The recipe for success

Compass
Department of Planning and Local Government
ISSUE 5 . Autumn 2010
The recipe for success
Dishing up a gourmet meal was
the challenge and a group of
hungry DPLG leaders delivered,
showing that teamwork is an
essential ingredient in creating
a more efficient and effective
department.
contents
Northern Connections
2
The Plan for Action
3
A healthy workforce
4
Public space projects
5
Energy Savers
9
Tour Down Under
10
Veggie garden
11
The challenge to cook and prepare
the meal at Sticky Rice Cooking
School in Stirling, was part of the
launch of the new DPLG Excellence
in Partnering Leadership Program.
The program aims to empower a new
layer of DPLG leadership to support
the Executive to lead the organisation
in meeting its strategic priorities Our People, Our Business, Our
Culture. This means DPLG needs
everyone to embrace the opportunity
to partner and work across
boundaries as a united team.
The new General Manager group
and some other senior DPLG staff are
being developed to collaboratively
solve problems, create mutually
beneficial partnerships and gain
commitment to shared objectives.
General Manager Human Resources
and Organisational Development,
Georgina Vasilevski, said a
commitment to sharing information
would be vital.
“Information about Development Plan
Amendments, structure planning and
regional workshops will need to be
shared, to ensure we are responsive
and continually improving our
processes,” she said.
Similar programs will be rolled out
during the year, giving other staff
members an opportunity to develop
their capabilities in partnering.
Above: Jason Ting and Katie Taylor
at Sticky Rice
pg1
From the Chief Executive
It has been an eventful start to 2010
with a State Government election,
the launch of The 30-Year Plan for
Greater Adelaide and swift efforts
to implement legislation passed by
State Parliament late last year.
To realise the benefits of our efforts,
we must build on our partnerships
with Local Government in particular,
as well as the Federal Government,
State Government agencies and the
private sector.
These partnerships will be critical
to not only structure planning for
prioritised development areas, but
most aspects of our business.
For example, partnerships with
Local Government and communities
can help to improve efficiency and
accountability as well as build
a more confident business and
community culture in the southern
and northern suburbs.
The Federal Government’s recent
approval of a $1 million Integrated
Design Strategy pilot project was the
result of work with State Government
agencies and councils to develop
a shared vision for Adelaide, which
through the pilot should reposition
our city as a vibrant place to live,
work and do business.
At the State level, I am continuing to
work with other State Government
Chief Executives following
two successful meetings of
the Government Planning and
Coordination Committee.
Nationally, we are ahead of the game
with the release of The 30-Year Plan
for Greater Adelaide, as it is one
of the country’s first strategic land
use strategies designed to meet
Commonwealth Government criteria.
New recruit to
boost northern
suburbs image
A newly created Project Officer
position in the Northern
Connections Office at Elizabeth
will focus on improving the
image of Adelaide’s northern
suburbs.
Connie Hassouros comes to DPLG
with a Bachelor of Arts degree
majoring in Communication and
Media management. She managed
a national marketing project for Ernst
& Young in her final year of studies
before working in advertising for an
Adelaide Hills newspaper. She is
currently undertaking post-graduate
study in Public Relations as well.
While supporting the Minister for
the Northern Suburbs, the Northern
Connections Office also aims to
support coordinated approaches,
across the three levels of government,
servicing the local community.
It works to ensure that the local
community benefits from the growth
and other opportunities across
Northern Adelaide; and undertakes
work as agreed with the Minister.
Connie joins Mal Hemmerling,
Director; Bev O’Brien, Deputy Director
and Ken Neely, Senior Project
Officer (DFEEST funded) at 2/7 Philip
Highway, Elizabeth.
From 2012, the Commonwealth
will link infrastructure spending to
criteria that our plan is founded upon.
Clearly, we’re in a good position but to
meet expectations we need to be clear
and consistent about what we want to
achieve and why. A newly established
group of General Managers and senior
DPLG staff, currently undertaking
leadership training, will be integral in
facilitating this.
I am looking forward to fostering
continued commitment to our
shared goals and encourage you all
to put forward your thoughts, if you
can see a better way of doing things.
Ian Nightingale
pg2
Connie Hassouros, Mal Hemmerling
and Bev O’Brien
Map shows areas to be covered by
structure planning
Structure
Planning
Project Teams
A structure planning project
team has been established
consisting of staff from
the Strategic Policy and
Sustainability and Planning
Divisions. The team will be
reporting through General
Managers Jason Ting and
Matthew Loader to DPLG’s
executive.
