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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-15 Daily Xml
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT (BOUNDARY REFORM) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 18 June 2009. Page 3293.)

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:33): I believe this is long overdue. I understand that the government will not support the bill; I think it is scared of local government. We all know that, in the metropolitan area, between Gawler and Noarlunga we have 19 councils and, if you want to include Mount Barker council, which is now really metropolitan, we have 20. So, we have 20 council chambers, 20 works depots (although in Unley, they are called infrastructure centres because that sounds more impressive, but it is the same thing), 20 mayors and nearly 300 elected members, just in the metropolitan area alone.

I noted in the paper when this was flagged that the Mayor of Prospect said that I was trying some pre-election stunt. Well, I point out to the Mayor of Prospect that my electorate is totally within the City of Onkaparinga, so amalgamations are not an issue down there. Based on my experience in local government and my observations of how the world has changed, I believe it is time that there was an independent look at the number of councils in the metropolitan area and their boundaries. I have not suggested a particular number. I have heard the Mayor of Adelaide suggest three or possibly four. We know that Brisbane has one, and Brisbane is generally regarded as a very highly effective council.

It is not an issue of size so much as how the council is organised. Some of the best performing councils in this state are the larger ones, because they do consult their people and they have the resources to actually do things. Some of the councils that do not perform as well are in the smaller category. I will not get into the business of naming them, but I can indicate from my contact with people who live within the area of one of the smaller councils that people complain constantly about what goes on in that council.

There are a whole range of reasons why we need to have an independent look. The LGA and the councils themselves are unlikely ever to support any consideration of rationalisation. Elected members are not going to rock the boat and upset people in their own patch. Why would they? It is not just about savings, but the potential savings are enormous. If you compare it with Brisbane where, as I said, there is only one council (I am not advocating one; I think that should be left to an independent arbiter), it runs the buses and a lot of other things and provides the water services. Its expenditure is about double that of the combined councils of metropolitan Adelaide, and it does it with about the same number of staff—and that includes running buses and providing water, as I have said.

So, I think the scope for reform is there. I certainly do not want to go down the path of seeing major political parties dominate councils, but I do not know why the government is scared of local government. Whenever the LGA or the councils speak out, the government sort of rolls over and allows its tummy to be tickled. The responsibility for reform of local government rests with the state government. The authority of councils comes from state legislation; they have no other legal authority other than what is granted to them through the laws of this place.

I understand the government will oppose this; I am not sure what the Liberals will do. Do not hold your breath waiting for voluntary amalgamations in the metropolitan area, because there are too many vested interests and too many people who want to continue the status quo. So, the best strategy is to let an independent umpire (a retired judge or a similar person) have a look at the issue and make recommendations, and let us get South Australian local government in the metropolitan area into the 21st century.

Second reading negatived.

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