The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is outraged by suggestions a ‘public service-style commission’ is needed to rule over councils across Queensland.
The report suggesting that the Queensland Government should take over and control the 40,000 strong local government workforce, appeared in a local newspaper yesterday.
LGAQ President, Mark Jamieson said, “Mayors across Queensland are furious.
“It beggars belief that public servants in William Street will, under Ministerial direction or influence, set the wages and conditions of staff in councils across the state.”
Cr Jamieson warned mayors and council CEOs would no longer be able to direct their workforce as they have for 150 years.
“It is sheer madness, and it is regrettable we had to first learn of this from today’s media,” Cr Jamieson said yesterday. “It has never been discussed despite our partners in government agreement.
Cr Jamieson said that he had spoken to the Queensland Premier and warned her that the notion would fundamentally change the relationship between State and local governments if it went ahead.
The LGAQ called on the State Government to rethink the proposal before going down this disastrous path.
“The Belcarra recommendations coupled with the additional measures proposed by the LGAQ represent the most comprehensive and far reaching integrity reforms in the history of local government nation-wide.
“The Government needs to get on and put these in place and not concern itself with unworkable proposals that it would never countenance having imposed on themselves.”
