The purpose of the Local Government Practice Unit is to formulate and implement a national workforce development strategy and related measures to assist in addressing the sector`s workforce challenges, build capacity and make Local Government a national employer of choice. Its goals are:

• To establish the LG Practice Unit and the national workforce development reference group to provide an interface between ACELG and the sector;
• To review previous skills strategies against current developments and economic conditions to inform completion of the Future-Proofing Local Government: National Workforce Strategy 2013-2020;
• To implement the recommendations and actions of the Strategy;
• To develop a National Local Government Indigenous Employment Position Paper; and
• To convene a National LG Workforce Development Forum on an annual basis.
   

Without duplicating or competing with existing initiatives, the LG Practice Unit aims to have programs operating, along with relevant tools and resources:

• To address workforce and skills issues and fill gaps;
• To develop new talent pools for the LG sector;
• To ensure the sector is supported by an appropriately skilled workforce; and
• To have LG broadly regarded as a national employer of choice
  

The National Workforce Strategy

The LG Practice Unit is involved with implementation of the National Local Government Workforce Strategy and establishment of a National Local Government Workforce Data Set, which are components of ACELG`s National Local Government Data Project - a Local Government Reform Fund (LGRF) initiative, which was a major national priority of  the then Local Government and Planning Ministers’ Council in 2009. In carrying out the projects, ACELG is working closely with State, Territory and Federal Governments, and with a broad range of local government associations and stakeholders. For more information and to read the Strategy and media releases, click here.

Indigenous Employment in Local Government

Program work on National Local Government Indigenous Employment has been a parallel process involving a national roundtable (convened 26-27 July 2011 - view details), the development of a Position Paper, and initiation of replicable and sustainable Demonstration Projects. Outcomes from the Roundtable and responses to the 2010 Green Paper, Closing the Gap through Place-based Employment  have informed the development of the Position Paper and Demonstration Projects.

The National Local Government Indigenous Employment Position Paper - Closing the Gap through Place-based Employment  was launched by The Hon. Margaret Reynolds, ACELG Chairperson, at the 2nd National LG Indigenous Employment Roundtable held at Alice Springs on 3-4 December 2012.

LGPU Background

In April 2006 Local Government Managers Australia (now LG Professionals Australia) facilitated a Skills Shortage Forum in Canberra to explore and define skills shortage issues in Local Government. An outcome of the forum was the formation of a National Skills Shortage Steering Committee, and the development of the National Skills Shortage Strategy for Local Government in 2007.   

The role carried out by the National Skills Shortage Steering Committee has now been taken over by the National Workforce Development Reference Group which now functions as ACELG and the LG Practice Unit`s national workforce development reference group.

A key platform of the 2007 National Strategy was the recommendation for the establishment of a virtual Local Government Centre for Excellence to showcase, promote and develop best practice in workforce development; to provide a LG information clearing house; and to provide toolkits, templates and other practical resources to the sector. It was envisaged that the centre would have a `practical arm` to provide an interface between the centre and the sector. This is one of  the LG Practice Unit`s many functions.