The report Rates and Taxes: A Fair Share for Responsible Local Government, prepared by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration (the Hawker Report) was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 24 November 2004.
The Report was welcomed by the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Senator the Honourable Ian Campbell, who said that the report would give the Australian Government the opportunity to examine its relationship with Local Government, including funding, and to determine whether a different relationship aimed at achieving different outcomes should be pursued.
Senator Campbell has announced the establishment of a task force within the Department of Transport and Regional Services to develop policies that will form the basis of a submission that the Government will consider. The process is expected to take around four months.
As part of the process, State and Territory Local Government Ministers and the Australian Local Government Association will have the chance to put their views on the Report to Senator Campbell at the next meeting of the Local Government and Planning Ministers Council, scheduled to be held in Perth on 13 February 2004.
