In officially opening the Municipal Association of Victoria’s Annual Conference, staged on 16–17 October, Victorian Minister for Local Government, Candy Broad, announced that in line with other Government areas, such as Lands Victoria and Tourism Victoria, the Local Government Division will now be known as Local Government Victoria. She said that this consistency is very much a part of the State Government’s policy of growing Victoria together.
“I am pleased to report that the Democratic Reform Bill passed the Second Reading in Parliament,” the Minister said. “Originally known as the Local Government Update Bill, this legislation is the result of considerable consultation with Local Government. “It will secure and validate the place of Local Government in this State, moving away from a regulatory approach to fairness and equity so that all Victorian communities are well served by their Council.”
She said as well as a more productive partnership between the two spheres of government, significant reforms will invigorate democracy at the local level, not the least being the alignment of all Council elections by 2008.
“The MAV has long advocated for the alignment of Council elections as a means of raising awareness and minimising confusion in the community,” said MAV President, Councillor Brad Matherson. “We are particularly pleased that the State Government listened to the sector on the issue of special rates and charges schemes. The negotiated compromise enables Councils to retain the ability to implement schemes, which deliver much needed community infrastructure while providing an avenue for individuals to object. The formal requirement for Councils to adopt a Code of Conduct is consistent with the MAV’s principles of Good Governance and many Councils already voluntarily abide by a Code of Conduct.”
Consultant Tony Richardson addressed the issue of leadership and governance in a political environment. He said that it is essential that we have the hard conversations before trouble happens, we need to understand the tensions and learn to live with them.
“The role of a leader is to create ‘safe space’ where people are comfortable to discuss issues,” Tony Richardson said. “Blaming is never helpful. When blaming stops people have a chance to start seeing how they may be part of the problem, then they can start becoming part of the solution.”
He added that a system or organisation can only advance as far as its leader allows, that is, it is confined by the capacity of that leader. As an example, he said that because we have a Prime Minister who can’t say sorry, we have as a community stalled on this issue.
