Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Question Time Roxby Downs Council ROXBY DOWNS COUNCIL The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council ROXBY DOWNS COUNCIL The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:24): I have a supplementary question. Do I take it from the minister's comments that the terms of reference of the advisory committee preclude it from considering a democratically elected council as an accountability mechanism? The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business ROXBY DOWNS COUNCIL The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:24): This particular group has a charter to ensure that there is a level of accountability. Some other mechanisms have been adopted within the town to ensure that there is public input. The point I am making is that with the expansion decision to be made in the next 12 months it is not the government's view, nor the view of BHP I would suggest, that it would be appropriate at this time to change those arrangements because the town is about to undergo significant changes. The other issue that would have to be addressed is, of course, funding. As I said, the town deficit is something in the order of $1.5 million a year, which is half-funded through PIRSA and half-funded through BHP. Those issues would also have to be addressed. However, while we believe that this particular group does provide a greater level of scrutiny over the decisions of local government, we also believe that the current arrangement should remain in place until the expansion is approved and complete. Then, given the greater size, the matter can, and should, be revisited.