Australia’s National Local Government Newspaper LGFocus.com.au
April 2026
Looking to the future
Townsville Youth Council Secretariat Gabrielle Duke and Mayor Zane Dempsey, alongside Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto and Deputy Mayor Suzy Batkovic, gearing up for Youth Fest. Learning for Life Youth Fest @ Flinders Lane will run from 9am-3pm on Thursday and Friday, April 16-17, and is free for all young people aged 12–25.
Flinders Lane will be abuzz for two days this month with Townsville Youth Council – supported by Townsville City Council – set to deliver a free festival focused on the real-life priorities of teens and young adults. The Learning for Life Youth Fest at Flinders Lane provides opportunities for young people to explore study, work and personal growth pathways. Professionals and service providers will be on hand to chat about money and finance, moving out and gaining independence, and mental health and wellbeing. Across two days festivalgoers can rotate through a series of zones, each with their own unique offerings ranging from leadership workshops and money literacy lessons through to free professional headshots and creative activities.
Crisis talks... Local Government Associations across the country have been calling for action over the past few weeks as fuel supply constraints and rising costs put councils and communities under increasing pressure. The Australian Local Government Association has been advocating for local government to be recognised as a key part of the national response to fuel supply challenges, and to be included in national-level decision-making. While LGNSW held a meeting of mayors from across NSW in an effort to prevent waste collection services grinding to a halt as the fuel crisis escalated and WALGA hosted it’s first meeting with new State Fuel Security Controller Rob Cossart. ALGA President, Mayor Matt Burnett, said councils are feeling the impacts of supply uncertainty and escalating costs. “Local government is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to fuel supply and service delivery
across Australia,” Mayor Burnett said. “We know how hard it is for councils to continue delivering essential services when their bottom lines are affected by rising fuel costs.” Councils rely on fuel to deliver a wide range of services that communities depend on every day, including road maintenance, waste and recycling collection, water and sewerage operations, and community transport. There are also challenges with the safety of residents storing large quantities of fuel in communities. Councils are often the first to respond to community safety concerns like these. Mayor Burnett said many councils are already feeling the impacts of rising fuel costs flowing
through contractor arrangements and limiting the scope of infrastructure works. “Councils and ratepayers can’t continue to absorb ever-increasing costs,” he said. “Without recognition of these pressures, there is a real risk to service delivery and infrastructure outcomes, particularly in regional and remote communities that are also at risk of missing out on essential deliveries of food and other goods.” ALGA is calling for practical, coordinated policy responses that recognise the essential role of local government. “We welcome every opportunity to engage with the Federal Government on this issue, including through forums like National Cabinet,”
Mayor Burnett said. “It’s important that local government perspectives are part of these discussions, so councils can continue to deliver for their communities.” More than 60 Councils from across NSW issued a call for the NSW Government to guarantee fuel supplies for Council garbage and waste collections in the face of increasing shortages and costs. The meeting of Councils convened by LGNSW President Mayor Darcy Byrne also proposed that any fuel cost increases incurred by Councils for waste collections be subsidised by the waste levy Councils pay to the Government. Continued page 2
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