Following a change in its constitution, the NSW Local Government Association officially welcomed 13 Aboriginal Land Councils as members of the Association during the opening ceremony of this year’s Annual Conference. The Conference was staged in Wollongong from 27 to 31 October. Councillor Ron Towney, President of NSW Land Council, said that the 13 Councils were looking forward to a long and fruitful involvement in the Local Government Association.
He said this step will further promote understanding and reconciliation, recognising the importance of Aboriginal input in Local Government decision making.
“For healthy, harmonious communities, we must work together,” Councillor Towney said.
He acknowledged LGA President, Councillor Peter Woods, for his inclusive vision, and the untiring efforts of the late Pat Dixon to achieve this outcome. Councillor Dixon, a member of the LGA Executive, long time Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Armidale City Council, died suddenly on 30 September.
NSW Minister for Local Governance, Henry Woods, said that inclusion of the Land Councils into the fold is a real mark of the leadership and sophistication of Local Government.
“This new partnership can only enhance better representation of Indigenous people in Local Government,” he said.
In his Presidential address, Councillor Peter Woods said that with the LGA being founded in 1883, this is an act of reconciliation – a full embrace of Aboriginal people across the State. He said that with all State and Territory Governments and Local Government bodies having now carried expressions of sorrow and apologised for past wrongs, only the Australian Government’s failure to do so is holding up the process of ‘moving forwards as one people’.
With the spate of recent corporate failures he also called on the Federal Government to improve its surveillance of corporate management practices.
“This is a Federal Government responsibility yet we have one NSW Council with less than 1,000 ratepayers facing a $8 million liability as a result of the HIH collapse,” Councillor Woods said.
On the recent High Court decision removing Local Government’s long standing immunity for liability from the deterioration of roads over time, Councillor Woods said that it will be citizens who will ultimately pay.
“The only ones that are going to prosper from this will be the lawyers proving Councils have met their responsibilities through their road maintenance plans,” he said.
The Minister, Harry Woods, told delegates that their concerns about changes under nonfeasance and the HIH collapse have been heard and are being acted on.
“These are complex problems and it will take time,” the Minister said. “We will need to do this as it is essential that we get this right the first time.”
