Meeting this year in Armidale, the New South Wales Local Government Associations Annual Conference had the theme, The Challenge of Change. Then President, Councillor Sara Murray, said with the reform process taking place across the State, the last 12 months had been ‘busy and demanding but ultimately rewarding’.
“The Association has worked hard on developing its research capacity through a number of practical projects,” Councillor Murray said. “This has enhanced our credibility and standing, and our capacity for lobbying on behalf of members.
“We have successfully argued that boundary changes must aim for sustainable Local Government not amalgamation for amalgamation’s sake.”
Sara Murray said that the Associations’ research found that Councils are providing good value for money. Councillors are also viewed as more trustworthy than either their Federal or State counterparts and half the respondents agreed they would be happy to pay more rates for better services.
“This is a clear endorsement for Local Government,” Councillor Murray said. However, she pointed to the fact that in a number of the other states, Local Government’s relationship with its State Government was much better than in New South Wales.
“An established partnership agreement with regular meetings is translating into a better deal for Councils in these States,” she said. “We must continue to seek a genuine relationship with State Government.”
In his address, NSW Minister for Local Government, Tony Kelly, encouraged Councils to keep talking to their neighbours about strategic alliances and resource sharing arrangements. “The aim of any alliance should be to deliver better services to the community,” the Minister said. He warned Councils against going down the path of promising residents reduced rates because ultimately rates will go up again, as has happened in Victoria with its 20 percent cut demanded by the former Kennett Government.
“We want better services for the same money, not reduced rates,” he said. Under the new comprehensive review process called Local Government Reform – Promoting Better Practice, the Minister said that the aim is to help Councils before they get into trouble.
“While many visits will be planned and programmed, I’m also keen for the Department to have some surprise visits,” Minister Kelly said. “Councils needing assistance can also go to the Department for advice and request a review.” Until recently when a Council was not functioning properly the only action the Minister could take was to sack the entire Council.
“Often it is only one or two Councillors preventing the Council from performing,” he said. The Pecuniary Interest Tribunal can now suspend Councillors for serious breaches up to six months. The Minister intends to enable the Director General of the Department of Local Government to suspend Councillors for up to one month.
“That way, Council can get on with its business,” Tony Kelly said. “I will not allow the poor behaviour of individual Councillors to tarnish the reputation of Local Government.”
Former Mayor of the City of Armidale and now the Independent Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay MP, addressed the conference on cost shifting.
“While in Local Government I always had the feeling that State and Federal elected members don’t like Local Government and I soon found I was right,” he said. “In the first 12 months, while I was Mayor as well as a member of State Parliament, I was told by many that once I left Local Government, I would soon forget it and any support I had for it.”
Richard Torbay said this had not occurred and he has regularly had talks with the Presidents of the LGA and Shires Association.
Concerns about cost shifting and unfunded mandates dominated these discussions which led him to introduce a Private Members Bill proposing that a joint review committee be established to look at any additional financial burdens placed on Local Government from State legislation.
“In spite of overwhelming support from Local Government, all major parties voted the Bill down,” he said. Describing this as a conspiracy against Local Government, he urged Councils to continue the battle. “A press release from the Local Government and Shires Association when the Bill was defeated put it plainly, ‘NSW State Government and Opposition turn their backs on Local Government’,” Richard Torbay said.
Councillor Genia McCafferty from North Sydney Council was elected the new LGA President at the conference. Councillor Sara Murray did not seek another term.
