Andrew Roach: Leading Norfolk Island Effectively to Make it the ‘Best Small Island in The World’

Andrew Roach maintains that the five managers who form his team as CEO Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC) have benefitted from his coaching and mentoring approach. He defines their success as accomplishing the tasks that Council sets them, which don’t always fall under the standard local government service responsibilities.

Responsible for the operation of NIRC and its varied business units, Andrew has also had to negotiate his way through a Public Inquiry shortly after his appointment, which resulted in the suspension and subsequent dismissal of the governing body of the organization.

Along with Mike Colreavy, who was appointed as Administrator of Norfolk Island Regional Council, Andrew began the journey to bring the organization back from an almost insolvent local government authority.

How NIRC is Fostering a Prosperous Economy

The goal of Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC) is to provide local civic leadership and governance through good decision-making, accountability, and transparency. It protects and enhances the unique culture, heritage, traditions, and environment of the Norfolk Island people by promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, looking after their community assets, and fostering a prosperous economy.

Norfolk Island Regional Council embraces the following core values that were developed in a workshop with the Councillors (I CARE):

·       I – Integrity

·       C – Communication

·       A – Accountability

·       R – Respect

·       E – Excellence

Norfolk Island Regional Council is responsible for all local council and some state government functions on Norfolk Island including waste management, land rates, and planning. The provision of a broad spectrum of services to the community requires the Council to have a workforce that has a range of roles throughout the organisation.

Some positions within the regional council include customer service, finance, legal, planning and development, telecommunications, human resources, electrical, information technology, aviation and fire service, road works, waste management, environment, and management/executive positions. 

NIRC runs electricity generation and distribution, all telecommunications services (terrestrial and mobile), the international airport, radio station, and all liquor imports and sales (monopoly). It also delivers some state-type functions under an agreement with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication, and the Arts, such as the Petty and Supreme Court, car registrations, drivers and gun licensing, records management, births, deaths, marriages, land titles, and other smaller state services.

Striving to Leave a Legacy of Success

Andrew’s responsibilities include building teams and infrastructure, fixing the finances, bringing new business to the community, and managing sporting and community events, but he insists that all of these were achieved by bringing the best out of his team at the right time. “I’m certainly a different leader today than I was 20 years ago because the lessons on the job have made me the leader I am today. Leaving a legacy of success, whatever the target, is what I strive for when I take on any role,” he says.

Andrew feels that his greatest achievement has always been improving the financial strength of all the councils he’s worked at. Making this the priority gave him the ability to extend beyond the core activities and build better communities. These include the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Blayney Sealink, the Port Macquarie Glasshouse, and over the last few years, the Norfolk Island International Airport, and the work towards 100 percent renewable energy.

Andrew has also travelled  the world playing bagpipes for over 30 years, a passion in which his family is also involved, and which takes him away from work challenges into an environment of lifelong friends and enjoyment. His team at NIRC is motivated by the autonomy that he provides them, and they have all the support they need in terms of training, resources, his time, and access to the extensive networks he’s developed across Australia.

The Challenges of Living and Working on An Island

Andrew believes that challenges absolutely make one stronger, and admits that he’s had his fair share across several council roles. He sees each challenge as a lesson to perform better the next time. “I’ve certainly employed this tactic throughout my career and see roadblocks as an opportunity to think differently about what I can do to achieve the outcome I’ve set. Whether it’s staff, lack of resources, convoluted legislative or regulative obstacles, there’s always a way to find the best outcome,” he observes.

Andrew understands that living and working in a locality surrounded by the sea comes with its own set of challenges experienced by many other island communities worldwide. Three of the greatest challenges on a small island in the middle of the South Pacific are all about the 3 R’s: Roads, Rates, and Rubbish. The council’s role in this challenge is to provide facilities and services to ensure that the community can survive, and indeed thrive, both ethically and in a financially responsible manner to the best of its ability.

Andrew shares a quote from a famous Australian novel, “The Tyranny of Distance,” written by Geoffrey Blainey in 1967, that describes how the “tyranny of distance and isolation have long been a challenge, and indeed a major factor in the shaping of Australia’s history and identity, and how the future continues to be formed.” This aptly describes the challenges faced by Norfolk Island Regional Council and its community.

