Following a reasonable settling in period, the Tasmanian Local Government Act 1993 is currently being reviewed. Now over two years since the Act came into operation, as well as meeting a legislative requirement for a review, the Minister for Local Government, Denise Swan, said that the impact of the National Competition Policy and other policy reforms demand the Act be revisited to ensure Councils have the capacity to carry out these changes.
The review process has been drawn up in close consultation with the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT). Both the President of LGAT, Mayor Sue Smith, and its Executive Director, Stuart Wardlaw, are members of the review Steering Committee.
Amendment proposals presented by Councils have been collated by LGAT and forwarded to the Local Government Office (LGO). Recently, five Working Groups were set up, each looking at a particular area of reform. These Groups will consider aspects of the legislative options paper, prepared by the LGO, relevant to their area of concern. Comprising Councillors, Council Managers and community representatives, the Five Working Groups include the following.
- Responsible Government (Municipal areas, electoral districts, Local Government Board, transitional arrangements and Boards of Inquiry)
- National Competition Policy (functions and powers, trading powers, joint authorities, by laws, acquisitions and tenders)
- Operational (strategic and operational plans, estimates and budgets, rates, charges and fees, loans and investments)
- Elections (terms of office, franchise and postal voting, number of Councillors, casual vacancies, mayoral elections)
- Council and Community (meeting procedures, committees, role of Councillors, Annual General Meeting, conflict of interest, issues of significant interest, elector polls and allowances)
The Working Groups’ recommendations will be passed to the Steering Committee for approval. A period of public comment on the amended legislative options paper will then follow. The Working Groups will then finalise this paper for presentation to LGAT, followed by Ministerial approval and the preparation of Cabinet documents.
“With the Government inviting everyone in Local Government and the community in general to put their hand up to join the Working Groups, it is very much grassroots involvement,” said Sue Smith, President LGAT. “From our point of view, partnership is the key and it is clear the LGO is also committed to this approach.”
It is expected that a Bill, encompassing the agreed amendments, will be presented to Parliament in the Autumn session next year.
