| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Innovation, Science & Sustainability |
| Unit Title: | Introduction to Local Government and Governance |
| Unit ID: | DLGLM1000 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 080300 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit addresses the role played by local governments in addressing the needs of local communities and the importance of good governance practices within local government. At its core, local government refers to those political institutions that manage local affairs and provide services to communities. Governance, on the other hand, is concerned with participation, collaboration, and the transparency of decision-making processes that reflect the diverse needs of people living in local government jurisdictions. The unit introduces students to the key functions, purposes, and operations of public institutions and the laws and regulations that apply in a local government environment. The unit also describes the various governance practices that councils must adhere to if they wish to be seen as transparent and acting in the best interests of their constituents. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the practices and challenges faced by local governments in ensuring the maintenance of good governance. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | |  | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Explain the fundamental and underlying concepts of public administration, with a focus on the legislative and regulatory regime within local government. |
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| K2. | Discuss the roles of local government, including working with federal, state and other entities. |
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| K3. | Explain the significance and implementation of ethical, transparent and effective governance arrangements in local government, including compliance requirements. |
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| K4. | Discuss the role of leadership in local government, at the Council level and within Council organisations. |
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| K5. | Discuss the community leadership role played by local governments within their communities. |
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| K6. | Identify policies in local government, including social policy and the implications of social change. |
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| K7. | Discuss the implications of change and technology for local government. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Identify the regulatory frameworks and environmental factors affecting the operation of local governments. |
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| S2. | Identify the characteristics of a range of leadership options and the role they play in the decision-making process. |
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| S3. | Demonstrate the capacity to design, draft, implement, and monitor policies in local government. |
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| S4. | Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of digital transformation in local government, including the implications for staffing, skills and structures. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Compare and contrast the purposes, functions, and operations of public institutions, particularly local governments in a range of urban, regional and rural settings. |
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| A2. | Identify options for change through techniques associated with digital transformation, including opportunities for productivity improvements and obstacles to making change. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topic may include: - Underlying concepts of public administration
- The role played by local government
- Leadership roles
- Importance of good governance
- Collaboration, ethics and transparency
- Functions, purposes and operations of local government
- Laws and regulations
- Governance practices
- Digital transformation
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K6, S3, S4, A1 | Group/individual presentation and or task | Presentation/essay | 20 - 40% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6, K7, S1, S2, S4, A2 | Written report | Written report on the functions, purposes and operations of local government. | 60 - 80% |
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