Council Amalgamations

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:49): Supplementary: can the minister rule out further uninvited meddling in other council boundary processes?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:49): If the question is, 'Will the Malinauskas Labor government cease asking local people what they would like to see in their local communities?' then of course we will continue to ask local people what they want to see in local communities. If others wish to approach—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: We've got constant interjections from those opposite, particularly the Leader of the Opposition, claiming this is uninvited meddling—

The PRESIDENT: Minister, you are not supposed to acknowledge interjections.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —so presumably she hasn't listened to the many people who have raised this issue. There are roughly a third of respondents who would have liked to have seen it proceed to an investigation. It's important to be able to have discussions and debates about changes, whether that be in any sector of government. It's important to have those discussions. It's important to have those debates.

If those opposite think, 'Well, government should just decide to do something or to not do something, not bothering to consult with the local community,' then maybe that's a record of their previous four years in government, and the outcomes of that are fairly evident. I'm really pleased that we have been able to have that discussion. I'm really pleased that the question has been asked. I'm really pleased that those in my local community have been able to consider the matter and make their views known. That's a positive outcome for democracy.