❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions the Acting Premier about forced local government amalgamations, referencing a protest rally. The Acting Premier defends the government's position, citing potential efficiencies and previous consultation.
AnsweredQoN 250Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT — AMALGAMATIONS
250. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Acting Premier:
I refer to the local government rally last night outside this
building, which was another strong and vocal community reaction against this
government's forced local government amalgamation agenda. Will the
government now listen to the community and withdraw its ill-conceived forced
council amalgamation agenda?
250. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Acting Premier:
I refer to the local government rally last night outside this
building, which was another strong and vocal community reaction against this
government's forced local government amalgamation agenda. Will the
government now listen to the community and withdraw its ill-conceived forced
council amalgamation agenda?
AnswerView source ↗
The answer is simple and not much
different from the answer given yesterday by the Minister for Local Government—and
that is no. A large number of members of this house have served as council
members for long periods. You, Mr Speaker, served on the City of Perth for a
long period, and indeed as Deputy Mayor. I am not sure how many on our side
have. Hands up those who have been in local government! I count seven and me,
which makes eight. Mr Speaker, there are at least eight.
Mr
M. McGowan : Mr Speaker, are you going to allow this—people turning
their backs to the opposition?
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : At least eight members on this side have had various roles on
councils. I was on the City of Bayswater —
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : It
is at least eight on this side. I do not suppose members on the other side care
to put up their hands to indicate how many have been in local government.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : Mr Speaker, the Deputy Premier is trying to engage in
audience participation. Can I seek your view on whether, if we respond to him,
we will be called to order?
The
SPEAKER : I think we have passed audience participation now. Can the
Deputy Premier now please proceed through the Chair?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have been able to determine, with the
kind assistance of the member for Cockburn, that probably three on the other
side have been involved in local government as councillors or in positions in
local government. I think that is important because our side over the years has
had a very strong involvement with local government. We understand how it
works, we understand the pressures upon it and we understand the efficiencies
of council. I have to say that the City of Bayswater —
Mr D.J. Kelly : You've
clearly been clearly in Dianella.
K.D. HAMES : Give
it a rest!
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Bassendean; I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
City of Bayswater was an excellent council, led in my time by the honourable
John D'Orazio, an excellent mayor. Since that time there was an amalgamation
process that included Maylands being taken away from the City of Stirling, as I
am sure members are aware. A lot of work was done at that time that showed the
ideal size of a council was well in excess of the size that Bayswater was at
the time, which was about 50 000 people. I think that change increased to about
70 000. It was determined in various reports that the ideal size of a council
to provide efficiencies of service was in the order of 100 000 people. The
people outside this building last night were protesting against this local
government reform at the very last minute and over a very long and protracted
process that was initiated by the former Minister for Local Government —
Dr A.D. Buti : Yes,
because you stuffed it up; that's why.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Indeed, it has not been stuffed up because it has given all councils and all
people —
Dr A.D. Buti : You
lie!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Thank you. Right, withdraw that statement, please.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I withdraw that statement.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for Armadale to order now for the second time.
Questions
without Notice Resumed
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Everybody within those communities had ample opportunity to
have their say on this matter. It seems to me that the people protesting the
loudest were from councils that may be amalgamated as part of this reform and
may lose their positions.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the first time. There
is plenty of time for you to ask questions or to make comment later in the day.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The proposal has been put forward that people living in those
communities will in some way lose out in that the library just down the road
suddenly will not be there anymore.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The proposal being put forward is that the library down the
road suddenly will not be theirs to use anymore or the park will be in another
council area so that they cannot go to the park. That is absolute nonsense!
Those facilities will be there for everybody to use. I go to areas in the City
of Bayswater if I am in Dianella. In Mandurah I go to areas in Pinjarra
council. I go to areas where the services are provided by those councils and
that are accessible to me. The argument by the Labor Party is therefore
nonsense. Local government reform is going through the process; it will go
before an independent review and then come back to the minister. There can be
no argument that very small councils are inefficient and need to be larger in
size. That has been argued year after year after year, and we are the only ones
with the guts to move down the road to that process. I say more power to the
minister responsible, more power to the minister —
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the second time. Is the Deputy Premier
finished?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am finished, Mr Speaker, and I will wind up the sentence by saying that I
strongly support the Minister for Local Government and the action he has taken.
