Local Government NSW has launched two campaigns with the hope of aligning state and federal agendas with local government priorities.

Newly re-elected Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Linda Scott says the association will be pushing state and federal governments to support stronger drought measures and recycling growth in partnership with councils as part of a far-reaching new advocacy agenda set at last week’s LGNSW Annual Conference.

“More than 120 motions on a wide variety of issues were up for debate at this year’s conference, with the need for stronger drought and resilience measures to help councils and communities address longer term impacts at the top of the agenda,” said Cr Scott.

“It takes a long time for communities to recover from the effects of drought and our changing climate, and we will be lobbying for better government partnerships and funding to help affected councils help their communities through that recovery process, and to build more resilient places.”

Cr Scott said LGNSW also wants action to tackle the state’s growing recycling crisis.

“It’s almost 10 years since the launch of a national policy designed to solve waste issues and invigorate sustainable recycling, but every indicator shows NSW recycling rates are declining. We know we can do better, but it requires investment,” she said. 

“The Save Our Recycling campaign calls on the NSW government to reinvest the $770 million Waste Levy it collects to councils so they can develop regional plans for the future of waste and resource recovery. It also calls for funding for priority infrastructure and other projects, procured by councils, that are needed to deliver regional-scale plans.”

The campaign also pushes for every tier of government to procure more locally-produced recycled products, from recycled plastic play equipment and park benches to crushed glass road bedding, to reinvigorate the state’s recycling industry. 

“And to support these efforts we want government to fund and deliver a state-wide education campaign to support recycling, focusing on the right way to recycle as well as promoting the purchase of recycled products,” said Cr Scott.

Other conference outcomes were:

• A call for the state government to join 900 governments worldwide in declaring a climate emergency and a bipartisan effort to avert a climate crisis in NSW;
• Removal of rate exemptions on commercial forestry, commercial leases in national parks and social housing so everyone pays a fair share;
• A new funding system to address the spike in emergency services costs because of changes to workers' compensation. 

See the full list of motions passed here.