President of the WA Local Government Association, Councillor Clive Robartson, has challenged Premier Geoff Gallop to fully embrace the ideals set down in the State/Local Government Partnership Agreement.
“While we believe we have an excellent relationship with the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, there have been many decisions made by a number of Dr Gallop’s key Ministers, that have had costly impacts on Local Governments,” Councillor Robartson said.
He told delegates at the WALGA Annual General Meeting that the Partnership Agreement was put together in good faith, but so far the State Government has continually been apologising for circumventing it, rather than following through with its consultative framework.
As part of WA’s Local Government Week celebrations, delegates from Councils across the State met in Perth from 1–5 August.
“While I have a fundamental belief that a partnership approach is truly a better, more effective basis for the State/Local Government relationship, I am sceptical about the benefits for us in this current arrangement,” Councillor Robartson said. “We really need something to change for the Agreement to work.”
In his address to delegates, Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, Tom Stephens, complimented WALGA on its conference theme, ‘Doing it Right’. He said the challenge for all spheres of government is to deliver good governance not just for the immediate future but for generations to come.
“We are all great believers in cooperation and partnership,” the Minister said. “So I would add to the theme ‘Doing it Right: and Doing it Together.’”
“With 70 per cent of the State’s population living in Perth, it is vital to get the mix between Perth and the regions right,” he said. “In this, the world’s largest State, we need strong, vibrant regions, and the Government wants to work in partnership with Local Government to achieve this.”
The Minister said with 2004 designated as the Year of the Built Environment, this celebration, which has the support of the National and State Governments, is a huge opportunity to create sustainable changes for the benefit of all communities.
