❓ Mr. Kelly questions the Minister for Local Government about the $3.5 million spent by local governments on amalgamation processes, seeking reimbursement. The Minister denies instructing them to spend that amount and asserts the process was initiated and driven by the local government sector itself.
AnsweredQoN 14Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT — AMALGAMATIONS — COST
14. Mr D.J. KELLY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I have a supplementary question. The minister made them
participate in this process and they spent $3.5 million —
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, please ask your supplementary question.
Mr D.J. KELLY :
They spent $3.5 million on the process—money they could have spent on
roads and social services. Why will the minister not reimburse them for that?
GOVERNMENT — AMALGAMATIONS — COST
14. Mr D.J. KELLY to the
Minister for Local Government:
I have a supplementary question. The minister made them
participate in this process and they spent $3.5 million —
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, please ask your supplementary question.
Mr D.J. KELLY :
They spent $3.5 million on the process—money they could have spent on
roads and social services. Why will the minister not reimburse them for that?
AnswerView source ↗
I did not tell them to spend $3.5 million; I did not tell
them that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mandurah! I want an answer through the Chair so we can move on.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The process we have been through is what the local government sector wanted.
They asked for it. One of the key things they said to me when I became the
minister was, ''Make a decision.'' I made the decision.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
It is their decision; they had the process. I did not force them to put it to
the advisory board; they put their own proposals in. To stand here and say that
I should apologise for the process is ludicrous. It is their proposal that was
put to the Local Government Advisory Board, there were 30 000 submissions, and
the outcome is what they wanted.
them that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mandurah! I want an answer through the Chair so we can move on.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
The process we have been through is what the local government sector wanted.
They asked for it. One of the key things they said to me when I became the
minister was, ''Make a decision.'' I made the decision.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
It is their decision; they had the process. I did not force them to put it to
the advisory board; they put their own proposals in. To stand here and say that
I should apologise for the process is ludicrous. It is their proposal that was
put to the Local Government Advisory Board, there were 30 000 submissions, and
the outcome is what they wanted.
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