By Geri Powell and Kay Scrimger
October 23, 2006

U.S. Conference of Mayors President Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido led an historic mission to Sydney, Australia, September 30 through October 7.

Primary goals were: 1) building political and business relationships, and 2) gaining information about responsibilities, challenges, and best practices of Australian local government that could be helpful to U.S. local leaders.

Areas of particular interest included federal'state-local government financing; transformation of the Australian economy since the 1980’s from an inward-looking, import dependent country to an internationally competitive and export-oriented economy; climate change; transportation systems; diversity; and the use of the arts in enhancing city livability.

Guido was joined by Conference of Mayors Trustee Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz and Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran.

Guido said, “We would like to express our appreciation to the Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore for an excellent meeting with her and to the Australian Chamber of Commerce, especially Charles Blunt, National Director, and senior business people who participated in our meeting.”

Cochran pointed out that, “The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) was extremely helpful to the Conference in the planning and development of this mission to Australia. We would like to express our appreciation to ALGA, especially to Katie Whitehead, Director of National Events and International Liaison. Over the years we have had occasion to meet several ALGA officials as well as Australian mayors, and we look forward to continuing this important relationship.”

In a private meeting with Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the delegation covered a number of areas of concern to U.S. and Australian mayors, including poverty, jobs and education, dropout rates of students, arts, homelessness, crime, climate change, transportation, fostering healthy cities, terrorism, and sustainability.

Moore, also a member of the Parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales, noted that local governments are not recognized in the Australian Constitution, which divides power between the Commonwealth [national] government and the six state governments.

The Lord Mayor noted that local government operates in a “highly political environment,” in which local government sometimes becomes a football of the parties.

Because a large proportion of New South Wales’ population lives in Sydney, state governments have generally been reluctant to allow citywide governmental bodies to develop because they would rival state government. Thus, Sydney has always been a focus of politics between both the state and federal Parliaments. For example, New South Wales (NSW) state governments have significantly altered Sydney’s boundaries four times since 1945, with expected advantageous effect to the government party in the NSW government at the time.

In answer to Moore’s question about strong advocacy efforts of the Conference of Mayors, Cochran noted the importance of bipartisanship in presenting and fighting for mayors and their communities with the congressional and executive branches of government.

Kautz pointed out key challenges faced by U.S. mayors, including crime, poverty, jobs and education, and the Lord Mayor emphasized the Australian mayors are dealing with the same issues.

Guido discussed the importance of meeting with the Lord Mayor in “order to exchange ideas and share information about solutions to major challenges.”

The delegation invited the Lord Mayor to join U.S. mayors at the Diamond Jubilee, 75th Anniversary Annual Conference of Mayors, in Los Angeles in June 2007.

Moore invited the delegation to the launching of “Art and Beyond 2006,” the fifth successive public art festival throughout Sydney of art and photography.”

In the public ceremony held in front of the Sydney Customs House, Moore said, “This is the festival that takes art out of the gallery into our streets and even into our skyscrapers.” Featured throughout Sydney are original artworks on banners displayed in parks and on streets. Especially interesting for this year is “The Face of Sydney,” a photographic portrait of the city’s residents projected on the wall of a large downtown building, showing the great diversity and also the commonality of the people of the city.

The Conference delegation convened October 3 in Sydney with leaders of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) to discuss key issues impacting cities and the business community in Australia and the United States, including immigration, criminal justice, the skills gap, and international trade.

The meeting, presided over by Guido, was opened by Cochran, who set the stage for the discussion by providing background on the Conference while emphasizing its organizational priorities including education, energy and environment, poverty, climate control, and public safety. Cochran also highlighted the strength of the Mayors Business Council and the importance of a strong and engaged business community within the organization.

Guido followed Cochran’s opening statement remarking,” There is no greater honor than being the mayor of your hometown.” He then, in a strong statement about business and cities working together, pointed out: “In the United States, the business community interacts with local government to make our cities stronger through innovative and effective partnerships addressing the challenges facing cities today.”

