Local Land Services is set for a shake up in the New Year with broad reforms to be rolled out across the ratepayer body.
Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair, speaking this morning at Coolamon, announced a new, binding charter for performance agreements with LLS staff - from the chairman through to regional offices.
“The Local Land Services model is a strong model, and recent audits and reviews have clearly identified opportunities for improvement,” Mr Blair said.
The new guidelines follow a 2016 review of LLS by the government’s independent Natural Resources Commission.
The reforms are designed to strengthen that model and remove barriers for farmers and communities to engage with Local Land Services
- Niall Blair
LLS was formed in 2013 from a merger of Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) and Livestock Health and Pest Authorities.
Ratepayers remain sceptical of the new body, with criticism focused on overall service delivery generally and the removal of extension services in particular.
“The reforms are designed to strengthen that model and remove barriers for farmers and communities to engage with Local Land Services,” Mr Blair said today.
According to a statement from the Minister, the Charter will reform governance, communications, stakeholder engagement, customer focus, financial sustainability and service delivery.
An LLS fact sheet on the charter lists a number of significant changes, including:
- Restructure the central board “to improve strategic focus” and tighter board processes
- Blueprint to boost “financial sustainability” including new sources of revenue, operating efficiencies, service delivery and attracting funding
- Strategies for a consistent approach to stakeholder engagement
- New customer service delivery model
- Culture change project in response to the People Matter initiative (a government employee survey)
New legislation may be required to implement the changes. Government announced $28 million in funding for LLS to boost capacity as new native vegetation legislation is rolled out in 2017.
A Sustainable Land Management Office, housed within LLS, will be set up with 100 staff to implement the reforms.
