The following is from Councillor Tom Pyne, President of Local Government Association of Queensland.
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention must argue for recognition of Local Government in the Federal Constitution. There are three spheres of government in Australia, Federal, State and Local, but the Constitution only recognises two. This is wrong and the opportunity should be taken now to put it right.
When the Constitution was written nearly a century ago, Local Government covered only a small area of the nation, had limited finances and few responsibilities and only property owners were allowed to vote. Things have changed radically and now Local Government virtually spans the whole nation and is voted for by all residents.
On a day to day basis it is equally as important as Federal and State Government, providing essential services, such as roads, water and sewerage, and community facilities such as parks, gardens, sporting fields, libraries, art galleries and health services and these are only a few of the services it provides.
We now have the situation where Local Government and Federal Government raise a far greater percentage of their own revenue than the States, which have effectively been reduced to beggars. Local Government is not a bit player anymore, especially in Queensland.
Council outlays of $4 billion represent one fifth of all government expenditure in our State. Local Government in Queensland manages $50 billion in assets, employs 30,000 people and daily touches the lives of all the State’s residents. It is a fundamental and vital cog in the nation’s affairs.
If the Constitution was written from scratch today it is impossible to imagine Local Government would be ignored. The Constitutional Convention is about more than the Head of State. It is about our system of government in Australia. It should be about ensuring and strengthening our democratic traditions and institutions.
Vision and leadership is required by delegates to the Convention to chart a new course for the Australia Federation into the next century. This must include recognition of Local Government as a legitimate and permanent partner in the governance of the nation.
On behalf of Local Government, I call on delegates to the Constitutional Convention to mount the case for recognition of Local Government in the Federal Constitution.
