LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGIONAL SUBSIDIARIES

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the fourth Minister for State/Local Government Relations this year questions about regional subsidiaries under section 43 of the Local Government Act.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Since 3 December 2009 when this council passed the Local Government (Accountability Framework) Amendment Bill, I have pursued the need for regulations to exempt small regional subsidiaries from the requirement to establish an audit committee with the minister's three immediate predecessors. Despite former minister Gago's assurance in this house 13 months ago that work on the regulations had commenced, the matter has not been resolved. Indeed, the Murray Mallee Local Government Association, one of the affected subsidiaries, has had no response to correspondence on this issue from any minister. My questions are:

1. Has the Minister for State/Local Government Relations responded to the Murray Mallee Local Government Association?

2. Will the minister uphold the promise of the former state/local government relations minister to introduce regulations exempting small regional subsidiaries from establishing an audit committee?

3. Will the minister agree to reimburse regional subsidiaries which, in complying with this legislation, may have incurred unnecessary costs to their detriment?

4. Will the minister, in good faith, show leniency on regional subsidiaries which have not complied with the legislation, having relied upon the former minister's undertaking in June 2010, before the legislation was operational, to exempt them by regulation?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for the very important question. I will look at honouring the position that the former minister had undertaken. I will act in good faith in regard to these issues. The other two questions you have asked, I will take on notice.