❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Premier Colin Barnett regarding alleged broken promises on forced local government amalgamations, referencing Minister Simpson's admission. The Premier avoids a direct answer, defending the need for local government reform and criticising the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 363Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT — AMALGAMATIONS
363. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to forced local government
amalgamations and Minister Simpson's admission on 30 July on ABC Radio
when asked, ''Just to be clear, minister, that this is a change in a
promise that was made by your leader Colin Barnett'', when he said, ''Yes,
I guess so'', and the Premier's continual denials on this issue.
(1) Was Minister Simpson correct?
(2) Will the
Premier require councils to amalgamate against their will if they do not
willingly agree to his local government reforms?
(3) Will the
Premier apologise to the people of Western Australia that he misled them on his
forced amalgamations stance when directly asked prior to the election?
363. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to forced local government
amalgamations and Minister Simpson's admission on 30 July on ABC Radio
when asked, ''Just to be clear, minister, that this is a change in a
promise that was made by your leader Colin Barnett'', when he said, ''Yes,
I guess so'', and the Premier's continual denials on this issue.
(1) Was Minister Simpson correct?
(2) Will the
Premier require councils to amalgamate against their will if they do not
willingly agree to his local government reforms?
(3) Will the
Premier apologise to the people of Western Australia that he misled them on his
forced amalgamations stance when directly asked prior to the election?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
This government is capable of making decisions and dealing with important
issues; that is not true of members on the other side. I do not believe anyone,
or very few people in this state, including everyone in this chamber, would
sensibly argue that modern Western Australia in the twenty-first century should
have 140 local authorities, nor would anyone in this chamber realistically
suggest —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : You're hopeless!
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time. Let
the Premier answer the question and the Leader of the Opposition will have a
supplementary.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Nor would people sensibly suggest that it is a good thing in
the metropolitan area to have local governments that have jurisdiction over
less than five square kilometres. In country areas, a number of local
authorities have fewer than 500 people living in the area; some have 300. Most
primary schools in this state are bigger.
Mr D.J. Kelly : At
primary school, you're told off for lying!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Did you say ''lying''?
Mr D.J. Kelly : I
said at primary school, you're told off for lying.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Oh, you're learning!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The case for some reform and modernisation of local government is overwhelming.
Yes, it will be difficult. This government could have walked away from it, as
previous governments have done, but we will not. We are a government that will
do the reform to make sure we have a strong, relevant and effective local
government sector. That is what it takes. Yes, it may not be easy but that is
what we will do.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite are so childish.
Let us look at the issue. We are talking about metropolitan
Perth. There are 30 local authorities in metropolitan Perth. Metropolitan Perth
faces some serious issues with transport, congestion, long-term planning,
coastal management, and issues of the Swan River and its health. They are
important issues. To have such a variety of size and competency in local
government is not a good thing. It is hardly radical —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I am happy to answer questions.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Premier, can you answer the question and we will move on?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying hard to do so, Mr Speaker. Thirty local governments across Perth are
too many. Indeed, report after report, year after year, has said the same. This
issue under this government has been going on for three to four years. No-one
can pretend ignorance. No-one can pretend that the issues have not been out
there. There has been endless consultation, endless reports and endless
meetings. This government will make some decisions and act. The metropolitan
area —
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am happy to answer, but really.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is hardly radical to go from 30 to 14 local authorities across Perth. It is
not a Brisbane model. It is not a Kennett overnight forced change. It is barely
radical. I could go on about the arguments about why this is happening, but I
will not. The Leader of the Opposition asked the question about the process.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I give up.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Forced amalgamations would require an act of Parliament. We are not bringing in
an act of Parliament. What we have outlined and what the sector has been
calling for is the government's plan—the government's
maps, if you like, for the metropolitan area. The minister presented those and
I have to tell members that of those local governments—watch this space—many
of them agree already. That is what we are doing. I have absolute confidence
that with the cooperation of local government within the two-year period —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will conclude. The minister and I are confident that within that two-year
period to mid-2015, we will reach agreement with the local authorities and we
will be able to implement, using the Local Government Advisory Board, the
mergers, if you like, and introduce the new boundaries to create 14 local
authorities, and it will be done on a cooperative basis.
This government is capable of making decisions and dealing with important
issues; that is not true of members on the other side. I do not believe anyone,
or very few people in this state, including everyone in this chamber, would
sensibly argue that modern Western Australia in the twenty-first century should
have 140 local authorities, nor would anyone in this chamber realistically
suggest —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : You're hopeless!
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the first time. Let
the Premier answer the question and the Leader of the Opposition will have a
supplementary.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Nor would people sensibly suggest that it is a good thing in
the metropolitan area to have local governments that have jurisdiction over
less than five square kilometres. In country areas, a number of local
authorities have fewer than 500 people living in the area; some have 300. Most
primary schools in this state are bigger.
Mr D.J. Kelly : At
primary school, you're told off for lying!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Did you say ''lying''?
Mr D.J. Kelly : I
said at primary school, you're told off for lying.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Oh, you're learning!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The case for some reform and modernisation of local government is overwhelming.
Yes, it will be difficult. This government could have walked away from it, as
previous governments have done, but we will not. We are a government that will
do the reform to make sure we have a strong, relevant and effective local
government sector. That is what it takes. Yes, it may not be easy but that is
what we will do.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite are so childish.
Let us look at the issue. We are talking about metropolitan
Perth. There are 30 local authorities in metropolitan Perth. Metropolitan Perth
faces some serious issues with transport, congestion, long-term planning,
coastal management, and issues of the Swan River and its health. They are
important issues. To have such a variety of size and competency in local
government is not a good thing. It is hardly radical —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I am happy to answer questions.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Premier, can you answer the question and we will move on?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying hard to do so, Mr Speaker. Thirty local governments across Perth are
too many. Indeed, report after report, year after year, has said the same. This
issue under this government has been going on for three to four years. No-one
can pretend ignorance. No-one can pretend that the issues have not been out
there. There has been endless consultation, endless reports and endless
meetings. This government will make some decisions and act. The metropolitan
area —
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am happy to answer, but really.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is hardly radical to go from 30 to 14 local authorities across Perth. It is
not a Brisbane model. It is not a Kennett overnight forced change. It is barely
radical. I could go on about the arguments about why this is happening, but I
will not. The Leader of the Opposition asked the question about the process.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, I give up.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Forced amalgamations would require an act of Parliament. We are not bringing in
an act of Parliament. What we have outlined and what the sector has been
calling for is the government's plan—the government's
maps, if you like, for the metropolitan area. The minister presented those and
I have to tell members that of those local governments—watch this space—many
of them agree already. That is what we are doing. I have absolute confidence
that with the cooperation of local government within the two-year period —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will conclude. The minister and I are confident that within that two-year
period to mid-2015, we will reach agreement with the local authorities and we
will be able to implement, using the Local Government Advisory Board, the
mergers, if you like, and introduce the new boundaries to create 14 local
authorities, and it will be done on a cooperative basis.
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