In South Australia, cooperative relations between the State and Local Government are being built.
“In collaboration with the President of the Local Government Association, I have put in place a two tiered management structure for the joint State/Local Government Partnerships Program,” said Minister for Local Government, Dorothy Kotz.
The Partnership Forum held its first meeting last December.
The members of the Forum include the Minister and President of the Local Government Association, two Mayors, two Council Chief Executive Officers, two State MPs and two State Department heads.
This Forum is supported by a Steering Group of senior Local and State Government officers.
“The overall success of the Partnerships Program will be reliant upon the engagement of both State and Local Government in this important initiative,” the Minister said.
New opportunities for innovation are being identified through a joint Scoping Study, which is the initial stage of the Program.
Outcomes from the Study will provide a clearer indication of the key priority areas for reform, identify issues that need to be addressed to achieve viable and sustainable reform through partnerships, and lead to strategies and an action plan for initiating reform and partnerships between State and Local Government.
The Minister said current examples of State and Local Government working in partnership across Government agencies include, achieving greater efficiencies in development approval processes, joint strategic planning and coordination, and coordinating resources such as the locust control program.
