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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-09 Daily Xml
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GAWLER COUNCIL

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about the Gawler council.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The member for Light in the other place was reported in the Barossa Herald of 1 March as having called for minister Finnigan to consider external intervention into the Gawler council. The member was critical of a range of council decisions, including the racecourse DPA court challenge, a rise in sporting club leases, introducing a separate rate for some Gawler East and Evanston Park residents, and the relocation of the RSL Club honour boards. The member claims that recent events raised 'serious questions about the competence of the Gawler council to provide effective governance for the local community'. In relation to the cost of the court action into the racecourse DPA, the member for Light stated:

The council has either lied to the community or have no idea what they were doing. Either way, the case raises serious questions as to the fitness of the council to govern.

The member said that the state government may need to intervene or appoint an independent administrator. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister advise the council whether he is considering action under the Local Government Act against Gawler council?

2. Does he agree that the council is either lying to its community or is unfit to govern?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:26): It is interesting to note that, again, the honourable members of the opposition obviously have not been speaking to each other. The first question from the Leader of the Opposition was trying to attack the Hon. Paul Holloway and here we have a question from the Hon. Mr Wade regarding a decision which upheld the minister's process in relation to a development plan. So, again, the left and the right of the Liberal Party over here are not able to speak to each other and coordinate their attack. Within three questions, we have one question attacking the Hon. Mr Holloway and one defending him.

There are a number of issues that have arisen in relation to planning in the Gawler area and one of those is in relation to Gawler East. As I understand it, on 24 February this year, judicial review proceedings were commenced by the Gawler Region Community Forum Inc., and that matter is before the court. In relation to the Gawler Racecourse, which was mentioned by the honourable member, the former minister (my colleague the Hon. Mr Holloway) approved an amendment to the Town of Gawler's development plan through the Gawler Racecourse DPA on 18 February last year, I am advised.

As we know, the Town of Gawler commenced judicial proceedings and that matter was heard in December last year. On 25 February, Justice Duggan handed down his decision which dismissed the judicial review proceedings and found no error in the former minister's decisions regarding the DPA. The Hon. Mr Wade has drawn attention to remarks made by my colleague in another place regarding the Gawler council. I will be meeting with the member for Light from the other place soon and we will listen carefully to what he has to put to me in relation to the Gawler council.

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