❓ Mr. Krsticevic questions the Minister on the decision to lower the gift declaration threshold for local government councillors from $500 (recommended by a working group) to $300. The Minister explains the decision was made after broader consultation to balance transparency and practicality.
AnsweredQoN 3998Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to the recommendation of the working group attached to the phase one
review of the Local Government Act 1995 and its recommendation that councillors should declare online all gifts
totalling more than $500, and ask: (a) why
was the monetary threshold for reporting gifts reduced to $300 in the reforms
announced by the Minister on 1 August 2018; (b) who made the decision to reduce the recommended threshold to $300; (c) was
the working group consulted about the decision to reduce the threshold to $300; and (d) did the working group provide any
feedback on the decision to reduce the threshold to $300: (i) what was that feedback?
refer to the recommendation of the working group attached to the phase one
review of the Local Government Act 1995 and its recommendation that councillors should declare online all gifts
totalling more than $500, and ask: (a) why
was the monetary threshold for reporting gifts reduced to $300 in the reforms
announced by the Minister on 1 August 2018; (b) who made the decision to reduce the recommended threshold to $300; (c) was
the working group consulted about the decision to reduce the threshold to $300; and (d) did the working group provide any
feedback on the decision to reduce the threshold to $300: (i) what was that feedback?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 October 2018
Responded by
Minister for Local Government
Response time
6 days
(a-d) The Working Group was established in 2016, under the previous Government, the paper was never released nor acted upon. The Working Group Membership consisted of local government stakeholders and government departmental representatives.
The McGowan Government committed to reviewing the Local Government Act 1995 , and established a Reference Group with wider membership than the Working Group and consulted with the public on the matter of declaration of gifts.
The government decision to establish the threshold at $300 was made, after consultation with the sector and the community, to balance the expectations of the community and the local government sector in relation to transparency and the influence of gifts on decision making.
The McGowan Government committed to reviewing the Local Government Act 1995 , and established a Reference Group with wider membership than the Working Group and consulted with the public on the matter of declaration of gifts.
The government decision to establish the threshold at $300 was made, after consultation with the sector and the community, to balance the expectations of the community and the local government sector in relation to transparency and the influence of gifts on decision making.
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