Role of Local Government in Public Health - Report Example

Assessment 2 Role of Local Government in Public Health Word Count: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Government Systems in Australia 4 Past roles of local government in WA 6 Present roles of local government in WA 7 Case Study: City of Swan 8 Future roles of local government in WA 10 10 Case Study: Cultural and Biological Heritage of the Aboriginal People in the City of Swan 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction Australia has a similar government structure to countries such as Canada, India, and the United States. This structure of government has three levels of government—Federal, State and the local government. In Australia, the three levels of government consist of a federal parliament, 6 states, and more than 560 local government (Brunet-Jailly & Martin, 2010). Each level of the government has responsibilities, but the issue of public health fall under the jurisdiction of the state and local governments. However, the federal government deals with issue relating to taxation, trade and commerce, weights and measures, and defense. Since the establishment of the three-tier government, each government level has engaged in its own duties in the provision of services to the citizens of Australia. In Western Australia, the State and the local governments have been responsibilities for addressing the health care need of its population. The state government in Australia plays a critical role in providing facilities such as hospitals, while the local government deal with many aspect of public health such as water and sewerage and public collection. Both levels of government rely on federal grants and other forms of revenue to funds their projects. This summary presents an overview of the government structure in Australia drawing on its history. It also provides a succinct discussion of past, present and future role of local government in addressing the health needs in Australia. With emphasis on Swan City, in Western Australia, this report identifies public health challenge the local government should address. Government Systems in Australia In 1901, the six colonies in Australia merged to form a commonwealth federation. The formation of the commonwealth borrowed from the British form of government common known as the Westminster system. This system of government has fundamental similarities with the U.S government. The federal government represents the highest form of government with the responsibility of making laws for all the six states (Brown & Bellamy, 2007). Under the federal government is the state government, which has the duty of making states laws. Each of the state government makes laws for its states. Last on the hierarchy is the local government with the responsibility of making local laws for their region or district. Under the constitution of Australia, the federal government has an overarching influence on the two levels of government. The responsibilities of the federal government rest on areas of defense, immigration, taxation, social security, and foreign matter. All issues in these areas fall under the direct responsibility of the federal states. The federal government, with the upper house, lower house and executive government has the primary responsibility of running all affaires of the government (Kincaid et al., 2009). The members of each houses come from each states and local territories. To fund its activities, the primary government raises significant revenue from taxes. Since its creation, the federation has united each colony, but allowed each of them has authority over their issues. The state government deals on issues the federal government does not address. The state government a bicameral parliament with the exception of the state of Queensland. The constitution gives each state power over areas such as tourism, agriculture, schools, hospitals, and police (Dollery & Marshall, 1997). Each state runs under the leadership of a premier, ministers, and member of the department who execute the responsibilities of each state. The local government represents the closest level of the government, which offers citizens in local government bodies to interact with the government. In Australia, there are more than 560 councils across the six states of Australia. The state determines the existence of the local government and provides guidance on its operations (Dollery & Marshall, 1997). In addition, the role of the local government constitutes by-laws and other forms of regulation such as policies that affect the action of the locals. Each state has it local powers, with varying responsibilities. In the states of Western Australia, for instance, the City of Swan is a local government entity with the role of overseeing areas such as public health and managing other needs. Past roles of local government in WA Since the colonial times, issue of public health had dominated the role of colonial government. Australia was a British colony, which had difficulty to administer the colony during the early 1800s. The arrival of the British settlers marked a new beginning in public health as the British made a considerable impact public health. In 1816, the British established a hospital in Sydney after the harsh climatic condition had a heavy toll on the lives of many British settlers. The hospitals had few medical offers who provide basic care to convicts and the new settlers in Australia. Most of the public health institutions provided service to convicts, but some of them became public facilities after the British stopped transporting convicts to Australia. Improved understanding on the causes of disease such as small pox and cholera led to a widespread initiative across all states to address the issue of sanitation, garbage collection, and distribution of clean water. Local government in NSW took part in the implementation of the Infectious Disease Supervision Act of 1881. A robust effort to promote public health matters began in 1896 when local governments established meaningful measures to improve public health. In NSW, for instance, the state established a Public Health Act that increased and clarified the powers of the board. This act was the first steps the colonial steps to address issues of public health. This act provided a framework for other changes in public health after 1901. Present roles of local government in WA While the role of local government were vague during the colonial period, the establishment of the three-tier government gave local authorities new opportunities to address issues of public health. In this government structure, local governments in each states have the sale mandate of handling all issues relating to public health (Kincaid et al., 2009). During the end of the 19th century, new Legislations gave local governments authority to control many aspect of society such as building and housing to promote public health (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Apart from focus on housing and town planning, the local authorities play a vital role in the provision of essential services in sports and recreation, food inspection, maternal health and health living. While local governments have a fundamental role of implementing public health measures, both the federal and state government has an influence on such roles. First, the federal and states government can make laws that affect health care and roads. As a rule, a federal law on these areas override other laws the states or local governments set (Grooves, 2005). The local government works with the state and federal government to address all issue of public health. Often there is meeting between Health ministers from all government level to discuss issues of public health affecting Australia. This approach has fostered the commitment of local government and other government levels to address the issue