predecessor Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis who has not only stepped down from her role as ALGA President but who also did not re-contest for her role as Mayor of the City of Marion in the recent South Australian Local Government elections. “Felicity-ann has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in local government, which included being the City of Marion’s longest serving Mayor and the city’s first female Mayor. She has served as ALGA president for the past two years, and capably led the organisation during its push for a referendum on constitutional recognition of local government.
Mayor Pickard said his attention during his term as president would focus on a number of issues dominating the local government agenda including the Federation and Taxation White paper processes and ensuring a strong voice for local government in any reform of the Federation and Taxation; leading ALGA’s campaign to have indexation of Financial Assistance Grants restored and continued advocacy for permanency for Roads to Recovery funding.
“It is crucial that local government maintains a direct relationship with the Commonwealth to ensure that the level of government closest to the community is financially sustainable, and able to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of the community it serves. We must make certain that local government is strengthened, not weakened, by any proposed reforms.”
“The campaign to restore indexation of Financial Assistance Grants is one that must continue to ensure all councils are able to provide their communities with an equitable level of services, no matter their size or location in Australia.”
