Review reveals issues with local government
TASMANIANS are passionate about local government but councils sometimes struggle to fulfil all their responsibilities, a review has found.
The state government has asked the Local Government Board to examine the role, function, and design of local government in Tasmania and the first interim report was released on Thursday.
Local Government Minister Nic Street said it was an important milestone in the process of local government reform.
“I don’t think there are any surprises in the report in terms of what it contains,” Mr Street said. “The issues that they’ve identified are the same issues that are talked about all the time.
“We look forward to the next report coming at the end of December, which I believe will have suggested recommendations for reform.”
Review chair Sue Smith said Tasmanians had strong views on the topic.
“We heard strong support for local government’s role delivering services at a local level and as the voice of the community in the other spheres of government, so it was very clear from the community,” Ms Smith said.
“They want to retain local government. They admire and appreciate them. They just want some clarity of the roles that there ought to be in all levels of government.
“We heard also local government struggling to fulfil all its responsibilities, particularly the smaller councils.”
She said amalgamations were the “elephant in the room” but more discussion was needed before a model was identified.
Labor local government and planning spokeswoman Anita Dow described the report as a glossy brochure in lieu of substantial reform.
“The Rockliff-Ferguson government and Minister Nic Street need to get serious about reforms to local government after making big promises over almost a decade and today delivering yet another glossy brochure,” Ms Dow said.
“Instead of delivering yet another interim report on their promises of reform, the government needs to come clean on what they are specifically planning for their promised overhaul of councils.”
Long-serving Hobart alderman Marti Zucco made a submission to the review suggesting a restructure.
“My model is to totally restructure councils so you bring them into the electorate: 25 into five,” Mr Zucco said. “You’d keep the City of Hobart and the City of Glenorchy, but it would be the council of Clark, with ward systems.”
He has also recommended changes to the Local Government Act to help councils to act more efficiently and to better define elected members’ roles and responsibilities.