❓ Mr. Templeman questions the Minister for Local Government regarding comments attributed to the Mayor of Cockburn about the council merger process lacking economic analysis and being politically motivated. The Minister denies making the specific comments and defends the boundary changes based on a model for good local government.
AnsweredQoN 751Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS — MAYOR OF COCKBURN
751. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN to the
Minister for Local Government:
I refer the minister to comments on commercial radio this
morning by the Mayor of Cockburn, Logan Howlett, when he made the following
statement about the botched council merger process —
We were told by the Minister
face-to-face that there was no economic analysis done. There was no community
of interest evaluations. It was purely based on a political decision by the
Premier and some of the members of the Liberal Party to carve up Cockburn.
With those comments in mind, I ask —
(1) Did the
minister make any such comment to the Mayor of Cockburn?
(2) If he did
not, why would the mayor gain such an impression?
(3) Has the
minister done an economic analysis of the mergers; and, if so, will he release
it now?
751. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN to the
Minister for Local Government:
I refer the minister to comments on commercial radio this
morning by the Mayor of Cockburn, Logan Howlett, when he made the following
statement about the botched council merger process —
We were told by the Minister
face-to-face that there was no economic analysis done. There was no community
of interest evaluations. It was purely based on a political decision by the
Premier and some of the members of the Liberal Party to carve up Cockburn.
With those comments in mind, I ask —
(1) Did the
minister make any such comment to the Mayor of Cockburn?
(2) If he did
not, why would the mayor gain such an impression?
(3) Has the
minister done an economic analysis of the mergers; and, if so, will he release
it now?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I thank the member for the question. As the Premier pointed out in answer to
the first question this afternoon about the matters that came out in July,
through that process we consulted with the community, and the Fremantle port
city—our second city—became a viable proposition for ensuring
that we hang on to our identity. I think everyone in this chamber would agree
that the Cities of Melville and Fremantle do not have a lot in common. The
interesting exercise is to make sure Fremantle remains as our second capital
city. I refer to the process that was followed to get where we are today. The
City of Fremantle population needs to increase, so we propose that the
boundaries come down the coast towards —
Mr D.A. Templeman :
Did you make the comments to the Mayor of Cockburn?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
will get to that in a minute.
We propose to expand the boundary of Fremantle to increase
the population to make it more sustainable. We also propose to increase the
boundary of Melville. As everyone knows, three important aspects are required
to ensure good local government: first, a residential base; second, a
commercial base; and, third, industrial land. Those are the three components
needed to raise good rates. If we work through that model for Melville to Bibra
Lake and Fremantle down to Hamilton Hill and Coogee, both areas will be
expanded. The process for Cockburn takes half of Cockburn into Kwinana.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
Hang on! Let me make this point: Kwinana and Cockburn will still be very
viable, strong local governments. In the next 10 to 15 years they will enjoy
huge greenfields growth. Their boundaries will include Jandakot airport and the
industrial strip of Kwinana, which are all part of that growth needed by local
government.
When we met with the City of Cockburn last Monday, I went
through the process. The people brought up a case and identified the financial
modelling. They were quite clear about and very proud of their financial
modelling. I think they said that they were number four out of 30 metropolitan
local governments with their financial modelling. They identified a couple that
were in the 20s. I wanted them to work out why they ended with their financial
modelling, and the financial modelling of others was not as good as theirs. As
I say to all members, how do we rate a local government?
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What did you tell the mayor?
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : Hang on. Do we rate it on how low its rates are, whether it
budgets better, what services it delivers, how good its services are or do we
rate councils on all those things? I had a long conversation with the Mayor of
Cockburn about this process.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
Hang on. We can get through this. He was trying to find out how we did the
economies of scale and what financial modelling we built them on. The financial
modelling will come later —
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What about the mayor's comments on radio this morning?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
We have changed Cockburn's boundaries from what we first thought they
would be.
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What about the mayor's comments on radio this morning? That is the
question.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah! Minister, you have
given us a good explanation. Can you answer the question?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
will, Mr Speaker.
At the end of the day, the Mayor of Cockburn made some
allegations about the Liberal Party doing it for those reasons. No such thing
has happened. We have based it on a model of what we think is best for local
government. The answer to the question is no, I did not.
I thank the member for the question. As the Premier pointed out in answer to
the first question this afternoon about the matters that came out in July,
through that process we consulted with the community, and the Fremantle port
city—our second city—became a viable proposition for ensuring
that we hang on to our identity. I think everyone in this chamber would agree
that the Cities of Melville and Fremantle do not have a lot in common. The
interesting exercise is to make sure Fremantle remains as our second capital
city. I refer to the process that was followed to get where we are today. The
City of Fremantle population needs to increase, so we propose that the
boundaries come down the coast towards —
Mr D.A. Templeman :
Did you make the comments to the Mayor of Cockburn?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
will get to that in a minute.
We propose to expand the boundary of Fremantle to increase
the population to make it more sustainable. We also propose to increase the
boundary of Melville. As everyone knows, three important aspects are required
to ensure good local government: first, a residential base; second, a
commercial base; and, third, industrial land. Those are the three components
needed to raise good rates. If we work through that model for Melville to Bibra
Lake and Fremantle down to Hamilton Hill and Coogee, both areas will be
expanded. The process for Cockburn takes half of Cockburn into Kwinana.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
Hang on! Let me make this point: Kwinana and Cockburn will still be very
viable, strong local governments. In the next 10 to 15 years they will enjoy
huge greenfields growth. Their boundaries will include Jandakot airport and the
industrial strip of Kwinana, which are all part of that growth needed by local
government.
When we met with the City of Cockburn last Monday, I went
through the process. The people brought up a case and identified the financial
modelling. They were quite clear about and very proud of their financial
modelling. I think they said that they were number four out of 30 metropolitan
local governments with their financial modelling. They identified a couple that
were in the 20s. I wanted them to work out why they ended with their financial
modelling, and the financial modelling of others was not as good as theirs. As
I say to all members, how do we rate a local government?
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What did you tell the mayor?
Mr
A.J. SIMPSON : Hang on. Do we rate it on how low its rates are, whether it
budgets better, what services it delivers, how good its services are or do we
rate councils on all those things? I had a long conversation with the Mayor of
Cockburn about this process.
Several members interjected.
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
Hang on. We can get through this. He was trying to find out how we did the
economies of scale and what financial modelling we built them on. The financial
modelling will come later —
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What about the mayor's comments on radio this morning?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON :
We have changed Cockburn's boundaries from what we first thought they
would be.
Mr D.A. Templeman :
What about the mayor's comments on radio this morning? That is the
question.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah! Minister, you have
given us a good explanation. Can you answer the question?
Mr A.J. SIMPSON : I
will, Mr Speaker.
At the end of the day, the Mayor of Cockburn made some
allegations about the Liberal Party doing it for those reasons. No such thing
has happened. We have based it on a model of what we think is best for local
government. The answer to the question is no, I did not.
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