Having been an elected member for 26 years, including 20 years on the Executive of the New South Wales Local Government Association (LGA), Councillor Peter Woods has started to wind down his involvement with Local Government. He recently stood down as President of the LGA Executive, having held this position since 1990. This is a record term, and twice that of the next longest serving President, who completed a six year term back in 1911!
Councillor Woods served two terms as Metropolitan Vice President in 1987 and 1989-90 before being elected as President in October 1990. He was then re-elected for a record five two year terms. Taking up his position in 1989, he is currently the longest serving member of the Executive of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). As ALGA President from 1993-94, he was instrumental in the establishment of the National General Assembly of Local Government.
“This greatly assisted Local Government in achieving a proper national focus,” Peter Woods said. “The proof is in the pudding with the 9th National General Assembly in Alice Springs being the best yet.”
A long term Mayor of Concord until December 2000, he was subsequently elected to the new City of Canada following amalgamation with Drummoyne Council. He plans not to re-stand for elections scheduled in September 2003. For his services to Local Government, Councillor Woods was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 1995 and the Outstanding Service Medal in October 2000.
Committed to developing strong Local Government ties on a regional and international basis, Peter Woods is the first Australian to be elected Vice President of the International Union for Local Authorities (IULA) and is President of the Asia Pacific region. He is also a Director on the Board of the London based Commonwealth Local Government Forum.
He has a particular interest in industrial relations, environmental planning, participatory democracy, and provision for ethnic minorities. He has worked tirelessly to achieve gender equity and Indigenous representation on the Executive of the NSW LGA.
Well known in the Local Government arena for his well honed and often colourful oratory skills, he believes that by putting Local Government first, particularly in all dealings with central governments, he has been able to operate across the political spectrum. “Loyalty to Local Government cuts right across the political divide,” he said.
He lists his major achievements as follows.
- Breaking down the divide between city and country so that Local Government is mutually supportive and understanding.
- Consolidating the term ‘spheres of government’ rather than levels or a hierarchy, to build equality and real partnerships
- Reconciliation not token but a fact, with Aboriginal Land Councils in NSW now members of the LGA.
- On the world stage, Local Government building inclusive communities and standing up against discrimination where national governments have divided communities.
- Involvement in a Local Government mission to South Africa, working with United Kingdom and Canadian colleagues to assist with the framing of sections of the new constitution relating to Local Government, leading to Constitutional recognition for Local Government and fiscal sharing arrangements included to form a model for other nations with a three spheres system of government.
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He said that his major disappointments include the Coalition parties not endorsing the principal of Constitutional recognition for Local Government; not having fair and proper remuneration for Councillors and Mayors across the nation; and the fact that some States still do not have compulsory voting for Local Government.
“I was also not able to achieve a political structure for the National General Assembly where three Local Government representatives would shadow each Federal MP to push Local Government issues in each electorate and the Party room,” Peter Woods said. “Hopefully this may be picked up and run with in the future.”
And as for his future, Peter plans semi-retirement to the country. To allay any fears from the Farmers Federation, Peter said that he would like to continue with some further international assignments with the United Nations; however, he is open to suggestions. “I do not want to bury the breadth of experience I have, but, after 26 years, it’s time!” he said.