The Plan for Action
The 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide was launched by the Premier,
Mike Rann on 17 February at a lunch meeting for members of the
Property Council of Australia.
Work is already underway to align land use objectives across departments, with
Chief Executives, as part of the Government Planning and Coordination Committee
(GPCC), having met twice to progress whole-of-government planning for state
significant areas.
Under the plan, these areas have been prioritised for future development. They
include areas along fixed transit corridors from the city and new growth townships.
Five sites have been identified by the Government as priorities and DPLG will be
working with councils and other Government agencies to develop structure plans
for each state significant area over the coming year.
Structure plans will determine a range of permissible uses for land in those
prioritised areas such as residential, retail, employment, open space, commercial
and industrial. They will also identify the economic and social infrastructure
required to support those activities.
This will provide for planned, sequenced, and evidence-based land release
and rezoning.
Greg Slattery will lead
development of a structure
plan for the Outer Harbour and
Grange rail lines, with Lisa
Cain taking the Seaford and
Tonsley lines, Mark Mobbs the
Gawler line, Daniel Clapp the
O-Bahn and Carmela Luscri
the Glenelg tramway.
Anita Allen and Charmaine
Thredgold will lead the
structure planning process
for the new growth townships
at Buckland Park-Virginia
and Roseworthy-Concordia
respectively.
Andrea Jorgensen, Belinda
Russell, Jaan Fox and Tomasz
Owczarek will be providing
support across a number of
the project teams.
Other members of the
structure planning team—
Terry Quinn, Alison Collins,
Mel Bailey and Philippe
Mortier along with others—will
be contributing to addressing
common strategic issues such
as urban design and providing
open space.
pg3
A healthy
workforce is a
happy one
Geraldine Wardle and Rhys
Potuszynski with information from their
health checks
A general health check program
offered by DPLG in partnership
with the Royal Adelaide Health
Promotion Unit is helping to
encourage a healthy, informed
and motivated workforce.
Fourty-six employees participated
in the free health screenings over
two days in March. Participants
had their blood pressure checked,
body mass index (BMI) calculated,
waist circumference measured
and participated in a one-on-one
discussion with a health professional.
They walked away with a record of
their results and information about
how to feel healthier as well as tips
about what a General Practitioner
should check as part of a general
health screening.
Participant Geraldine Wardle took
part in the health checks at Roma
Mitchell House and said she liked
pg4
how convenient, comprehensive and
educational her health check was.
“I think it’s a great idea, as we tend to
put these things off” she said.
Small, manageable changes were
encouraged, from incorporating
more exercise on a regular basis to
dietary changes and reducing alcohol
consumption, all aiming to create new,
healthier, long lasting habits with longterm benefits.
Workplace health checks are entirely
voluntary and all patient information is
private and confidential. Further health
screenings are being considered for
later this year. Please contact Vicky
Bampton in HR to register your interest.
Mount Gambier Civic Centre
Richards Park, Magill
Success for public
space projects
Grants assisting councils to
enhance open space, and create
vibrant social hot-spots are
resulting in some innovative
projects that adopt vital
sustainability measures.
While Minister for Urban Development
and Planning, Paul Holloway,
announced the latest round of funding
under the Open Space and Places for
People programs in February, many
of last year’s projects were being
completed.
The Mount Gambier City Council
received funding as part of last year’s
Places for People program to create a
new civic plaza and promenade area
showcasing water sensitive urban
design principles.
Permeable paving in the library car
park allows excess rain water to drain
through the pavers, and layers of
stone, before it runs into the urban
wetland.
The project has creatively connected
the public library, the Town Hall, City
Hall, Riddoch Art Gallery and the
Cave Garden.
This year, more than $3.3 million
was provided to local government
to provide improved public spaces
throughout South Australia for projects
from Christies Beach to Ceduna and
Paralowie to Parachilna.
Magill residents
to enjoy newly
developed park
A new entrance to a Magill
park is attracting locals to a
new plaza space with freshly
completed landscaping,
irrigation, path networks
and park furniture, thanks to
Open Space Grant funding.
The City of Norwood, Payneham
and St Peters received funding to
redevelop and expand Richards
Park, by purchasing property
adjacent to the existing park on
Magill Road.