Andrew observes that the council and its workforce need to be highly versatile and adept at managing a wide range of responsibilities that encompasses local, state, and federal functions, reflecting their multifaceted capabilities. With a small island economy and limited avenues of funding for infrastructure and development in an island environment, the support and funding opportunities provided to the Norfolk Island community from the Federal government have seen significant developments and improvements that otherwise would not be possible.

The development of a 10-year plan to ensure multi-year funding across several platforms on the island was seen as a powerful resource to encourage collaboration between all levels of government to develop a unified solution for Norfolk Island. Where possible, NIRC involves the services and staff of residents, whether as employees of the organization or contractors available in the community, but occasionally does need to source external contractors from the mainland to assist in the development of facilities and services.

However, one of the biggest challenges has been to progress shipping solutions for Norfolk Island. The Australian Government currently subsidises a barge service from Brisbane to Norfolk Island during the peak tourism period. The Department of Infrastructure provided approximately $800,000 in multi-level funding. In collaboration with the Commonwealth Government Infrastructure team, NIRC identified and purchased two new lighterage vessels to address the urgent need for freight operations to continue under AMSA, ComCare, and general safety standards.

Strengthening Governance and Accountability

Under Andrew’s leadership, NIRC has undergone a significant transition towards sustainability, achieving several notable accomplishments:

·  Construction and opening of a $48 million upgrade to the International Airport, including runway resealing, safety improvements, lighting upgrades, and operational enhancements.

·    Reconstruction of the Bicentennial Building, establishment of a new community library, and general enhancements to the civic precinct in Burnt Pine, totaling $3.5 million.

·  Installation of new pathways from the airport to school, equipped with solar lighting for nighttime safety, totalling $1.5 million.

·    Resealing 14% of the road network to a bitumen finish, with an investment of $5 million.

·       Upgrade of the mobile network from 2G to 4G, with a budget of $4 million.

·   Transition to a renewable energy network, including the installation of 880 new solar panels and 3 megawatts in battery storage, resulting in a reduction of diesel generation by over one-third in a year.

·     Improvement of the organization’s financial position, achieving three consecutive surplus budgets and accumulating over $5 million in unrestricted funds. The total cash and investments exceeded $25 million as of June 2023, compared to zero cash in December 2020, which required a $3 million cash bailout from the Commonwealth.

·       Strong fiscal management of operational costs during the administration period, particularly in keeping employment costs at $10 million for three consecutive years.

·   Completion of 80% of the 117 external audit findings to enhance governance, with plans to address all findings by June 30, 2024.

Andrew also shares that a state-of-the-art asset management system has been developed to meet the outcomes of the Public Inquiry that dismissed the Council.

Committed To Reaching 100 Percent Renewables By 2024

Andrew laments that Australia’s current economic growth is being stifled and not being given the opportunities other nations have. The country has enormous opportunities to use its competitive advantage, its resources, its people, and its large land mass, but fails to take advantage of things it can do well, choosing easier options when it just requires commitment. While it’s abundant in water, wind, and other resources, they’re not being properly harnessed.

“The money the government wastes, if guided more meticulously, could be used to build infrastructure to make this country dominant. I remember reading a report by Senator Button about capturing the water that flowed out of the Clarence River in NSW, or the Ord River in WA, which would solve our nation’s problems, just like the Hoover Dam changed the Colorado River area. Politicians now make decisions based on election cycles, not how life can change for our communities. We’ve got it all wrong! We reward swinging seats when we should be rewarding safe seats. This brings security for politicians to make real decisions,” he observes.

Having said that, NIRC remains committed to reaching its policy of 100 percent renewables by 2024 and aims to reduce the current tariff regime by at least half, which would benefit all households and businesses. In December 2020, it installed the Tesla 2MW Battery, which supplies 4 to 6 hours of energy to the island per day to increase this output.

The funding was provided by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications for Capital Expenditure support for additional batteries and generation to hasten the renewable energy program. To procure this funding for capital grants from the Department, the council allocated $200K in its capital expenditure for asset improvements in the electricity business unit.

Furthermore, the organization sought an expression of interest to build a financial model for staged improvements, to move towards its target of 100 percent renewable energy sources by 2024, and has been engaging with 100 percent renewable energy island companies – EPC Technologies, Greencap, and Energy Edge.

