❓ Ms. Baker questions the Premier regarding the potential repeal of Dadour poll provisions in the Local Government Act 1995, citing confusion and wasteful expenditure. The Premier confirms a debate will occur and criticizes the Dadour provisions as undemocratic, hindering necessary local government reform.
AnsweredQoN 518Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS — DADOUR PROVISIONS
518. Ms L.L. BAKER to the Premier:
I refer to the five years of confusion, chaos and wasteful
expenditure the Premier has created across the local government sector in
Western Australia. Is it the Premier's position to repeal the Dadour poll
provisions in the Local Government Act 1995 and, if so, when will he bring that
legislation to Parliament?
GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS — DADOUR PROVISIONS
518. Ms L.L. BAKER to the Premier:
I refer to the five years of confusion, chaos and wasteful
expenditure the Premier has created across the local government sector in
Western Australia. Is it the Premier's position to repeal the Dadour poll
provisions in the Local Government Act 1995 and, if so, when will he bring that
legislation to Parliament?
AnswerView source ↗
There will be a debate on the Dadour poll provisions in the
Local Government Act. Reform in the local government area has been long
overdue. As the former minister said to me last night, we have been talking
about it for about 30 years.
Mr G.M. Castrilli :
Since 1957.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
was at primary school in 1957. It is time to move forward. Members opposite
will not be up for that.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
What about members in your party room? Are they up for it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
They will be. People are running around local government saying that the Dadour
provisions are democracy and all this sort of stuff. Can I remind the gigglers
opposite that local government is not a constitutional sovereign level of
government; it is a subset of state government where the state government
creates, abolishes if it wishes to, and puts in commissions. The state
government creates a body to provide local administration and local law, and it
allows the community to elect the representatives of councils to administer
that on behalf of the state. That is the reality. There are two levels of
government, not three, in Australia.
I provide members with an example of this close to my home in
the western suburbs, in which there are seven councils with something like 75
councillors, nearly 1 000 staff and so on. In the unlikely scenario that the
seven councils in the western suburbs decided they would be better off as one
council, which would be fewer than 100 000 people—let us say they all
agreed—it would then be possible under the Dadour provisions for 250
people in Peppermint Grove to stop the whole process. Is that democracy? No it
is not. It is nothing like it.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Half the population win the vote.
Ms L.L. Baker :
Premier, I asked what your position is.
The SPEAKER : I
remind the member for Maylands that if she asks a question, she can have a
supplementary question. Member for Victoria Park, I would not shout out anymore
if I were you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not have the exact figure, but there are roughly 1 100 people in Peppermint
Grove. If 500 people vote and the majority vote no—something like 250
or 260—then they can scuttle the whole western suburbs reform. Is that
democracy? It is nothing like it at all.
This government is prepared to take on local government
reform and we will persist, and local government needs to step up to the plate
and show some leadership in this area. I commented on radio this morning that
we had a discussion on this matter in the Liberal Party room for about an hour—it
was a good discussion. One of the themes that comes through in discussion is
perhaps a lack of supervision and oversight of government. Perhaps that is what
this Parliament should be doing.
Local Government Act. Reform in the local government area has been long
overdue. As the former minister said to me last night, we have been talking
about it for about 30 years.
Mr G.M. Castrilli :
Since 1957.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
was at primary school in 1957. It is time to move forward. Members opposite
will not be up for that.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
What about members in your party room? Are they up for it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
They will be. People are running around local government saying that the Dadour
provisions are democracy and all this sort of stuff. Can I remind the gigglers
opposite that local government is not a constitutional sovereign level of
government; it is a subset of state government where the state government
creates, abolishes if it wishes to, and puts in commissions. The state
government creates a body to provide local administration and local law, and it
allows the community to elect the representatives of councils to administer
that on behalf of the state. That is the reality. There are two levels of
government, not three, in Australia.
I provide members with an example of this close to my home in
the western suburbs, in which there are seven councils with something like 75
councillors, nearly 1 000 staff and so on. In the unlikely scenario that the
seven councils in the western suburbs decided they would be better off as one
council, which would be fewer than 100 000 people—let us say they all
agreed—it would then be possible under the Dadour provisions for 250
people in Peppermint Grove to stop the whole process. Is that democracy? No it
is not. It is nothing like it.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Half the population win the vote.
Ms L.L. Baker :
Premier, I asked what your position is.
The SPEAKER : I
remind the member for Maylands that if she asks a question, she can have a
supplementary question. Member for Victoria Park, I would not shout out anymore
if I were you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not have the exact figure, but there are roughly 1 100 people in Peppermint
Grove. If 500 people vote and the majority vote no—something like 250
or 260—then they can scuttle the whole western suburbs reform. Is that
democracy? It is nothing like it at all.
This government is prepared to take on local government
reform and we will persist, and local government needs to step up to the plate
and show some leadership in this area. I commented on radio this morning that
we had a discussion on this matter in the Liberal Party room for about an hour—it
was a good discussion. One of the themes that comes through in discussion is
perhaps a lack of supervision and oversight of government. Perhaps that is what
this Parliament should be doing.
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