Local Government

Local Government is one of the three tiers of government in Australia and plays an essential role in the development and maintenance of the local community infrastructure and services. Local Government provides services which complement those provided by the other tiers of government. The power of Local Government is controlled by Acts of State Parliament and is regulated within the boundaries of such laws, often through a State or Territory Department with responsibility for Local Government and regional development.

Local Government is generally responsible for

• Building Regulations
• Planning
• Community and Infrastructure Development
• Public and Environmental Health
• Local Roads and Footpaths
• Parks and Playing Fields
• Libraries
• Local Environment development and maintenance
• Waste Disposal

There are 79 councils in Victoria consisting of between 5 to 15 elected Councillors. The Council is led by the Mayor, or Lord Mayor. In some Local Government Authorities, the Council area is divided into sections called wards or ridings each with its own councillor. The work of the Local Government Authority is managed by the Chief Executive Officer, leading a team of specialist staff.

For more detailed information on career in Local Government, go to: www.careergov.com.au

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) represents and advocate the interests of local government. For more information go to: www.mav.asn.au.

Local Government Training Package LGA04

The Local Government Training Package is designed as a flexible framework which allows qualifications to be packaged using units of competency drawn from across all streams of the Training Package as well as from imported units. It is, therefore, essential that both the volumes that comprise this Training Package are accessed and used in conjunction with each other and with the qualifications and packaging rules which follow.

Qualifications Framework

Generalist, Administration, Regulatory Services, Health and Environment, Planning and Land Management Qualifications Framework

The following framework supports generalist, administration, regulatory services, health and environment, planning and land management qualifications:

Overview: Packaging to Gain a Qualification

Packaging Rules

• Imported and local government specialist and general elective units are to be drawn from an AQF level that will ensure that the integrity of the qualification level is maintained.
• General elective units can be drawn from within the Local Government Training Package common, specialist or general elective pools or imported from other Training Packages while not exceeding the nominated maximum number of imported units.
• No specialist, general or imported elective units used in the packaging of a qualification are to be included in the packaging of subsequent qualifications undertaken by the candidate.
• Only three common units used in the packaging of a qualification for a candidate can be used in the packaging of a qualification at a subsequent and higher qualification undertaken by the candidate.
• One elective unit may be drawn from one AQF level below or above (where available).

Operational Works Qualifications Framework

The following framework supports Operational Works qualifications. As with the framework detailed in the previous section, this framework shares use of the common pools of units and the requirement to include identified numbers of specialist units. However, in order to achieve the work outcomes required for this skill area, the total number of mandatory units does vary from the preceding section.

The following framework supports operational works qualifications:

Overview: Packaging to Gain a Qualification

Packaging Rules

• Imported and local government specialist and general elective units are to be drawn from an AQF level that will ensure that the integrity of the qualification level is maintained.
• General elective units can be drawn from within the Local Government Training Package common, specialist or general elective pools or imported from other Training Packages while not exceeding the nominated maximum number of imported units.
• No specialist, general or imported elective units used in the packaging of a qualification are to be included in the packaging of subsequent qualifications undertaken by the candidate.
• Only three common units used in the packaging of a qualification for a candidate can be used in the packaging of a qualification at a subsequent and higher qualification undertaken by the candidate.
• The capacity to draw units from the next AQF level down or from the next level up is described in each qualification packaging.

Business Skills Victoria assists Local Government to identify and develop training solutions for Local Government skill needs. For more information contact Anna Henderson.