Kautz followed her comment that work as mayor is a “labor of love” with a request to be briefed during the discussion on how Australian businesses deal with some of the same issues, such as immigration, outsourcing, and jobs, that impact American cities. Kautz also asked that the approach to funding roads and other infrastructure projects in Australia also be addressed.

After introducing the AmCham representatives, AmCham National Director Charles Blunt provided background about AmCham, established in 1961 as an advocacy organization on behalf of Australian companies doing business in the United States and US companies doing business in Australia. He explained that the Australian Free Trade Agreement is a big issue for AmCham, along with other significant day-to-day issues such as immigration, which impacts both US and Australian companies.

Blunt turned the meeting over to Patrick Fazzone, attorney-at-law with Tighe Patton Armstrong Teasdale PLLC and Chair of AmCham’s Government and Business Committee, which addresses challenges and opportunities facing businesses. Fazzone provided detailed background on the US/Australia Free Trade Agreement stressing its importance to enhancing business opportunities in both countries.

Lauren Levin, Immigration Counsel for Fragomen Global, a firm that assists companies moving people to Australia and the United States, is an Atlanta native whose firm also services Ford Motor Company and other automobile companies with a strong presence in Australia. “Competition for global jobs is on the front burner” she said. “This has spurred the Australian government to host seminars all over the world trying to attract skilled workers to Australia,” she continued.

Levin’s comments spurred a lively and informative discussion about the visa process and the lack of awareness of the friendly visa process available to companies. “Accounting firms need to be aware that 39 states recognize the qualification of Australian CPA’s, and in the legal field 300 Australians sat for the NY bar,” she commented. She briefed the meeting attendees on the seminars being conducted throughout Australia to raise awareness about the job market in the US.

The discussion revealed that the highest numbers of Australian citizens are in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. A large number of Australians are also investing in property throughout the United States. The delegation also learned that Australia has no limit on the number of visas issued to those who want to come to Australia to work. The immigration discussion also included highlights of illegal border crossings – a problem in both Australia and US – the skills gap, jobs, and global competition.

A lively discussion ensued about workforce issues from the perspective of both Australian and American businesses. It became clear through substantive input from James Bowmer, Country General Manager, Kelly Services (Australia) Ltd.; Seth Hertz, Senior Manager, Human Capital, Ernst & Young Australia; and Linda Williams, Career Blazers Management Services, that both countries share similar challenges with skill shortages for a range of positions.

Following the immigration discussion, Kautz led a high level give and take between the mayors and AmCham representatives about the structure of public partnerships, Performa calculations, private sector funded projects that revert back to government after predetermined periods, private sector ownership of toll roads, and investment risks and benefits of private sector investment into public projects.

Fazzone stressed the importance of identifying innovative solutions to fund transportation projects in Australia, stating, “With its land mass comparable to the continental U.S. and only 20 million people, Australia does not have the tax base to support major infrastructure projects.”

The final topic of discussion and key point of discussion was criminal justice, with Duff Watkins, Director, Asia/Pacific, Cornerstone International Group, inquiring if members of the delegation have noticed “an increase in lack of regard for people and property, as is the trend in Australia.”

Cochran responded, “There is an increase in youth-centered crime in the United States and a proliferation of guns.” He explained that in America, mayors control the police departments and there was, for a time, a decrease in crime and violence. “Recently, however, there is a rise in youth violence in cities,” he pointed out. “The gangs of 2000 are very different from the gangs of the nineties.”

Guido addressed the root causes of violence in the United States saying, “The issue of poverty is a basis for crime, along with homelessness, jobs, reentry, the skills gap and lack of a support system.” Kautz supported this statement, adding, “Mayors have to address violence in their cities and lack of jobs is a big factor.”

AmCham spokesperson, Patrick Fazzone, closed the discussion on violence commenting on the ease of access to weapons in the United States and praised the Commonwealth of Australia [national government] for helping with gun control and taking a much more comprehensive approach to taking guns off the street than in the US.

Guido closed the joint meeting and, on behalf of the Conference delegation, thanked Blunt and the AmCham representatives for an informative and successful exchange of ideas and best practices.