Water sensitive urban design
principles were also used to
capture rain water, making the
1.2 hectare park environmentally
sustainable.
Using bio-filtration systems to remove
pollutants, Council has been able
to establish an urban wetland which
serves as an eye-catching water and
garden feature in front of the public
library.
pg5
Meet the directors and...
SUE McCORMICK
Director Office for the Southern Suburbs
What is your career background or
positions most recently held before
joining the department?
In Canberra, I led a national branch
of Indigenous Business Australia,
providing business loans and
business support to Indigenous
business-people. Before that, I
led strategic planning for Defence
Housing Australia and before
that I was in Adelaide with Land
Management Corporation, primarily
working on Mawson Lakes and
Golden Grove. Prior to that, I was in
the finance industry.
What are the challenges and
immediate goals for the current job?
Facilitating the implementation of The
30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide, to
achieve growth, wealth and quality of
lifestyle for the Southern Suburbs.
What is your favourite hobby or
pastime?
Sue in front of the ice fall coming off
Mount Everest
I have done a couple of challenging
Himalayan treks and am preparing for
a third. I enjoy bushwalking and have
just resumed caving, to improve my
climbing skills. Hanging out in cafés
with friends is up there too!
What is the best holiday or experience
of your lifetime?
Trekking to Everest Base Camp
(Nepal side) was amazing, for the
incredible beauty of the region and for
the physical challenge.
pg6
What book or film have you enjoyed
recently?
“Dead Lucky” by Lincoln Hall, who
survived a night alone and without
shelter near the summit of Everest.
What are your views about South
Australia’s future development? What
aspects of life here do you think are
undervalued or downplayed?
Adelaide and South Australia offer a
wonderful quality of life that is little
known beyond its borders. We need
to implement the 30-year vision and
improve our image and self-image, to
attract the investment and people we
need for a sustainable future.
Mark at the head of the Great
Australian Bight on the Nullarbor Plain
west of Ceduna
general
managers
MARK SUTTON
General Manager, Outback Areas
Community Development Trust
What is your career background or
positions most recently held before
joining the department?
I joined the Outback Areas
Community Development Trust
(OACDT) in January 2002. Prior to
that, I was a Police Officer for twelve
years stationed predominantly in the
far north of South Australia, a role
that allowed me to gain a complete
understanding of the issues facing the
outback which fitted well with the role
and function of the OACDT.
What are the challenges and
immediate goals for the current job?
To oversee the seamless transition to
the Outback Communities Authority
during the remainder of this calendar
year. This needs to happen while
continuing to provide effective and
appropriate responses to day-to-day
outback issues.
What is your favourite hobby or
pastime?
Time with the Country Fire Service.
I joined the CFS in 1999 whilst
stationed at Oodnadatta as a Police
Officer. I am now stationed at Stirling
North Brigade in Port Augusta.
I am a senior firefighter at this very
busy urban fringe Brigade that not
only responds to bush fires but is a
Hazardous Materials, Road Crash
Rescue, Structural and Air Operations
Brigade.
What is the best holiday or experience
of your lifetime?
A family trip a few years ago to New
Zealand. My wife, two young children
and I hired a bongo van (camper
van) and drove around New Zealand
for two weeks in the middle of winter.
I would do it again in a heart-beat.
Having lived in the outback for most of
my life, going to a place with greenery,
water and terrain, other than a hot
dusty desert, was truly amazing.
What book or film have you enjoyed
recently?
I can honestly say that I have not
read a book cover-to-cover since I left
school, it is simply not my thing. I am
also not a big cinema fan, however
the extent of my movie watching
at cinemas has been dictated by
children. This said, the last big screen
movie that I watched was Sherlock
Holmes, quite a good movie that my
son and I enjoyed immensely.
What are your views about South
Australia’s future development? What
aspects of life here do you think are
undervalued or downplayed?
At the risk of being controversial, the
future of South Australia could go
one of two ways. The first way, and
definitely not my preferred direction,
is city orientated development
that continues to promote a
disproportionate amount of the State’s
population living in Adelaide.
The second and preferred direction is
the promotion of living in the regions
to balance the city/country in a more
proportionate manner.
This can only be achieved through
investment in critical infrastructure
and services.
