Minutes (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 2

11/9/2019

Minutes (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 15

11/09/2019

EWIN

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Community, Culture and Events Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 7 August 2019, be confirmed as an accurate record.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

6.1      City of Hobart Public Art Framework

EWIN

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Cultural Programs Coordinator, the Manager Inclusive, Resilient and Creative Communities and the Director Community Life of 5 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council adopt the proposed new City of Hobart Public Art Framework marked as Attachment A to item 6.1 of the Open Community Culture and Events Committee agenda of 11 September 2019.

            2.    An increase of $100,000 to the annual Public Art Fund be included for consideration in the 2020-21 budget preparation and ongoing.

(i)    An allocation of $43,800 per annum from this allocation would be utilised in 2020-21 and 2021-22 for the two-year Signal Box Project (50 traffic signal boxes painted over this two year period).

            3.    The additional Public Art Fund allocation be able to be accrued across several financial years to enable the realisation of larger projects.

            4.    The Council list for consideration an ongoing one percent of the annual City of Hobart new capital works budget for public art.

(i)    The allocation be able to accumulate across financial years, and expenditure of the allocation to go towards the inclusion of public art in major and/or significant capital works projects.

            5.    That consideration be given regarding a process to make amendments to the 2015 Interim Planning Scheme, and any subsequent schemes, to include a mandatory requirement for developments valued at or above $3,000,000 to contribute 1 per cent of the value to public art on the development site or in public space within specific zones (Sullivans Cove, Central Business Zone, Commercial Zone). Details of this process would be presented in a future report to Council prior to implementation.

6.2      Draft Capital City Strategic Plan 2019-29 - Community Engagement

SEXTON

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Senior Advisor Strategic Planning, the Manager Economic Development, Engagement and Strategy and the Director Community Life of 4 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the Council adopt the City of Hobart Capital City Strategic Plan 2019-29 marked as Attachment B to item 6.2 of the Open Community Culture and Events Committee agenda of 11 September 2019.

6.3      City of Hobart Grants Program - Annual Program 2019 Recommendations

SHERLOCK

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Community Activation and Grants Co-ordinator, Manager Activation Programs and Tourism and the Director Community Life of 5 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council approve the recommended level of funding to the respective applicants for assistance under the 2019-20 City of Hobart Grants Program, marked as Attachments A and B to item 6.3 of the Open Community Culture and Events Committee agenda of 11 September 2019, under the streams of Creative Hobart Major Cultural Organisations and Event Partnerships.

            2.    The Council note the projects not recommended for funding from this round of the City of Hobart Grants Program as detailed in Attachments A and B to item 6.3 of the Open Community Culture and Events Committee agenda of 11 September 2019.

            3.    The value of the combined recommended projects is noted as:

            ·        $40,000 for Creative Hobart Major Cultural Organisations, and

            ·        $300,000 for Event Partnerships.

            4.    There are no unallocated funds remaining from either grant streams within the 2019-20 financial year.

            5.    The funding for the grants be attributed to the Activation and Events Budget Function in the 2019-20 Annual Plan.

            6.    All funding applicants be advised accordingly.

            7.    The total grant provision be recorded in the ‘Grants, Assistance and Benefits provided’ section of the City of Hobart’s Annual Report.

            8.    The provision of triennial funding agreements for Event Partnerships be removed from the policy, taking effect from the 2020-21 financial year.

6.4      Conference Reporting - Don Dunstan Foundation Conference - Adelaide - 6 - 8 August 2019

SHERLOCK

That the recommendation contained in the report of the General Manager of 30 August 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the information be received and noted.

6.5      Applications Approved Under the Delegated Authority of the Director Community Life for Quick Response Grants

SHERLOCK

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Director Community Life of 5 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the information be received and noted.

7.1      Newstart Allowance

EWIN

That in accordance with Council’s policy, the following Notice of Motion which was adopted by the Community, Culture and Events Committee , be considered by the Council.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

Motion:

“That the City of Hobart notes that the low rate of Newstart payments exacerbates poverty and homelessness; therefore:

1.   The Council note that a number of elected members have signed a submission which has been forwarded to the senate enquiry into the “Adequacy of Newstart and related payments and alternative mechanisms to determine the level of income support payments in Australia.”

2.   The General Manager provide further advice on how to best address the issue within the Council’s current governance structure.

3.   The Council condemns the proposed introduction of a cashless welfare card and drug testing of welfare recipients.”

Rationale:

“The intent of this motion is to support the Functions and Powers as stated in the Local Government Act 1993, in particular, Section 20 (3) of the Act outlines clearly that advocating for our community is part of our function and power. In particular S. 20 (3) states that our function is to:

(3)  A council may do anything necessary or convenient to perform its functions either within or outside its municipal area.

