INSPIRE CONFERENCE 

Conference Sessions

The money matters

Local government activities are directed and shaped by the financial position of council.  Having an understanding of the financial requirements, responsibilities, revenue sources, key expenditures and decision-making can assist every officer to be a better contributor, regardless of their role.  This session will give a snapshot for non-finance professionals to ensure they understand the context in which they are working.

What happens at the top

This panel of CEOs will share their thoughts on what it is like to be the CEO of a Queensland local government.  Why would you choose to do this role?  Why would you not do this role?  And how can officers better support CEOs for the success of their organisations and benefit of the community?  Hear from experienced officers as they offer the ‘must know’ guide for local government officers; what they think participants need to know to be high-performers in any local government organisation.

Who’s setting the rules?

Local government is a creature of legislation.  State Government legislation provides local government with its powers and also lists its responsibilities.  This session will explore the Local Government Act 2009 and associated regulations which dictate how local governments operate and why the obvious solution is not always the permitted solution.

Why are we here?

What is the purpose of local government?  According to legislation, it is to support community through the delivery of essential local services.  But, as the tier of government closest to the community, local governments deliver so much more than the ‘essential’ services of roads, rates and rubbish.  As a result, councils are faced with a whole new range of community expectations.  For officers, that means spending time getting to understand those expectations and how best to meet them (or not).  This session will consider community engagement and the provision of wider community services – why we deliver them and what this means for our work and approach.

Building a local government career

This panel session will discuss the challenges and joys of working in local government.  The panellists will share their experiences; the expected, the disappointments and the surprises.  Looking through their eyes may give you a different perspective on your role and on local government as a career.

Staying in your lane

As public servants, local government officers are subject to specific legislation which dictates how we conduct ourselves in our working lives and, to some extent, our private lives.  While following your council’s code of conduct might help you stay on the right side of the lines, a deeper understanding of the applicable legislation will make sure of it.  This session will unpick the critical elements that apply to every local government officer.

It’s all about perception

Public perceptions about the role of local government, its responsibilities, its capabilities and its powers often no way correlate with the reality.  To what extent does it matter, does it affect how we do our roles or impact the provision of services to the community?  And is there a role for each of us and our organisations to change the narrative?

Networking – it isn’t just about LinkedIn

Networking is a core skillset which is critical to a successful local government career.  The term has been highjacked by social media which purports to offer networking on a global scale.  But what about the networking that we do, or should be doing, at a very local level?  This session will examine the importance of networking in local government; what internal networking looks like; and why it should be a key performance indicator for every officer.

Adjusting your default settings

Pre-email and texts, communication was something that largely involved a voice interaction where all elements of the communication (words, tone and body language) could be factored into interpretation and response.  The advent of email and immediate communication has not only changed expectations, but it has reduced our ability to interpret messages and correct mis-communication.  So how do you mitigate the communication challenges we all face to ensure that you are clear in your own communication and also give others every opportunity to be clear in theirs?  Hint, it starts with listening (not just with your ears) and involves overriding your brain’s default settings.