In opening the recent New South Wales Local
Government Association 2008 conference, Association President, Councillor Genia McCaffery, pointed out that many delegates had only been elected for two months – just as the global financial meltdown took hold.
“Local Government will face new challenges in light of this, but councils are quite familiar with doing a lot with only a little,” she said. “Communities will continue to look to us for leadership, knowing councils are very good at making a dollar go a
long way.”
Councillor McCaffery welcomed the fact that Premier Nathan Rees would be addressing the conference, indicating, just seven weeks into the job, the importance the new Premier is placing on State–Local Government relations.
Highlighting the fact that the conference is being held in Broken Hill, which has not had elected representatives for almost two years, Councillor McCaffery said that if a council is dismissed from office then residents have a fundamental right to judge that council at the ballot box within 12 months, not years later.
In his address the following day, the Premier said that having worked for Local Government after leaving school, including a stint as a garbage collector while putting himself through university, he fully understands the pressures Councillors and their staff are under.
“You punch well above your weight, are better connected to your community and you are under remunerated,” Premier Rees said.
With the State Government punished in recent byelections, he said that the Government has lost contact with local people and their lives.
“We have taken note of this and will ensure we are listening more closely to the voices of you and your communities,” he said.
Acknowledging that the long term effect of rate pegging has resulted in NSW rates being lower than the other States, the Premier announced a review of rate pegging and said that, if the community is supportive of this, he will consider its removal.
“All of us, as elected representatives, must not just be seen to be doing the right thing but need to stand shoulder to shoulder on this,” Nathan Rees said. “People by and large run for office for the right reasons. We need to be selling this message that our democracy is robust, no matter what level of Government we are involved in, to avoid community cynicism.
“I am aware that planning issues have been a flashpoint,” he said. “We need to be promoting economic growth but with the local community in mind. However, developers can be held up six years in New South Wales as against six months in other States. In these tough economic times we need to be aware of this.”
State Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell, told delegates that there has been little improvement in the relationship between State and Local Government, with the continuing centralisation of planning controls and cost shifting.
“For 13 years the Labor Party has sought to centralise planning powers under its Minister,” Barry O’Farrell said. “We are committed to planning reforms, to repeal Part 3A and review the planning scheme to again give a voice to local councils and their communities.
“If we are serious about enhancing the lives of our residents we must ensure that the State Government and Local Government are working together. We will treat Local Government as a partner not a punching bag!”
