❓ Mr. Tinley questions the Minister for Local Government about the Local Government Advisory Board's handling of public submissions regarding local government reform, suggesting a deliberate time constraint prevented proper assessment. The Minister defends the process, citing the Local Government Act and the need for reform to address population growth.
AnsweredQoN 222Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADVISORY BOARD —
SUBMISSIONS
222. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the minister's comment that it is out of
his hands and up to the independent advisory board, and to reports that the
Local Government Advisory Board will not actually be reading the 25 000
submissions it received, but instead be engaging researchers to pick through
them and prepare a report for the Local Government Advisory Board to base its
decisions on.
(1) Was the
time frame imposed on the Local Government Advisory Board deliberately small so
that all submissions could not be assessed?
Mr A.J. Simpson :
Yes.
Mr P.C. TINLEY : I
note the minister's response is yes to that question; thank you. My
question continues —
(2) How can
the views of the public be taken into account when many of the submissions will
not even be read?
SUBMISSIONS
222. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the minister's comment that it is out of
his hands and up to the independent advisory board, and to reports that the
Local Government Advisory Board will not actually be reading the 25 000
submissions it received, but instead be engaging researchers to pick through
them and prepare a report for the Local Government Advisory Board to base its
decisions on.
(1) Was the
time frame imposed on the Local Government Advisory Board deliberately small so
that all submissions could not be assessed?
Mr A.J. Simpson :
Yes.
Mr P.C. TINLEY : I
note the minister's response is yes to that question; thank you. My
question continues —
(2) How can
the views of the public be taken into account when many of the submissions will
not even be read?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Willagee for the question.
(1)–(2) Unfortunately, the shadow Minister for Local
Government is not here, otherwise he could actually —
Mr F.M. Logan : He
is.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
apologise for that; he is here. The shadow minister could tell the member that
if he reads the Local Government Act, he would see that it quite clearly
specifies an advertising period of only 28 days. When the Local Government
Advisory Board put out the advertisement on the 37 proposals, it stated that it
was open for public submissions for a 28-day period.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Through the Chair, please, minister.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The advisory board is in the process at the moment of going through the
proposals. The advisory board will pick a date to report back to me; it is not
actually set. It will make a decision based on the information provided to it
and it will come back to me in July with a report on the best outcome for local
government as we move forward. I restate that this issue has been around for a
very long time. Most local government boundaries have not moved in 100 years.
It is time now to move on. We have half a million people coming to WA in the
next 12 years. We need local governments that can deliver the infrastructure
needed as the state grows, and especially as the metropolitan area grows where
75 per cent of people live. It is a very important issue and I hope opposition
members are very supportive of getting some reform and some good direction for
local government.
(1)–(2) Unfortunately, the shadow Minister for Local
Government is not here, otherwise he could actually —
Mr F.M. Logan : He
is.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
apologise for that; he is here. The shadow minister could tell the member that
if he reads the Local Government Act, he would see that it quite clearly
specifies an advertising period of only 28 days. When the Local Government
Advisory Board put out the advertisement on the 37 proposals, it stated that it
was open for public submissions for a 28-day period.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Through the Chair, please, minister.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The advisory board is in the process at the moment of going through the
proposals. The advisory board will pick a date to report back to me; it is not
actually set. It will make a decision based on the information provided to it
and it will come back to me in July with a report on the best outcome for local
government as we move forward. I restate that this issue has been around for a
very long time. Most local government boundaries have not moved in 100 years.
It is time now to move on. We have half a million people coming to WA in the
next 12 years. We need local governments that can deliver the infrastructure
needed as the state grows, and especially as the metropolitan area grows where
75 per cent of people live. It is a very important issue and I hope opposition
members are very supportive of getting some reform and some good direction for
local government.
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