Local Government Accountability

1440 The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (24 September 2019). Section 245A of the Local Government Act 1999 was inserted to enable councils to require a developer to enter into an agreement to cover the cost of potential damage to council infrastructure, during developer works. However, I have been advised that councils have found it hard to enforce this section—through the payment of either a developer bond or security payment. Can you provide an approximate figure of the damage which has been caused by developer works to council infrastructure, which has not been rectified through remedial works?

1. How can councils be financially protected from potential damage to their existing infrastructure?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning): I have been advised the following—

This issue has been raised by the Local Government Association (LGA) in the context of the local government reform program that is now underway. It will be considered along with other ideas for reform that are now being discussed with the sector.