OUTBACK COMMUNITIES AUTHORITY

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question on outback communities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I understand that the outback's local government authority is taking steps to ensure that people in remote areas can have a say in how their communities are run. Can the minister inform the council of how the Outback Communities Authority is improving its services to people in the outback?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:44): I thank the honourable member for her important question. As members would be aware, seven members of the Outback Communities Authority were appointed in July last year and have formally adopted a community engagement policy at their March meeting. The adoption of this policy, after public consultation, was a requirement under the legislation approved by the parliament in 2009.

This legislation requires that the Outback Communities Authority consults with people who live and work in unincorporated areas when making decisions about infrastructure, service planning and community management. It is pleasing to see, then, that the authority has gone beyond this minimum requirement. The board is committed to consulting and engaging with the community on a continual basis, and it is the aim of the authority and the government to ensure that people who live and work in the outback are able to play a greater role in developing solutions to local issues that arise from time to time.

The Outback Communities Authority's policy of community engagement reflects how community members have indicated they would like to be more involved in decision-making processes. The authority made the draft policy paper open for consultation over a nine-week period from December last year to February this year, and the feedback received resulted in some changes to the draft.

I am told that, owing to direct feedback, changes were made to the draft to ensure that the community will be able to read discussion papers or reports which explore possible solutions to problem areas and, furthermore, there will be a minimum six-week period to allow for feedback. The Outback Communities Authority also noted the importance of after-hours, face-to-face meetings in townships where community members can be consulted and engaged in field trips or local meetings to develop solutions to local problems.

Throughout the consultation, the Outback Communities Authority also received feedback on the best ways to reach people, mostly through local media and local progress association newsletters. The Outback Communities Authority will be able to use this information to ensure that outback residents are able to have their say about future strategic management plans, business plans and budgets. I understand the authority will be writing to everyone who contributed to the consultation process for the draft policy about how their feedback influenced the finished product.

The Outback Communities Authority can now focus and get on with the job of supporting our outback communities and delivering real benefits. This first important step will allow the authority to consult on its draft strategic management plan, which will set out an agenda for the ideas and goals that will structure how the authority operates over the next five years. I look forward to updating the chamber about the progress of the Outback Communities Authority in the coming months.