❓ Mrs. Godfrey asks about the information ratepayers can access via the new 'my council' website. The Minister details increased transparency measures, including financial reporting and comparative spending data, while also criticising the opposition's inaction on local government reform.
AnsweredQoN 87Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT — PERFORMANCE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
87. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the Minister for
Local Government:
Can the minister advise the house
about the type of information that ratepayers will be able to assess through
the new ''my council'' website, another initiative he has planned
to improve local government performance and accountability?
ACCOUNTABILITY
87. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the Minister for
Local Government:
Can the minister advise the house
about the type of information that ratepayers will be able to assess through
the new ''my council'' website, another initiative he has planned
to improve local government performance and accountability?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
Belmont for her question and her interest as a former mayor.
Before I answer that question can I acknowledge,
from the member for Dawesville's electorate, the Halls Head Primary
School students who are in the gallery today, and their principal, Mr Beckingham.
As the member for Belmont pointed
out, transparency and accountability around local government has to be brought
to a head. Tabled in Parliament today was the government response to the Public
Accounts Committee report, ''Improving Local Government Accountability'',
which was its review of local government accountability and, more importantly,
how local governments manage their books.
This government has been strong on
local government to make sure that we can build the capacity of local
government to deliver good services to ratepayers. When we came into government
in 2008, less than 20 per cent of local governments had any type of reporting
planning process in place—that is, how local governments identify
assets and how they replace and maintain those assets. Now that there has been
a change in the legislation and new rules have been brought in, 83 per cent of
all local governments now have an integrated planning and reporting project
which involves them in consulting with their communities on their assets and
how they go about rebuilding, and also, more importantly, replacing them.
Of course, the government has been
very supportive of the $1.5 million allocated for elected member training.
Also, the government is reviewing the rules of conduct. In this house last
year, we reviewed the online register of gifts and travel, again, to get that
transparency in local government. Of course, one of the recommendations of the
PAC report was that the Auditor General would take over the audits of local
government, which is very important. The Auditor General audits 200 government
agencies. Local governments should be the same, and through legislation later
this year we will be able to transfer that accountability over.
All in all, to sum it up, as the
member for Belmont pointed out, later this year we will launch the ''my
council'' website. We will be able to put up on that website the
accounts and that will give more accountability and transparency across those
rates. We have spoken about putting downward pressure on rates, but one of the
key issues is that ratepayers can see where council income comes from, be it
from rates, fees and charges or grants, and where councils spend that money—on
roads, rubbish and the community. That will be on the webpage for everyone to
see. More importantly, we will be able to —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : More importantly, ratepayers will be able to see where their
money is being spent and compare their council's spending with
neighbouring local government spending. It is important to put in this
transparency for ratepayers so that they have a better understanding of where
local government rates are being spent.
It is interesting to hear from the
opposition because I remember reading in The
West Australian in December 2014 or January 2015 that the Labor Party would
be releasing a discussion paper in 2015. Leader of the Opposition, I am still
waiting for that discussion paper on local government. We have still not
received that, but this government is getting on with the job and making sure
that ratepayers are provided transparency and accountability.
Belmont for her question and her interest as a former mayor.
Before I answer that question can I acknowledge,
from the member for Dawesville's electorate, the Halls Head Primary
School students who are in the gallery today, and their principal, Mr Beckingham.
As the member for Belmont pointed
out, transparency and accountability around local government has to be brought
to a head. Tabled in Parliament today was the government response to the Public
Accounts Committee report, ''Improving Local Government Accountability'',
which was its review of local government accountability and, more importantly,
how local governments manage their books.
This government has been strong on
local government to make sure that we can build the capacity of local
government to deliver good services to ratepayers. When we came into government
in 2008, less than 20 per cent of local governments had any type of reporting
planning process in place—that is, how local governments identify
assets and how they replace and maintain those assets. Now that there has been
a change in the legislation and new rules have been brought in, 83 per cent of
all local governments now have an integrated planning and reporting project
which involves them in consulting with their communities on their assets and
how they go about rebuilding, and also, more importantly, replacing them.
Of course, the government has been
very supportive of the $1.5 million allocated for elected member training.
Also, the government is reviewing the rules of conduct. In this house last
year, we reviewed the online register of gifts and travel, again, to get that
transparency in local government. Of course, one of the recommendations of the
PAC report was that the Auditor General would take over the audits of local
government, which is very important. The Auditor General audits 200 government
agencies. Local governments should be the same, and through legislation later
this year we will be able to transfer that accountability over.
All in all, to sum it up, as the
member for Belmont pointed out, later this year we will launch the ''my
council'' website. We will be able to put up on that website the
accounts and that will give more accountability and transparency across those
rates. We have spoken about putting downward pressure on rates, but one of the
key issues is that ratepayers can see where council income comes from, be it
from rates, fees and charges or grants, and where councils spend that money—on
roads, rubbish and the community. That will be on the webpage for everyone to
see. More importantly, we will be able to —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : More importantly, ratepayers will be able to see where their
money is being spent and compare their council's spending with
neighbouring local government spending. It is important to put in this
transparency for ratepayers so that they have a better understanding of where
local government rates are being spent.
It is interesting to hear from the
opposition because I remember reading in The
West Australian in December 2014 or January 2015 that the Labor Party would
be releasing a discussion paper in 2015. Leader of the Opposition, I am still
waiting for that discussion paper on local government. We have still not
received that, but this government is getting on with the job and making sure
that ratepayers are provided transparency and accountability.
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