I think all aspects of country life are
significantly undervalued. The country
is a wonderful place to bring up a
family, junior education is good and
property prices are arguably more
realistic in comparison to urban
equivalents.
pg7
DPLG’s newcomer brings
legal and policy
expertise
Riding a wave of
success
Matthew Loader recently
joined DPLG as the General
Manager, Strategic Policy
and Sustainability. In that
role he will be overseeing
implementation of The
30 Year Plan for Greater
Adelaide, as well as a host
of other strategic policy
projects.
A lawyer by training,
Matthew comes to the
department with a wealth
of experience in regulatory
design, strategic policy and
cross-portfolio reform. Most
recently he led development
of new national laws to
manage fatigue risks for
heavy vehicle drivers.
When Veronica Phillips started
taking her son to junior surf life
saving events, she got sick of
sitting on the beach waiting for
him and so decided to hit the
waves herself.
Now 15-years later, as a member
of Port Noarlunga Surf Life Saving
Club, Veronica has four silver and two
bronze medals for her efforts in surf
boat rowing.
Winning the latest silver medal at the
State Masters at Moana Beach in
February, Veronica says she loves being
out in the surf and working in a team in
sometimes four to five-foot waves.
”You have to put your trust in the ‘Sweep’
He has worked in
various state and federal
government agencies, as
well as in the private sector
and community-based
organisations.
Outside of government,
Matthew’s interests include
opera, history, bush walking
and his tropical fish.
Veronica is front left with paddles
pg8
(the person giving commands at the
front of the boat) because they are the
one saying when to row and when to
look out for waves,” Veronica said.
Seven teams of five people race 600700 metres in rugged surf at these
races, negotiating a buoy at the half
way point and riding the waves back
in to shore.
Veronica trains three or four times
a week when preparing for a race,
combining weights training with other
fitness.
“I just love being at the beach and on
the coast so it’s all worth the effort.”
“Sometimes we’ll see dolphins and
seals when we’re out rowing and it’s
also a great way to keep fit.”
It’s as simple as flicking
the switch on your way out
the office says Lee Webb
A new DPLG
position for
Kevin Pugh
Energy savers
A team of passionate
sustainability advocates is
encouraging DPLG employees
to take small steps to reduce
our energy consumption and
impact on the environment.
The Greening Initiatives Forum team,
comprising Lee Webb, Kaye Noske,
William Harris and Kym Gerner,
remind us to:
- turn the lights off when you leave
the office for meetings, lunch and
at the end of the day (and also
meeting rooms when finished)
- turn off your computer at the end of
the day
- set your default print settings to
double-sided to reduce paper
waste.
While the team appreciates
commitment to recycling at DPLG,
given a recent change in cleaning
contractor, the department no longer
has a recycling service for milk
cartons and the like or cardboard.
Lee says they are looking at ways
to change this, but in the interim,
encourages employees to take
recyclable materials home with them
for putting in their Council bin.
Watch this space for an update in the
next edition.
Kevin Pugh started in March
in the newly created position
of General Manager, Local
Government Policy and
Financial Sustainability,
within the Office of State/
Local Government Relations.
While supporting the Minister to
perform her duties is vital, the cut
and thrust of this support work can
limit the scope for engaging with
and building capacity in the local
government sector.
It was with this in mind that the
new position was created and
after winning the role, Kevin left
his position in the Office for the
Southern Suburbs to take on the
new challenge.
While he will be working closely
with his counterpart, Jane
Gascoigne, it will be Kevin’s
responsibility to ensure that
recent legislative reforms are
implemented on the ground.
This includes projects to enhance
accountability and financial
sustainability, both in incorporated
council areas as well as in outback
communities.
His team will also play a prominent
role in engaging councils to
implement The 30-Year Plan for
Greater Adelaide.
pg9
20-years of
congestion
gone
The Strategic Policy and
Sustainability Division moved
focus from urban congestion
to office congestion in early
March, as it tackled the
massive task to clean up the
fourth floor of RMH.
Everyone had been forewarned
that no meetings were to be
scheduled and only the most
urgent of projects were an excuse.
The aim was to clear the product
of years of accumulation, the piles
of unused files, duplicated paper
and 20-year-old folders, which
seemed to be clogging every
corner of the floor.
After a fantastic Lebanese themed
lunch break, prepared by the
Division’s Director, Lois Boswell,
the team was ready to go on.
The battle against clutter continued
until a whole conference room
of unused furniture, 30 boxes of
files for the archives and 20 odd
bins full of paper and junk were
collected.
