Local Government

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:38): I want to speak today about the important work undertaken by local government in order to provide amenities and services for residents of their cities. It is my consistent experience that the work of local governments and their elected members has the capacity to make a considerable positive contribution to the quality of life of residents within their cities.

The City of Port Adelaide Enfield is part of the 68 councils that operate in South Australia, a system that is integral to the democratic system of government in this state and a system that provides vital economic, social and environmental support for communities. Each year, every council is required, by regulation of this parliament, to have community consultation on its financial plan for the upcoming year.

In response to community needs, this financial year the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council will continue to provide services and programs, including things such as libraries, which are located in Port Adelaide, Semaphore, Greenacres and Enfield; community events, including many festivals, Australia Day celebrations and citizenship ceremonies; youth services, including holding Youth Week and early intervention projects; and community grants and sponsorship programs.

In addition to providing all these continuing services and programs the City of Port Adelaide Enfield is committing to undertake several key activities in the 2017-18 period. These activities include council continuing with a comprehensive capital works program over this period.

We will see the continuation of significant development works on the Roy Marten Park, which is a $6.4 million staged project, the Taperoo Reserve, another $6.4 million staged project, and Hanson Reserve (no relation to myself), a $2.4 million staged project. Construction will also be commencing on the council's Parks Library and Community Facility, which is a $7.7 million project. Council is also actively working to realise the $18 million worth of construction of an indoor recreation hub at Lightsview. They have been undertaking concept designs, securing the land and sourcing capital grant funding. It is anticipated that construction will commence during this financial year.

In addition, council will be constructing over $7 million in drainage assets, $12.5 million in roadway assets, and $1 million in footway assets during the year to ensure the service standards for users of these assets are maintained. The council will also operate a number facilities on a fee-for-service basis as part of being an innovative council in its approach to economic management. Just some of these are the golf courses located at Valley View, Glanville and Regency Park, community halls for hire, as well as a bus service, HACC services, ovals, courts, parks and reserves for hire across the council area.

Council's 2017-18 budget has been drafted by estimating all income and expenditure associated with providing continuing services at similar service levels to those provided in the previous financial year. This year, the council has, however, faced a number of unusual budgetary pressures, including increased depreciation charges to the amount of $1.9 million, an increased waste levy, in particular in regard to solid waste disposal, increased streetlighting costs due to contract negotiations, increased rebates for community housing providers, issues with power or the PLEC scheme, reduced road grant funding, and reduced interest income due to the global position of investments.

It is clear, when looking through these numbers, that the city of Port Adelaide Enfield, like many councils, has demonstrated a long-term commitment to ensuring a sustainable financial future for its community. This is a particularly remarkable effort and achievement given the increases in the costs of service delivery, reductions in government grant income for some services, and the stalling of federal assistance grants up until this year for this council—and, indeed, many other council bodies.

This council, in particular, deserves credit for maintaining a focus on stability, debt management, continuous improvement and fiscal consolidation. It does not deserve to receive a penalty for its conscientious fiscal management and for voluntarily keeping its costs in line with community expectations. This is the kind of penalty we have seen imposed in New South Wales with rate capping, this is the kind of penalty that has seen high fees and charges for services, decaying infrastructure and cost shifting between the various levels of government in New South Wales, as future generations suffer the increased costs that rate capping has promoted there. I am glad this government stands against such an ill thought out policy.