We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of the attack on Dr Helen Haines MP. Helen is a thoughtful, compassionate and much-loved colleague who has earned enormous respect for her dedication to her community and regional Australia. All elected representatives, at every level of government, deserve to serve their communities safely, without fear of violence or intimidation. Our thoughts are with Helen, her family and colleagues, and we wish her strength and a full recovery.

The Federal Government’s commitment to a five-year Federation Compact with local government presents a generational opportunity to strengthen the partnership between councils and the Commonwealth, and deliver greater funding certainty for our communities. Today ALGA President, Mayor Matt Burnett, and CEO Amy Crawford met with the Minister for Local Government, Catherine King, to discuss the path forward. Read more in the President's October Update: alga.com.au/presidents-updat…

🦺 On International Disaster Risk Reduction Day, ALGA is celebrating the thousands of Australians who work across local government to keep their communities safe, and who are on the front line when disasters strike. Today you can join the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience for a special webinar exploring how individuals, communities and organisations can work together to create safer, more resilient futures. This year's theme, 'Resilience starts at home', reminds us that homes are not just places where disaster impacts are felt, but where resilience can be built every day. For more information and to register, visit: aidr.org.au/events/57629?loc… The session will move beyond emergency kits and household plans, to explore the broader factors that shape risk, including housing, community networks, access to information and support, and the actions we can all take to reduce vulnerability and build resilience where it matters most.

Are you a public servant whose work includes implementing Closing the Gap policy reforms? The Productivity Commission (PC) is undertaking research as part of the review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and is interested in hearing from you via the Closing the Gap Public Servant Questionnaire. The anonymous questionnaire will help the Commission understand how public servants are implementing the Priority Reforms under the National Agreement and where further clarity, guidance and support can enable effective implementation. They are particularly interested in hearing stories about your experience, what has enabled progress, any challenges you are facing and lessons you can share. These insights will help identify opportunities to support the public service with implementation. The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. Responses will be used to inform analysis and shape recommendations. The questionnaire is open until COB Wed 14 October. Click here to complete the survey: forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/…

📖 What we're reading: the Council Ready e-newsletter has landed in our inbox, and it's excellent reading for councils preparing for higher-risk weather season. The newsletter is written specifically for local government, and covers emerging outlooks and risks, communications and warnings, evacuation management, emergency planning, preparedness and more. Thank you to the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and National Emergency Management Agency (@nemagovau) for this great resource. Subscribe here: aidr.us13.list-manage.com/su…

As Australia heads into high risk weather season, the good folks at the BOM have launched a campaign to keep help communities informed and safe: Know Your Weather. Know Your Risk. The Bureau of Meteorology campaign includes a range of resources to better understand severe weather and to help improve preparedness, including advice on setting up the BOM weather app to receive warning notifications. 👉 Check out their helpful resources here: bom.gov.au/resources/know-yo… 📷 BOM instagram.com/bureauofmeteor…

And that's a wrap for #ROADS2026! We finished with a burst of energy and optimism, with our keynote speaker - urbanist, futurist and former Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood, urging our delegates to think big, keep their minds open and embrace the growth opportunities of emerging technologies. Our key takeaway from this closing session: the incredible diversity of Australia's 538 councils means a ready base to harness opportunity, backed by the incredible local government workforce that delivers for communities across Australia. Thank you to all of our presenters, sponsors, delegates, exhibitors for your contributions. And thanks to every one of you who stopped by on your way out to tell us how much you enjoyed the 2026 National Local Roads, Transport and Infrastructure Congress. See you in 2027!

Councils are responsible for delivering both locally, and nationally, so an understanding of Commonwealth funding processes is critically important. Our gratitude to Shane Wilson, Sheridan Langford and Rob Nicholls from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts for joining #ROADS2026, to provide an update to delegates on current policy initiatives.

The potential for technology to maximise the value of assets across Australia's 538 councils is enormous. Mark Griffiths from NEUWEB. and Corey Gray from the Smart Cities Council talked to #ROADS2026 delegates about how AI, data analytics and digital tools can support asst management while identifying risks, improving decision-making and helping councils to make better use of limited resources.

