❓ Hon. Philip Scott questions the Minister for Local Government regarding the Town of Port Hedland council's vacancies, potential replacement with a commissioner, and the lack of extraordinary elections, referencing Minister Beazley's media comments and relevant sections of the Local Government Act. The Minister's response indicates ongoing monitoring of the situation.
AnsweredQoN 467Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Town of Port Hedland council
467. Hon Philip Scott to
the minister representing the Minister for Local
Government:
I refer to Minister
Beazley's comments in the media, when she threatened to replace the Town of
Port Hedland council with a commissioner if councillors do not "put the
best interests of their community first", and I refer to the council's
four vacancies created by resignations.
(1) If there is another resignation on the Town of
Port Hedland council, can the minister provide a guarantee that she will reduce
the number of offices required for a quorum at council meetings, as section 5.7
of the Local Government Act empowers her to do and, if not, why not?
(2) If the minister follows through on her threat
to replace Port Hedland's council with a commissioner, will the minister put
the best interests of the Port Hedland community first by respecting its
democratic right to elect councillors on 18 October this year at the local
government elections?
(3) Given there are four vacancies on Port
Hedland's council, most of which have been vacant for longer than four months,
can the minister explain why an extraordinary election has not yet been held to
fill the vacancies as required by section 4.9 of the Local Government Act?
467. Hon Philip Scott to
the minister representing the Minister for Local
Government:
I refer to Minister
Beazley's comments in the media, when she threatened to replace the Town of
Port Hedland council with a commissioner if councillors do not "put the
best interests of their community first", and I refer to the council's
four vacancies created by resignations.
(1) If there is another resignation on the Town of
Port Hedland council, can the minister provide a guarantee that she will reduce
the number of offices required for a quorum at council meetings, as section 5.7
of the Local Government Act empowers her to do and, if not, why not?
(2) If the minister follows through on her threat
to replace Port Hedland's council with a commissioner, will the minister put
the best interests of the Port Hedland community first by respecting its
democratic right to elect councillors on 18 October this year at the local
government elections?
(3) Given there are four vacancies on Port
Hedland's council, most of which have been vacant for longer than four months,
can the minister explain why an extraordinary election has not yet been held to
fill the vacancies as required by section 4.9 of the Local Government Act?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Local Government.
(1)–(3) The Department of Local
Government, Sport and Cultural Industries continues to monitor the situation at
the Town of Port Hedland.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following response has
been provided by the Minister for Local Government.
(1)–(3) The Department of Local
Government, Sport and Cultural Industries continues to monitor the situation at
the Town of Port Hedland.
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