Once the underlying business model for operating public swimming pools is examined (specifically, the factors that drive demand and those that drive costs), it becomes apparent that the prevailing service model is structurally challenged over the long term. Demand Drivers Demand for public pools is largely shaped by external and Read more
Where income from pool entry fees represents a relatively small recovery of total costs, councils may consider waiving entry fees as part of a broader service review. The immediate financial effect of this approach is that the costs of delivering the pool are spread across a larger number of participants, Read more
Introduction The State of Aquatic Facility Infrastructure in Australia Report, commissioned by the Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSA) in 2022, found that 500 pools across Australia would need replacing, or require “significant repairs” to the pool shell, within the next 10 years – at a cost of $8 billion. It Read more
Million-Dollar Finance Systems or Fleet Spreadsheets? Local governments invest heavily in corporate finance systems—often running into the millions—to ensure financial integrity, auditability and compliance. These systems are designed to be the single source of truth for asset valuation, cost attribution, depreciation, and capital planning. Yet when it comes to fleet Read more
I was recently editing a Draft Report for a client when I decided to review the following statement to make sure it was still accurate… “Cars purchased by Australians are significantlyless fuel efficient compared to those in similar countries.“ Fuel Efficiency: Still Lagging Data from the Australian Government shows that, Read more
While some progress is being made towards the 2050 net-zero emissions targets locally and internationally, it appears that emissions from the transportation sector have either stalled or are continuing to grow – largely driven by recovery in aviation and road travel. The Climate Change Authority confirms that rebound in transport Read more
In a year where new vehicles sales top one million, 4WD utilities account for around 20% of total sales. Popularity of utilities extends to councils that buy 4WD in big numbers for: Many of these 4WD utilities are underutilised, uneconomic assets adding little value to council service delivery. Utilities generally Read more
Introduction The transition to net-zero fleet is not for fleet management to solve. There is too much that needs to be done across the organisation for the transition to net-zero fleet to be the sole responsibility of fleet management. Effective development and implementation of the net-zero fleet transition program requires Read more
Effectiveness and efficacy of service delivery can only be measured against the purpose of the service and the needs and expectations of its customers. Purpose of Service Reviews There are many reasons why a council would undertake a service review. Efficiency is not the main reason. First and foremost, the Read more
Beyond the Pandemic and COAG National Cabinet is here to stay. It will meet monthly with less formality, less staging and more talking among the leaders. The Prime Minister announced that the National Cabinet will be driven by a singular agenda to create jobs. The National Cabinet, which replaces COAG, will comprise Read more