With this as a guiding principle, the Act further expands on how a Councillor may go about performing these functions, in particular, we note Section 20 (2) which clearly states:

(2)  In performing its functions, a council is to consult, involve and be accountable to the community.

In summary, as indicated by document in 2018, entitled A Guide For Prospective Councillors, "Councils are elected to provide leadership for, and the good governance of, the municipal area. In performing their functions, councils are required to consult, involve and be accountable to the community. They must consider the diverse needs of the local community in their decision-making, setting and monitoring strategic objectives and in ensuring resources are managed in a responsible manner." As per Section 20 (1) (g), the intent of this motion is to represent and promote the interests of the community.

This particular motion, then, has been supported by eleven local councils in South Australia and Victoria. This is not a motion that is not within the functions and powers of the HCC but marries advocacy via promotion of community interests.

Newstart, at $269 per week, is $177 per week below the Henderson poverty line. It is less than 41 percent of the minimum wage, less than 18 percent of the average wage, and has not been raised in real terms since 1994.

The Newstart payment is the second lowest in the developed world.

An Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) survey of 600 Newstart recipients in 2015 reported:

■      40% are unable to pay their bills on time;

■      40% are unable to see a dentist;

■      50% are unable to raise $2,000 in the event of an emergency;

■      50% are turning off heating and cooling to save money;

■      32% skipped meals in the previous year;

■      25% are suffering from severe housing stress — spending more than half their income on rent; and

■      20% do not have enough money for essentials like housing, food and electricity.

One of the reasons Newstart is so low is that it is intended as a temporary payment while people are between jobs. However, according to figures released by the Government, the average time spent on Newstart is over four years. This is largely due to the lack of jobs available. According to the latest government data, there are 2.8 million people competing for only 180,000 jobs. Newstart has become a one-way ticket to entrenched poverty.

We also know that the low rate of Newstart is a major factor pushing people into homelessness. According to a 2017 study by Anglicare, only .03% of all properties on the national market are affordable for a single person living on Newstart.

There is also a growing problem of Newstart recipients with disabilities being unable to afford the medicines they need. 25% of Newstart recipients have a diagnosed disability. This is because of significant attacks over the past several years on the ability to access the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

Increasing the Newstart rate to the Henderson Poverty Line ($1026.24 per fortnight) – the most reliable and regularly updated measure of poverty in Australia – will go a long way to giving Newstart recipients control over their lives, helping them out of poverty, and enabling them to participate in meaningful community life.

Increasing Newstart would benefit local economies. By increasing the spending power of those on low incomes, extra funds would circulate through local businesses. It would also reduce the strain on Council community services assisting the growing number of people experiencing hardship, particularly homelessness. Experts in this area frequently point out that the low rate of Newstart contributes to crime, mental health issues, and creates an extra strain on council and health services.

Increasing Newstart will not only help people into employment, but create a more prosperous community. There are thousands of unemployed people in the Hobart LGA who need our representation and advocacy.

The Business Council of Australia has advocated to the Federal government that the low rate of Newstart is a barrier to employment and risks entrenching poverty. Auditing company KPMG and the OECD have also advocated for an increase in Newstart, as well as the community sector.

Already there is a ground swell of local councils who have taken up this issue. Nineteen local councils across Australia have already passed similar motions declaring their support for raising Newstart. ALGA also passed a motion in June 2018 calling on the Federal Government to raise Newstart. Advocacy for our community is important now, as ever. Since June 2018 we have had a Federal election, and the subject of Newstart is once again the subject of Parliamentary discussion. The more councils who adopt this demand, the more pressure can be applied on the Federal government to do the right thing by our community.

References and resources:

ABS data on average wages https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0?opendocument&ref=HPKI

ACOSS data on Newstart poverty https://www.acoss.org.au/media_release/budget_must_not_forget_the_unemployed_83_dont_have_enough_to_live_on/

Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot- 0.03% of properties affordable to people on Newstart https://www.anglicare.asn.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/rental-affordability-snapshot-2017.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Australian Unemployed Workers Union- Jobseekers vs. available jobs data http://unemployedworkersunion.com/job-seekers-v-job-vacancy-data/

DHS- Disability Support Pension information https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension

Fair Work Australia- info on minimum wages, cost of living https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/minimum-workplace-entitlements/minimum-wages#current-national-minimum-wage

KPMG and OECD calling for increase in Newstart https://www.acoss.org.au/media_release/kpmg-repeats-its-call-for-an-increase-to-newstart/#_ftn1

Melbourne Institute- Applied Economic and Social Research: Poverty Lines Australia https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2540471/Poverty-lines-Australia-June-2017.pdf

National Social Security Rights Network- ¼ of Newstart recipients has a significant disability http://www.nssrn.org.au/social-security-rights-review/1-in-4-on-newstart-has-a-significant-disability/.”

8.1      Committee Actions - Status Report

SEXTON

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That the information be received and noted.