It is the appropriate action and it is in the best interests of the ratepayers
of Western Australia.
different from the answer given yesterday by the Minister for Local Government—and
that is no. A large number of members of this house have served as council
members for long periods. You, Mr Speaker, served on the City of Perth for a
long period, and indeed as Deputy Mayor. I am not sure how many on our side
have. Hands up those who have been in local government! I count seven and me,
which makes eight. Mr Speaker, there are at least eight.
Mr
M. McGowan : Mr Speaker, are you going to allow this—people turning
their backs to the opposition?
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : At least eight members on this side have had various roles on
councils. I was on the City of Bayswater —
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : It
is at least eight on this side. I do not suppose members on the other side care
to put up their hands to indicate how many have been in local government.
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : Mr Speaker, the Deputy Premier is trying to engage in
audience participation. Can I seek your view on whether, if we respond to him,
we will be called to order?
The
SPEAKER : I think we have passed audience participation now. Can the
Deputy Premier now please proceed through the Chair?
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have been able to determine, with the
kind assistance of the member for Cockburn, that probably three on the other
side have been involved in local government as councillors or in positions in
local government. I think that is important because our side over the years has
had a very strong involvement with local government. We understand how it
works, we understand the pressures upon it and we understand the efficiencies
of council. I have to say that the City of Bayswater —
Mr D.J. Kelly : You've
clearly been clearly in Dianella.
K.D. HAMES : Give
it a rest!
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Bassendean; I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
City of Bayswater was an excellent council, led in my time by the honourable
John D'Orazio, an excellent mayor. Since that time there was an amalgamation
process that included Maylands being taken away from the City of Stirling, as I
am sure members are aware. A lot of work was done at that time that showed the
ideal size of a council was well in excess of the size that Bayswater was at
the time, which was about 50 000 people. I think that change increased to about
70 000. It was determined in various reports that the ideal size of a council
to provide efficiencies of service was in the order of 100 000 people. The
people outside this building last night were protesting against this local
government reform at the very last minute and over a very long and protracted
process that was initiated by the former Minister for Local Government —
Dr A.D. Buti : Yes,
because you stuffed it up; that's why.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Indeed, it has not been stuffed up because it has given all councils and all
people —
Dr A.D. Buti : You
lie!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Thank you. Right, withdraw that statement, please.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I withdraw that statement.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for Armadale to order now for the second time.
Questions
without Notice Resumed
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Everybody within those communities had ample opportunity to
have their say on this matter. It seems to me that the people protesting the
loudest were from councils that may be amalgamated as part of this reform and
may lose their positions.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the first time. There
is plenty of time for you to ask questions or to make comment later in the day.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The proposal has been put forward that people living in those
communities will in some way lose out in that the library just down the road
suddenly will not be there anymore.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The proposal being put forward is that the library down the
road suddenly will not be theirs to use anymore or the park will be in another
council area so that they cannot go to the park. That is absolute nonsense!
Those facilities will be there for everybody to use. I go to areas in the City
of Bayswater if I am in Dianella. In Mandurah I go to areas in Pinjarra
council. I go to areas where the services are provided by those councils and
that are accessible to me. The argument by the Labor Party is therefore
nonsense. Local government reform is going through the process; it will go
before an independent review and then come back to the minister. There can be
no argument that very small councils are inefficient and need to be larger in
size. That has been argued year after year after year, and we are the only ones
with the guts to move down the road to that process. I say more power to the
minister responsible, more power to the minister —
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the second time. Is the Deputy Premier
finished?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am finished, Mr Speaker, and I will wind up the sentence by saying that I
strongly support the Minister for Local Government and the action he has taken.
It is the appropriate action and it is in the best interests of the ratepayers
of Western Australia.
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