Committed efforts by all resulted
in the Open Space branch finally
having some open space and
clearings where there had once
been seemingly endless stacks
of files.
DPLG mapping
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under riders
are some of the world’s fittest
athletes and to prepare for the
race, teams and race followers
alike – receive mapping
information provided by DPLG.
For the last three years Scott
Johansen, Project Officer – Mapping,
in the Planning Division has provided
the maps that are televised during the
race, printed to promote the event and
provided to race teams.
Starting with only texta marked
maps of the State, showing the
intended race routes, Scott prepares
professional maps showing hill
shading and contours in the
landscape as well as the gradient of
each race route.
This information is used to produce
the “Stage Profile” information for
the Tour Down Under, showing the
distance in comparison to the altitude
of each race route.
“It’s all part of what our department
is doing to assist other State
Government departments,” Scott said.
“We provide the same support to
other cycling events as well, including
‘Ride Like Crazy’ a charity event
organised by South Australia Police
late last year.”
One of the maps Scott helps to provide
pg10
Concept plans for the roof of the new GP plus health care centre
Veggie garden boosting
health checks
When a vegetable garden
was established at a health
care centre on South Road in
November 2008, visitation to the
health consultancy increased
five-fold.
It was that correlation between the
social interest in the garden and an
increase in health care visits that
sparked the Department of Health’s
interest in a DPLG incentive program
to design roof-top gardens.
Graeme Hopkins, formerly Principal
Urban Designer in the Strategic Policy
and Sustainability Division and now
contractor to DPLG, has been working
with the Department of Health to
establish a roof-top vegetable garden.
The garden will be part of the new GP
Plus health care centre scheduled
to open later this year at Marion,
adjacent the site of the new State
Aquatic Centre.
“What they found at the South Road
centre was that people would come
to visit and socialise at the vegetable
garden and while they were there, go
in to get a health check up,” Graeme
said.
“That’s the kind of thing the
Department of Health wants to
encourage,” Graeme said.
The Department of Health has now
approved plans for the roof-top
vegetable garden which will sit on top
of the two-storey health care centre.
Jane to focus
on Ministerial
advice
As the General Manager,
Operations and Ministerial
Support, Jane is responsible
for establishing and
reviewing Office for State/
Local Government Relations
processes for the preparation
and delivery of all ministerial
advice.
This includes briefings and
correspondence as well as
internal government reporting
requirements.
Her challenge is to maintain, and
where possible enhance, the
already high standard achieved by
the Office.
While working closely with Kevin
Pugh, she will be involved in
managing projects which include
reviewing the operations of, and
providing executive support to the
Local Government Disaster Fund.
While Jane has worked in the
Office for almost 15 years, she
has worked in various State
Government agencies and in
the private sector. Outside of
work Jane has a passion for
cooking and entertaining and is a
supporter of various humanitarian
aid projects.
pg11
Launching
the Plan
At the launch of The 30-Year Plan for
Greater Adelaide: Minister Holloway
with Ian Nightingale and Lois Boswell
Film project to record
Mitsubishi history
The Office for the Southern
Suburbs has provided a $12,500
grant to Flinders University to
produce a documentary about
ex-Mitsubishi workers and their
time at the Tonsley Park plant.
Filming of the oral history video
project, featuring interviews with
workers – some of whom were with
the company for most of their working
lives, begins this month.
Kevin Pugh was instrumental in
gaining support for the film, while
Sara Polec has assisted with its
promotion, to identify former workers
to participate in the project.
pg12
Director of the Office for the Southern
Suburbs, Sue McCormick said the
video to be released on You Tube,
would be interesting and inspiring for
all former Mitsubishi workers.
“This project is a great way of
acknowledging the contribution
made by these people to the state’s
manufacturing history and business in
the southern suburbs,” she said.
“Now that work is underway to
transform the former Mitsubishi
site to a cleantech and advanced
manufacturing industry hub, the film
will serve as an important record of
the ongoing significance of Tonsley
Park to the economy of the southern
suburbs.”
next edition
Do you have an article for the next
edition?
The deadline for articles is
1 June 2010. Text and photos can
be sent to Kaye Noske –
[email protected]
The information in Compass can be
provided on request in alternative
formats or another language for
those who need it. Please contact
Kaye Noske on 8303 0536.
DPLG Strategic Communications
GPO Box 1815
Adelaide SA 5001
Tel 8303 0536
Fax 8303 0797