With the arrival of micromobility options such as e-scooters and e-bikes, the ways we move within cities and towns are evolving at speed. At #ROADS2026, Victoria Walks CEO Sarah Pilgrim and active transport engineer with Sidelines Traffic Pty Ltd, Prue Oswin, explored the opportunities and challenges these modes present for councils, including safety, infrastructure design, public space management and integration with broader active and public transport networks.

Strong safety practices are essential to protecting the local government workers and contractors that deliver essential services, and the communities they serve. At #ROADS2026 we explored these issues across multiple fronts: Patsy Thomas from Austroads talked about innovations in temporary traffic management, while Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency CEO Jodie Deakes GAICD and Noel Pinkerton COH were joined by the City of Melville's Facilities Coordinator, Dean Anderson, talked about how they have partnered on a strategy to manage asbestos and silica removal.

#ROADS2026 delivered a comprehensive update on the National Automated Access System (NAAS), essential for Australia’s productivity and being rolled out in Queensland. Road managers will be key in delivery of a single seamless national system to streamline decision making on heavy vehicle access across the nation. NAAS National Project Team interim executive director Michael Watts and lead business analyst Pieter Van Aarde were joined by Geraldine Hollyman, Road Manager with Mount Isa City Council for an insightful discussion about how heavy vehicle access decisions are made across Australia.

Fuel security and its impact across supply chains have been a critical issue for councils and suppliers across every part of Australia this year. Today at #ROADS2026 delegates heard from Australian Logistics Council CEO and Managing Director Dr Hermione Parsons and Head of Government and Industry Affairs Samantha Leighton and Dr Richard Yeo, COO at the National Transport Research Organisation about how we make sure national policy reflects what communities are actually experiencing on the ground. Delegate Cr Keith Fell from Torres Strait Island Regional Council put the national conversation about fuel security into very real terms, sharing his council's experience of trying to support an "out-of-sight remote"community that is subject to extraordinary freight costs to meet even the most basic logistics requirements. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this very important conversation today.

Last night's #ROADS2026 Congress Dinner was a chance to relax, enjoy some Cairns hospitality and catch up with established contacts and new connections. Special thanks to our partner for the Congress Dinner, SHEPHERD, for their generous support, and to CEO Tom Sanders and Principal Engineer - Client Solutions Justin Fischer for joining us for the Dinner and the full Congress program. Tom was welcomed to the stage to the sound of Queensland band Sheppard's hit song 'Geronimo' (thanks to our President, proud Queenslander Matt Burnett), and delivered warm remarks about the company's proud history and the challenges and opportunities ahead for the roads and transport sector.

Australia's rail network spans thousands of kilometres, connecting major cities, regional hubs, and vital industrial ports across the country. #ROADS2026 delegates today had the opportunity to hear from Andrew Mogg and Grant Windsham from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator about how the ONRSR can work with road managers to support safer level crossings.

Councils know their communities better than anyone, and are increasingly looking to ensure that everyone in the community can make the most of public spaces, transport networks and other community assets. At #ROADS2026, community development practitioner and social researcher Dr Katie Butler and Principal Transport Advisor at Abley, Anna Bray Sharpin shared insights about their work with local government, supporting the incorporation of accessibility and inclusion into infrastructure planning and design.

Our #ROADS2026 delegates had the opportunity to hear from @CSIRO representatives Elenora Stepanova and Arman Navmar about two significant national initiatives: the Australian Paint Approval Scheme (APAS) and the Paint Contractor Certification Program (PCCP). Thank you both for drilling down on the fine details for our audience of local government technical specialists!

Imagine you're a council investing in EVs for your fleet. Then imagine that the batteries from those EVs could be put to use to support the grid at night, especially in areas that experience regular blackouts. In #ROADS2026 Session 3 - Managing Community Expectations for Infrastructure - Scott Nargar, Senior Manager, Future Mobility & Government Relations at Hyundai Motor Company, explained that maximising EV fleets to support the nation's grid while generating revenue is coming to a council near you.

Road safety isn't just about how drivers behave. It's also about how roads are designed, and the uptake of innovative technologies that influence driver decision-making, improve compliance, and create safer environments for all road users. At #ROADS2026 Session 2 - Infrastructure Design and Driver Behaviour - David MacLennan, CEO of the City of Vincent, and David Fulton, Principal Engineer at Bundaberg Regional Council, shared their insights into how councils can drive the changes that change how drivers behave.