EPC Technologies submitted a technical and commercial feasibility roadmap to address the identified risks and place the operations of the Electricity Business Unit on a sustainable footing. Part of this submission provides a financial assessment to build a pathway for the introduction of multiple tariffs, particularly feed-in tariffs, and a pathway to reduce the current fee, set at $0.72 per kilowatt by at least half by 2024.

Supporting the Local Community with COVID Assistance Grants

When the COVID-19 outbreak and travel restrictions affected local Norfolk Island businesses, the Australian Government and NIRC provided financial assistance payments. This relief scheme supported local businesses that experienced hardship caused by the downturn in visitors due to widespread COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions across Australia. It is similar to other programs that were delivered to COVID-19-affected communities in Australia.

Opening in August 2021, the COVID Business Relief Grant Program distributed $1,492,000 in funding to 86 businesses on the Island. The purpose of the economic stimulus projects rolled out during COVID was to keep people employed and ensure enduring facilities for the community and visitors into the future. The resulting facilities and upgrades are high quality and are being used and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike, including the Lions Park playground and undercover barbeque facilities.

Tony Cook, owner of Pizazz, said, “The COVID Business Grant program was a welcomed initiative from the Commonwealth government. The funding provided support to many businesses on the island affected by the downturn in visitors as a result of Australian border restrictions. Norfolk was fortunate to have a small number of visitors from Queensland, however, this was not enough to sustain the many businesses on the island. The grant funding allowed me to retain my staff at the number of hours they were working before the downturn in visitors. Norfolk Island is a small community, the grant funding ensured that businesses could continue to employ staff and ultimately this money circulated quickly in the economy and provided benefits to everyone.”

Rael Donde, Proprietor of Cumberland Close and President of the Accommodation and Tourism Association (ATA) said, “One of the good things about the grant was how it was structured to provide four tiers of funding. As it was based on turnover, the available funding differentiated between small, medium, and large businesses. Businesses really appreciated the change in the qualifying dates, this made the grant more accessible to local businesses, particularly those in the accommodation sector.”

Over the past year, 29 island residents benefited from a Council-funded Tertiary Education Bursary developed in recognition of the fact that education and training play a key role in building a strong and sustainable community and empowering the future of younger generations. A total of $30,700 was granted in scholarships to students undertaking nationally accredited university and vocational studies (delivered by TAFE, Registered Training Organisations, or as apprenticeships) on and off the island, to help cover study-related travel costs and expenses. The program’s objective is to encourage young adults to develop skills and improve employment prospects, and it is also open to adults wishing to upskill or seek formal qualifications.

Making Norfolk the ‘Best Small Island in The World’

NIRC’s ultimate goal is to support Norfolk in becoming the ‘best small island in the world,’ providing a quality tourism destination and becoming an international drawcard, by making it a great place to live and work for its residents. This means quality, efficiency, and cost-effective delivery of services and infrastructure, and listening to the needs of the community.

Andrew notes that this needs to be balanced with what NIRC can afford, so they can work towards a long-term delivery plan to improve the future livability and sustainability of the community. In addition to the above programs, NIRC was involved in several initiatives listed below:

·     NIRC increased transparency, community trust, and funding by implementing the Envisio Strategic Planning Software.

·  The new public library was made possible by Economic Stimulus funding received from the Commonwealth Government and will enable the organization to increase the number and range of services it can offer the community. Three public PCs were installed in the library to allow the community and visitors access to free WIFI.

·  With the help of Anne Prince Consulting (APC), NIRC is updating its Waste Management Strategic Plan to further improve its waste management practices such as large-scale composting, steel, and car crushing, and segregation of recyclables from general waste. Alternatives for domestic and commercial waste are being considered, including circular economy approaches, incineration, and continuation of bailing and export.

·       Through the Virtual Fencing Pilot, made possible by the Marine Parks grant from Parks Australia, NIRC has been successful in securing funding for advanced technology to protect sensitive waterways from cattle and help improve water quality flowing into the Marine Park. The cost-effective technology utilises a system of individual cattle collars, GPS, and radio communication, along with software to adapt grazing patterns, and is increasingly used to manage cattle in place of physical fencing. It is hoped this system will bring benefits to marine waters, including coral reefs.