In opening the Local Government Professionals Annual Conference, Victorian Minister for Local Government, Bob Cameron, said the Conference theme, ‘A New Agenda’ is what is happening across the State.
“The new Government has a new agenda and a new agenda for Local Government,” the Minister said. “Each of you will be feeling this within your own Councils, and with many Councils holding elections in March, the potential for a new agenda and change is there once again.”
He said being able to manage and exploit change is the key. “It is imperative that Local Government is effective and strong,” Bob Cameron said. “Individuals prosper in strong communities and Local Government plays a key role in local communities.”
He said in the past few years, there has been a revolution in Local Government in Victoria that has included positives and negatives. “We have inherited this and now want to be sure to best serve the community by getting rid of the negative things,” the Minister said. “We want a constructive partnership between the two spheres rather than a dictatorship approach. Bringing the Local Government sector together to have a say in its future, will result in a significant sea change in the Victorian Local Government landscape.”
Specifically, he said that, with Councils directly accountable to their local communities, the Minister should not, and will not, be able to remove Councils just because he or she does not like them. Similarly, it is not the business of the Minister or Government as to who a Council employs as its Chief Executive Officer.
In his address, President of Local Government Professionals, Bob Seiffert, said that if ever there was a time for this organisation to recognise its potential, it is now, with the State Government willing to listen. “We have had little influence on legislation in recent years, but this is about to change,” he said.
However, he said that Local Government Professionals, now established for four years, needs to do more and needs to do it now. “More people must be involved, if we are to achieve our objectives,” Bob Seiffert said. “With a current membership of 900, this is only one third of those eligible. We need to look at new ways to extend our membership base.
“In 1996, when the rapid reform process was at its height, the formation of LG Pro was a classic example of people seeing a need for one professional Local Government body in Victoria and then doing something about it. “We must keep building on this momentum.”
