❓ Question concerns the progress of local government reform in WA, specifically regarding potential impacts on local assets and services. The Minister assures that the reform aims to improve services and denies claims of service losses.
AnsweredQoN 788Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM — REPEAL WEEK
788. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I note that Repeal Week is a time when we reflect on the Liberal–National
government's efforts in repealing and reforming legislation. Can the
minister please update the house on progress made on local government reform
and what these proposed changes may mean for local government assets and
services?
788. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I note that Repeal Week is a time when we reflect on the Liberal–National
government's efforts in repealing and reforming legislation. Can the
minister please update the house on progress made on local government reform
and what these proposed changes may mean for local government assets and
services?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. Lately, I have become
aware of a number of campaigns run with ratepayers' money about
communities losing local government services. It concerns me that we are going
down the road of talking about communities losing their libraries, community
centres, the RSL and the like. In fact, this is a blatant lie. The most
important thing about the reform process is that it will deliver better
services to ratepayers. I hope to make it very clear that local government
reform is about building better services for people who will still live in the
same house, same street, same suburb and same postcode. All the same service
arrangements will still be available going forward. I have no problem with the
councils running awareness-raising campaigns for their communities about the
reform process, but going out and blatantly telling communities that they will
lose their services —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I suggest you put your name down for a question. I call
you to order for the first time.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
have no problem with campaigns that inform communities about the reform process—I
think that is a good program—but telling people that they will lose
community facilities is a blatant lie.
Mr R.H. Cook No,
it is not!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
It is. Is the member going to knock the library over?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn! Address the Chair, please, minister.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The library will still be available to the ratepayers who live in that
community; it is not going anywhere. I think it is important that, as the
reform process is on its way to the Local Government Advisory Board, councils
get their communities together to make a submission to the advisory board to
put forward their case. Writing to members of Parliament or a petition is now
not worth their time and effort because we have no input to that process; it is
off to the advisory board. The advisory board will have that process and that
is where they should put their comments in. The most important thing to realise
here is that we are going to reform. It is happening, and it is about
delivering more services.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
To close, the most important thing —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
In conclusion, the most important thing about local government reform is that
it will deliver better economies of scale to deliver better services for
ratepayers; it is a proven fact. This has been 100 years in the making. It is
time to make changes. There is a set period for it. It is time to move this
process forward.
aware of a number of campaigns run with ratepayers' money about
communities losing local government services. It concerns me that we are going
down the road of talking about communities losing their libraries, community
centres, the RSL and the like. In fact, this is a blatant lie. The most
important thing about the reform process is that it will deliver better
services to ratepayers. I hope to make it very clear that local government
reform is about building better services for people who will still live in the
same house, same street, same suburb and same postcode. All the same service
arrangements will still be available going forward. I have no problem with the
councils running awareness-raising campaigns for their communities about the
reform process, but going out and blatantly telling communities that they will
lose their services —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I suggest you put your name down for a question. I call
you to order for the first time.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
have no problem with campaigns that inform communities about the reform process—I
think that is a good program—but telling people that they will lose
community facilities is a blatant lie.
Mr R.H. Cook No,
it is not!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
It is. Is the member going to knock the library over?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn! Address the Chair, please, minister.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The library will still be available to the ratepayers who live in that
community; it is not going anywhere. I think it is important that, as the
reform process is on its way to the Local Government Advisory Board, councils
get their communities together to make a submission to the advisory board to
put forward their case. Writing to members of Parliament or a petition is now
not worth their time and effort because we have no input to that process; it is
off to the advisory board. The advisory board will have that process and that
is where they should put their comments in. The most important thing to realise
here is that we are going to reform. It is happening, and it is about
delivering more services.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
To close, the most important thing —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
In conclusion, the most important thing about local government reform is that
it will deliver better economies of scale to deliver better services for
ratepayers; it is a proven fact. This has been 100 years in the making. It is
time to make changes. There is a set period for it. It is time to move this
process forward.
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