The Town Crier Turns 50!

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The Town Crier Turns 50!

Today UTS:ACELG's official blog, 'the Town Crier', celebrates its 50th published article. The blog launched in January 2014 as a forum to promote the exchange of knowledge and ideas relating to local government in Australia and internationally. The blog publishes original commentary and analysis by and for an audience of local government practitioners, researchers, students and professionals.

In its year or so of operation, the Town Crier has published a wide variety of articles covering the full spectrum of local government activities and interests.

The blog has provided commentary on a number of challenges and opportunities facing local government, both in Australia and internationally, for example on local government elections, emerging technologies, research practice, localism, and environmental benchmarking.

The blog has showcased innovative examples of leading practice in Australian local government, for example on topics as diverse as water and waste management, youth engagement, service delivery, mobile apps, and economic development.

The blog has provided recaps of key local government events, both in Australia and overseas, for example: conferences of Rural Councils Victoria, Local Government NSW and Environmental Health Australia; the Palembang International Conference on Local Government; the Australian Multicultural Council forum; and the 2014 Greater China-Australia Dialogue on Public Administration.

The blog has also operated as a conduit for the exchange of knowledge between those active in the sector. For example, the blog has been used to source input for local government research, showcase the outputs of the Local Government Management Challenge, feature interviews with local government practitioners, and promote tools to improve local government practice.

Going Forward

The Town Crier is looking to strengthen its output and impact in the coming months and years. This means new articles identifying leading practice, fresh debates on policy, and a raft of other features and resources designed to facilitate a dialogue on local government in Australia and internationally.

To get involved with the Town Crier in 2015 and beyond, you could consider:

  • Following UTS:ACELG on Twitter, Facebook or RSS to stay abreast of all the latest updates and articles.
     
  • Commenting on articles that you find of interest (beneath the article). This might include asking follow up questions of the authors, or presenting your own supporting or dissenting opinions.
     
  • Sharing the blog with your network of associates, be they practitioners, academics, professionals, students, or local government dilettantes.
     
  • Writing for the blog. UTS:ACELG accepts unsolicited submissions to the Town Crier all year round, and on any subject related to local government in Australia or overseas. For details on submitting a draft article, and on the benefits of blogging, see the Submission Guidelines.
     

Thank you to all of our readers and contributors for the first year of the Town Crier. We look forward to building the blog into a vibrant hub of local government knowledge and idea sharing in the coming months and years!

Chris Watterson is a Project Officer at the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.