LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:35): By way of supplementary question, the minister referred to numerous discussions between the government and the Local Government Association in relation to the impact of the bill on local government. Has he been involved in any of these discussions?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:35): I have been involved with a number of discussions with the President of the LGA and the CEO—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: Who is that?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: —Ms Wendy Campana. I thought you would have known that by now. After all these years I thought you would have known that—I caught you out on that one, didn't I? We've got an option paper and a discussion paper out with council at the moment. I have had extensive discussions with the councils themselves. I go out every week to a different council and discuss the issues about governance and codes of conduct.

Probably the consultation between myself as local government minister and councils is probably more extensive than under any other minister in the history of this state. I am quite confident that, at the end of the day, when we finally look at a code of conduct, sanctions and areas of conflict of interest and in-confidence meetings, by the time we are actually ready to act on that within the Local Government Act and regulations, the councils will know exactly what they are in for. I hope that answers the member's question.