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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-10 Daily Xml
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STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:38): Will the Minister for State/Local Government Relations inform the council what action the government is taking to ensure a cooperative relationship with local governments in South Australia?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:38): I am pleased to inform honourable members that yesterday state and local governments in South Australia entered into a new agreement which confirms our strong working relationship. The Premier and I yesterday signed a new state and local government relations agreement with Felicity-ann Lewis, President of the Local Government Association of South Australia.

The signing of this document represents a new milestone in the collaborative relationship which was first established under the Rann Labor government in 2004. The agreement is designed to guide the relationship between the state government and local governments on matters of mutual interest. Past agreements have seen positive outcomes achieved in diverse areas, including waste management, recycling, rural property addressing, tourism, climate change and a reduction in South Australia's reliance on the River Murray.

This agreement delivers practical results with real benefits for all South Australians. As an example of cooperation, the Tour Down Under has become a signature event for our state. As the Premier noted yesterday in his meeting with local corporate leaders, the Tour Down Under's first visit to Tailem Bend was an outstanding success, thanks largely to the enthusiasm of the local council and the local community.

The Community Waste Water Management System Scheme has been a success story of previous agreements. Local government has partnered with the state and commonwealth to fund five key stormwater harvesting projects worth $145 million. This will treble stormwater harvesting within South Australia to 20 billion litres by 2013. Another practical example of how this agreement delivers results is heavy vehicle access reforms. By state and local government working together we have reduced red tape and have provided heavy vehicle access to local government roads to enhance the delivery of commodities and freight.

The rollout of rural addressing is an issue that I am personally familiar with. I remember a lot of discussion about it even when I was a child. I commend local government and the previous minister, my honourable colleague, for her work in implementing this worthy scheme. There were considerable investment and signage to help ensure that some 50,000 rural households could be accurately and efficiently identified by emergency services and utility companies.

This government has also signed a climate change sector agreement with the Local Government Association. The Labor government is working cooperatively with local government on a range of issues, and this agreement underpins that collaboration. The President of the LGA, Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis, has been very constructive in helping to forge this relationship. I acknowledge her valuable contribution.

In a media statement, Mayor Lewis said that the agreement ensures state and local governments work collaboratively to achieve mutually agreed targets, goals and strategies. 'It also ensures we increase the efficiency, effectiveness and coordination of services and infrastructure to achieve better outcomes for South Australians,' she said. 'Our two tiers of government work exceedingly well together,' Mayor Lewis said.

This government is committed to working cooperatively with local government, as this agreement signifies. I particularly express my gratitude for the work that Her Worship Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis has done during her term as president of the Local Government Association.

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