Nose for reform and council mergers should get the tick

THE level of disengagement with the current round of local government elections is not surprising.

As the Mercury revealed last Thursday the majority of voters have not made up their mind whom to vote for, or even whether they will vote. But perhaps now, more than at any time in recent years, local government elections are of some importance in terms of the economic and social future of Tasmania.

This is because the rise of the so-called gig economy, the obsession which the Hodgman Government has with tourism growth and which attitude is

Greg Barns

sadly not reflected when it comes to homelessness, and because there is an urgent need to reduce the number of local governments substantially. The last mentioned will not happen unless we vote for politicians who are prepared to vote themselves out of a job.

Once again the luckiest treasurer in Tasmania’s history, Peter Gutwein, refuses to force local government mergers so it is up to councils to do it themselves.

Local government requires candidates who are socially progressive and economically liberal. It needs individuals who are prepared to be courageous, who are not simply time servers, or who have a track record of supporting reforms.

There are a handful of candidates who appear to fit that bill. In Hobart it is Anna Reynolds and Damon Thomas.

In Clarence the former genuinely liberal Legislative Council MP Tony Mulder is teaming up with another decent liberal Hans Willink, and in Kingborough Dean Winter is a smart youngish policy wonk.

Ms Reynolds deserves support because she has advocated some user-pays mechanism to be levied on tourism. As this column noted recently, a number of cities around the world are rightly looking to, or are ensuring that the wear and tear on infrastructure is paid for in part by tourists. Ms Reynolds also has a demonstrated focus on homelessness and greater equity.

She has been rightly alarmed by the attacks on another candidate in the Hobart election who is Chinese. There is a sense of vision required when it comes to capital city leadership and Ms Reynolds’ campaign reflects that attribute.

As, for that matter, does the campaign of the former Lord Mayor Damon Thomas. Mr Thomas was smart enough to realise that being mayor of a city which is a gateway to the Antarctic gave it some cachet internationally. His approach can best be described as mildly reformist, and certainly he understands the urgency of the homelessness situation.

Mr Thomas was unlikely to lose last time and he has unfinished business, which would include the sensible and overdue idea of a mega city along the lines of Brisbane.

One should also note the current Lord Mayor Ron Christie. He has made himself unpopular with the tourism industry, which is Tasmania’s equivalent to the former auto industry in South Australia in terms of its clout.

While some of what Mr

Christie said is illiberal, such as objecting to the whimsical take on religion by the Dark Mofo crowd, Mr Christie has rightly opened the debate on tourism numbers. He has also stood against the nasty antiChinese phobia which is prevalent in Tasmania today.

Mr Mulder and Mr Willink deserve support because they are genuine liberals. Both would vote themselves out of a job because they are committed to economically rational local government reform.

Unlike some other candidates in the Clarence election this duo is not supported directly, or indirectly by a political party, particularly in this case the Liberal Party.

Nor are they beholden to the gaming industry which bankrolled the Hodgman Liberals for the March state election.

Both these candidates are willing to deal with peak hour traffic issues by diverting vehicles away from the Tasman Bridge. This involves completing a road already 90 per cent built — the Flagstaff Gully Link Road.

An observation one can make about local government is that it is generally older people who are elected and reelected. This is not necessarily a bad thing but the infusion of smart younger voices is crucial. Kingborough Council’s Dean Winter fits that bill. He is also of a reformist bent.

Mr Winter is not afraid of market-based solutions and recognising the important role for local government in facilitating the gig economy. He is an advocate of Airbnb, Uber and other convenient services which are disrupting traditional players.

If you do vote in the local government elections ask the candidates this question: would they support merging their council with another even if it meant they were no longer a councillor. Get them to put the answer in writing if it is positive, and hold them to it.

Oh and you might care to vote for Yongbei Tang if you live in Hobart, want to say no to racism and at the same time recognise that our local governments are far too culturally and ethnically white bread and vegemite.