Independent Inquiry Into The Financial Sustainability Of Nsw Local Government Final Report Findings And Recommendations

Recent Australian local government structural reform has manifested as council amalgamations and predominantly as imposed merger processes. This book examines council amalgamations across Australia over the past two decades and uncovers the case of council amalgamation in the NSW Clarence Valley Council (CVC) since 2004. The case of forced amalgamation of four general-purpose and two county councils could have been a recipe for chaos; instead this book describes the gains and the challenges. Writing from deep seated knowledge of local government this book details the net positive economic outcomes and financial benefits against measurable indicators and describes the impacts on local democracy. Based on detailed research, this long term local government ‘insider’ perspective will be of value to all those interested in driving change through local government reform.

Effective governance is a crucial aspect of all modern nations. Through various collaborative efforts and processes, nations can enhance their current governance systems. The Handbook of Research on Sub-National Governance and Development is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly material on the intersection between local and national politics, analyzing how this relationship affects nations’ economy and administration. Highlighting theoretical foundations and real-world applications, this book is ideally designed for professionals, academics, students, and practitioners actively involved in the fields of public policy and governance.

Policy Analysis in Australia offers a distinctly Australian interpretation of policy scholarship with eighteen chapters strongly reflecting the outstanding contributions of Australian scholars to the field of public policy. It provides a coherent overview of the strengths and opportunities for policy analysis in Australia. It recognises that government agencies are no longer regarded as the sole source of sound policy analysis, and takes a broad view of policy analysis capacity, both within institutions at all levels of government, and beyond government in the media, political parties, business, and non-government associations. It provides a valuable contribution to Australian scholarship about policy analysis in academic, professional, teaching and learning contexts, and is a key addition to research and teaching in comparative policy analysis and policy studies more generally.

The authors of Advocates and Persuaders aim to demystify the political practice of lobbying. They believe that lobbying has a significant role to play in a healthy democracy, and they examine it closely in the contexts of federal, state and local government. They also shine a spotlight on the involvement of the media, regulators and pollsters in lobbying and include as case studies analyses of lobbying by a diversity of organisations, ranging widely from large corporations to grass roots activists.

Local government can be defined as a public entity acting as the sub-unit of a state or of a region, charged with the task of enforcing public policies. There have been many reforms of local government in recent years from the grassroots-led movement that took root in the 90’s to the overarching effects of globalization and decentralization. Local governments must adapt their practices in order to most effectively provide for their constituents. Theoretical Foundations and Discussions on the Reformation Process in Local Government addresses the effects of recent reforms in the political-administrative system of local governments and politics as well as future outlooks. It reviews the challenges, innovations, and lessons from local governments while providing theoretical perspectives on methods for positive reform. This book is a critical reference source for policy makers, government organizations, professionals, and actors in both local and international politics.

Sections include: "Setting the scene: old questions or new?", "Drivers for change: new approaches to federalism and regionalism", and "New institutions? Approaching the challenge of reform."

This analytical volume looks at emerging fiscal trends and introduces the tools for effective financial management to American business professionals in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This hard-hitting book is the most comprehensive reference to financial theory and practice for operating a business—profit or nonprofit—in the United States today. Content focuses on fiscally responsible behaviors and strategies, such as the introduction of a financial auditing system to troubleshoot potential problems before they occur, the creation of internal control and risk management systems, and step-by-step procedures for ensuring maximum transparency and accountability in every part of the organization. Author and financial expert Jerome B. McKinney has expanded on the previous edition of this popular financial text, offering the latest best practices in e-government applications, cash flow analysis, revenue forecasting, and fiscal health evaluations. This fourth edition also looks at sustainability, the role of monetary policies and fiscal policy, globalization and its competitive impact, and the massive growth of outsourcing. On a final note, the work explains how recent legislation has influenced the development, use, and implementation of performance measures holding government agencies more accountable for their actions.