of public health in Australia. Case Study: City of Swan The local governments such as the City of Swan have a unique position to offer basis public health service to the inhabitants of the city. The health and wellbeing of people living in the City of Swan are of essential importance given the role of the local government in using its resources, network, and partnership to deliver basic public health services. Currently, the City of Swan stands out as one of the local council committed to improving health and wellness through public health initiatives. The City of Swan has set up infrastructure to promote environmental health through the treatment of sewage and appropriate disposal of effluent and liquid waste (Sustainable Environmental strategy, 2008). A city with more than 116,000 people, the City of Swan understands that proper treatment of sewage is critical in preventing disease that could affect people living in the city. In addition, the local government (metropolitan council) has made efforts to reduce the impact of sewage and affluent on the natural environment. The efforts align the council with the requirements of Health Regulation 1974. The City of Swan has planning framework that align with the concept of environment for health. This concept is a creation of the Victorian Department of Health and identifies the vital role of environment structures that enhance and protect the health of the community. As a result, the City of Swan has focused on building play spaces that offer children and families areas to exercise and take part in recreation activities. In addition, such play spaces enhance acquisition of vital skills among children and need for communities to interact and enhance their health and wellbeing. As at 2007, the City of Swan had spent $6.4 million in play spaces (Sustainable Environmental strategy, 2008). Indeed, the City of Swan has demonstrated its commitment to meet the current health care needs of the communities living within the city. Future roles of local government in WA The commitment of Australian local governments in meeting the health care needs of its communities has been outstanding. As in the case of City of Swan, the local government has made a significant effort to cater for nearly all aspect of healthcare. However, communities living in local government do not operate in isolation, but receive influence from many changes around them. Many factors have changed the meaning of health and wellness among many local communities. Issue such as climatic change and global warming has created new demands on health care delivery systems to address the rising number of health care risks and diseases (Lowe, 2005). Most important, there is a fresh need to address health care need of communities in a holistic way. More than before, communities require a public health infrastructure that supports the need for communities to realize “a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (Green & Tones, 2010). Orchestrated efforts to meet these spheres of health is likely to transform the role of local government in providing innovative health care services to all communities across Australia. For the case of City of Swan, there is a need for the creation of unique connection between communities and appreciation of the biological and cultural heritage of the aboriginal people. This effort will enable the City of Swan advance towards the WHO Healthy Cities approach and cement its commitment in providing communities with opportunities for health and wellness. Case Study: Cultural and Biological Heritage of the Aboriginal People in the City of Swan The concept of public health and wellness would be incomplete without the mention of all spheres of health. In recent years, the World Health Organization has developed unique interpretation of what constitutes health. In one areas, WHO health Cities, the WHO identifies fostering of cultural and biological heritage as significant milestones in improving health and wellbeing in society (Scriven, & Hodgins, 2011). A city with many aboriginal people, the City of Swan has an opportunity to fund the project that increase the cultural connection between the aboriginal people and the communities living in the city. According to recent census, the City of Swan emerged a local council with the highest number of aboriginal families. Unlike other states in Australia, Western Australia boast of unique cultural and heritage of the aboriginal people (Laudine, 2009). However, the City of Swan has a challenge of advancing the connection between communities and these cultural assets. Such a connection would improve the lives of many aboriginal people and promote positive interactions necessary for the promotion of health and wellness. Until such connection are in place, communities living in the City of Swan may have little to say with regard to the WHO’s Healthy Cities approach with emphasis on culture and heritage. Conclusion The government of Australia is a three tiers structure—federal, state and local level. Each of the levels has unique functions with the Federal overseeing areas such as defense, immigration, and social security among others. However, the state and the local government have more roles on issues such as public health, although all levels of the government contribute through funding and creation of legislation. Since the creation of the Australian commonwealth in 1901, the local government gained significant role in promoting public health care. Today, most local authorities like the City of Swan metropolitan, have overarching role of proving public health care services. This City of Swan has infrastructure and services that meet the current needs of the communities. However, there is a need for the city to make efforts towards increasing cultural and biological connection between aboriginal people and the communities living in the City of Swan. Such a move will contribute toward the public health of the city as this effort meets one of the provision underlying the concept of WHO’s Healthy Cities approach. References 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006). Year Book Australia. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2. Brown, A. J., & Bellamy, J. A. (2007). Federalism and regionalism in Australia: New approaches, new institutions?. The Australian National University, A.C.T: ANU E Press. 3. Brunet-Jailly, E., & Martin, J. F. (2010). Local government in a global world: Australia and Canada in comparative perspective. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 4. Dollery, B., & Marshall, N. (1997). Australian local government: Reform and renewal. South Melbourne: Macmillan Education Australia. 5. Green, J. & Tone, Keith (2010). Health Promotion: Planning and Strategies. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishers. 6. Groves, M. (2005). Law and government in Australia. Sydney: Federation Press. 7. Kincaid, J., Steytler, N. C., International Association of Centers for Federal Studies. & Forum of Federations. (2009). Local government and metropolitan regions in federal systems. Montreal: Published for Forum of Federations = Forum des fédérations and IACFS, International Association of Centers for Federal Studies by McGill-Queen's University Press. 8. Laudine, C. (2009). Aboriginal environmental knowledge: Rational reverence. Farnham, England: Ashgate. 9. Lowe, I. (2005). Living in the hothouse: How global warming affects Australia. Carlton North, Vic: Scribe. 10. Mylne, L., Llewellyn, M., & Crittall, R. (2010). Frommer's Australia 2011. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. 11. Scriven, A. & Hodgins, M. (2011). Health Promotion Settings: Principles and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishers. 12. Sustainable Environmental strategy (2008). City of Swan Sustainable Environment Strategy. 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