In every edition of Council magazine we choose one local government from across Australia to shine a spotlight on. Whether it’s new infrastructure, an innovative technology project, a leading sustainability initiative or a community connection, we want to highlight the best of our local governments and share some valuable knowledge to other place makers across our nation. This edition, we spoke to the City of Onkaparinga.
1. What is the population size and land area of your council?
The City of Onkaparinga is South Australia’s largest council by population (180,865 people) – home to approximately ten per cent of SA’s population. The council area covers 518 sq km, encompassing both urban and rural communities, rolling hills to a 31km coastline, a world-famous wine region and a river that supplies around 40 per cent of Adelaide’s water needs.
2. How many employees work at your council?
More than 800.
3. Who is the mayor?
Moira Were AM was elected mayor in November 2022. She was awarded an Order of Australia in 2019 for her services to the community, specifically in the social welfare sphere. Moira is a trained social worker and holds a masters degree in economics and ethics. She’s the founder of Chooks SA – a 4,000-strong online community closing the gender investment gap. She also co-founded a national award-winning team and social enterprise intermediary, Collab4Good, supporting systems to shift towards more equitable and just futures. Moira previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Volunteering SA&NT, Global Director of International Association of Public Participation (IAP2), board director for the Medical Board of SA, and a Deputy Commissioner on the SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission. Moira has lived in Onkaparinga for about 30 years and loves where she lives.
4. Who is the CEO?
Phu Nguyen was appointed CEO in July 2023. Phu has more than 20 years’ experience in local government in Victoria, NSW and SA – previously serving as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of City Governance at Campbelltown City Council in NSW before joining Onkaparinga. Phu held leadership roles across a broad range of positions at Campbelltown including corporate, community services and city operations. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer at the City of Melbourne for more than eight years. Phu loves nothing more than enjoying Onkaparinga’s coastline with a coffee on the foreshore.
5. What is the council’s annual budget?
The City of Onkaparinga’s budget for 2024-25 is $231.28 million.
6. Can you give us a breakdown of spending for the budget year ahead?
This year’s budget commits the council to a sustainable financial future and delivers for the community today through $158.17 million for essential services, programs, and maintenance; and $73.10 million for vital infrastructure renewal, upgrades and new projects. The council also made $7.68 million in operational savings, helping to achieve a balanced budget and apply CPI rate increases from next year.
Major projects for 2024-25 include:
- $2.4 million for the refurbishment of Hopgood Theatre
- $2.18 million for upgrading the Aldinga Beach Road/How Road roundabout
- $2.04 million for upgrading Murray Road, Port Noarlunga
- $1.93 million for sporting club enhancements, including new sports lighting, resurfacing tennis and netball courts, and rejuvenating synthetic soccer pitches
- $1.71 million for upgrading Malpas Road, Tatachilla
- $1.67 million for improving heavy vehicle access at Bakewell Drive and Ostrich Farm Road, McLaren Vale
- $1.55 million for road safety upgrades on Piggot Range Road, Onkaparinga Hills, and Easton Road, Chandlers Hill
- $1.5 million for remedial works at Noarlunga Aquatic Centre
- $1.4 million for constructing a 420m-long section of the Witton Bluff Base Trail boardwalk
- $1.37 million for continuing the construction of the Aberfoyle Community Centre extension
7. What is your council’s vision for the community and its future?
In September, the City of Onkaparinga adopted its Community Vision 2034, which was shaped by the insights of more than 5,329 residents – the council’s largest ever community engagement. A key question for the community was “what do you love about where you live?” More than just a strategic document, the vision is a reflection of what the community values and aspires to become over the next decade.
It reflects a desire for the city to protect and enhance what’s unique about this beautiful place, fostering a connected and healthy community that can continue to enjoy what it offers.
The vision outlines four themes – community, environment, liveability and leadership – eight key result areas and 32 goals to guide collective action over the next decade, all under the banner of a ‘Connected community, sustainable future’.
8. What makes your council area special?
One of the most special things about Onkaparinga is its liveability – people can comfortably make their home here.
Onkaparinga’s communities enjoy unique natural environments including hills, vineyards, agricultural plains and national parks, plus almost half of metropolitan Adelaide’s coastline, all within the context of a rich, long and continuing Aboriginal heritage.
This is the only place in Australia where stunning coastline meets an internationally recognised wine region within 40 minutes of a capital city, and it attracts 1.6 million visitors each year.
The McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast offers some of SA’s best food and wine experiences, and an enviable combination of affordable and diverse housing options, available land for development and a Mediterranean climate.
Onkaparinga’s 9,984 local businesses help build and sustain the local economy, supporting 50,703 local jobs with $6.61 billion Gross Regional Product a year.
The region is also an epicentre of arts – with one of the highest concentrations of artists per capita in SA – festivities and events, including major international sporting events such as the Santos Tour Down Under.
9. What are some of the unique challenges the region faces, and how does council overcome these?
The City of Onkaparinga is a diverse region both geographically and socially, which presents unique challenges. It’s home to historic townships, global companies operating out of Southern Adelaide’s premium industrial estate, and some of the state’s most popular beachside suburbs. Onkaparinga is also more disadvantaged (987.5) than Greater Adelaide (992) under the ABS’s Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), with a median weekly income of $1,396, lower than Greater Adelaide’s $1,601.
The council overcomes these challenges partly through the vital work of its Community Connections team. Its officers come together with residents, community groups and agencies to act on and find answers to common problems; connecting with community in public spaces, community facilities and on the streets to improve opportunities for the community.
The team’s success derives from its ability to connect with diverse communities, whether via working with a residents association to advocate for increased flood protection at an upstream dam, or supporting rough sleepers into emergency accommodation through relationships with housing support services. The team is also fortunate to count a healthy lifestyles officer among its ranks, whose work focuses on tackling food insecurity in the community.
10. How is your council addressing climate change and reaching sustainability goals?
The City of Onkaparinga has been responding to climate change for more than two decades and is recognised as a national climate leader. Its climate emergency declaration and Climate Change Response Plan 2022-27 commit the council to an 80 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2040, along with ambitious adaptation, risk and community resilience commitments.
Recent achievements include:
- A reduction in emissions of more than 50 per cent since 2010–11.
- Development of a Bushfire Preparedness and Resilience Project, which delivers community education and preparedness and prevention activities across council and private land.
- A Resilient Asset Management Program that improves the resilience of the community by integrating climate risk into the council’s asset management processes.
- The council’s award-winning Coastal Adaptation Plan, which ensures Onkaparinga’s 31km coastline is resilient to the effects of rising sea levels.
- The opening of SA’s largest household recyclables facility, which processes the recycling of more than 360,000 residents across Southern Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. This joint initiative of the Southern Region Waste Resource Authority (a subsidiary of Onkaparinga, Marion and Holdfast Bay councils) and Australian recycling and resource recovery specialist Re.Group supports the council’s transition towards a circular economy.
- A Library of Things, which supports residents to borrow rather than buy.
- More than 102 community climate and sustainability workshops delivered during 2023-24 reaching more than 33,000 residents and businesses.
- Planting more than 5,000 trees in Onkaparinga’s streets and reserves each year to reach our canopy cover target of 100,000 trees by 2037.
11. What is an exciting community program or initiative council has coming up in the future, or already underway?
The City of Onkaparinga Youth team’s ongoing How to Adult program for 15-25-year-olds has been hugely popular among the community and it garnered international headlines when it was established in 2019.
The program was developed following an idea from an Onkaparinga Youth Committee participant who saw a gap in information for those looking to smooth their transition from teen to independent adult.
The initial seven-week course included sessions on working, wellbeing, housing, government payments, finances and contracts and maintaining your car.
Revamped topics in 2024 have included relationships, rights as a renter, navigating MyGov, car maintenance and setting goals/healthy habits, and they were based on feedback received from young people who told the youth team what real-life skills they wish they had but never learnt.
The program is emblematic of the Youth team’s mission to partner with young people and the broader Onkaparinga community to create opportunities that enhance the wellbeing, connection, engagement, and empowerment of young people aged eight to 25.
12. Can you tell us about an interesting urban development project in the region?
The City of Onkaparinga has advocated with the community to play a pivotal role in shaping a new 800-home development at Aldinga, ensuring sustainability remains at the forefront of the project at the 45-hectare site.
Plans revealed by the state government and developer in August 2024 include a range of sustainability initiatives directly reflecting the council and community’s vision.
From the outset, the council has been on the front foot to ensure Aldinga develops in a sustainable, climate-resilient, and coordinated way, and it took an ambitious step in 2019 by preparing an Aldinga Framework Plan to guide and influence significant state government projects in the area.
The council also ensured the community’s views were included in a Renewal SA-led Structure Plan in 2020 and rezoning in 2021, advocating strongly for better sustainability, connectivity, and character preservation.
Finally, the council’s 2021 advocacy vision called for a highly sustainable development, and August’s announcement validated that vision.
It proves high-quality sustainable development can be embedded as the minimum acceptable standard, rather than merely a nice-to-have. This is a significant achievement for both the council and the community.
The state government’s announcement highlighted several key sustainability initiatives for the all-electric net-zero development, including a tree canopy target of at least 25 per cent, light-coloured roofing to reduce urban heat, recycled water for irrigation of reserves, and an ambitious target of a 6-Star Green Star Communities rating.
These initiatives were all key elements of the council’s advocacy vision, which also championed a walkable suburb with convenient access to public transport, connections to Aldinga’s township and local schools, and functional open green spaces that enhance community wellbeing and recreation. The development will also include at least 25 per cent affordable homes.
13. How is your council embracing digitisation and growing its technological capabilities?
The council has recently finalised the rollout of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Implementing a single ERP system centralises data and integrates core business functions, improving efficiency, data accuracy, and decision-making while reducing costs and IT complexities. This unified approach also enhances compliance, scalability, and cross-departmental collaboration, making it easier to adapt to evolving business needs – all of which should result in a better end-user and customer experience.
The council also has a digital twin of all its assets and their attributes, allowing staff to view and interrogate asset data, including financial attributes and treatments. This includes maintenance and work orders and asset condition audits using dashboards or other export capabilities. Other spatial digitisation projects across the council help staff manage everything from waste rounds to graffiti data collection, and from mapping tree canopy cover to focus planting efforts, to mapping ecological linkages to address biodiversity loss and ecosystem function.
