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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-05 Daily Xml
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STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: As members would be aware, there are many issues that are matters of priority to both state and local government that require the cooperation of both sectors to achieve a positive outcome. Will the minister update the council about the work that is underway to strengthen state/local government relations?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:41): I thank the Hon. Paul Holloway for his question and acknowledge particularly the role that he played as minister for urban development and planning in fostering good relations with local government and ensuring that development and urban planning in this state is done in a constructive and collaborative fashion.

The Hon. Mr Wade asked a question about state/local government relations, in particular drawing on the agreement that was signed by the Premier and me very soon after I took up the portfolio. The Rann Labor government has been committed to improving state/local government relations and that extends back, indeed, to our earliest days in office. The Minister's State/Local Government Forum was established to progress key policy priorities that require support from both sectors of government.

As outlined in the terms of reference, the purpose of the forum is to advise me as minister, the Premier, the government and the Local Government Association on matters that are of significance to the state government and local governments that require a high level of cooperation between the levels of government for their objectives to be achieved.

Membership is drawn from high-level state and local government representation. The forum is chaired by me as Minister for State/Local Government Relations, and members include the Minister for Urban Development and Planning, senior state agency officers and union nominees as well. I have extended an invitation to my honourable colleagues in cabinet who have areas of responsibility involving local government, if they are able to attend at some point.

Local government representation includes the President of the Local Government Association, nominees from the LGA State Executive and senior officials from local government bodies. The activities undertaken by the forum have significantly strengthened working relations between state and local government and driven major work in addressing some longstanding problems.

The first meeting, I understand, was held in August 2002, and a further 18 meetings have been held since then. Specific issues that the forum has been instrumental in progressing have included the State-Local Government Relations Agreement, Community Wastewater Management Systems, stormwater management and flood mitigation, South Australia's Strategic Plan, climate change and women in local government.

More recently, the forum has met to discuss the state government's planning reforms, specifically the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide. I am pleased to inform the chamber that the next government forum will take place in April. At this point, both parties have agreed in advance upon a set of agenda items. The matters that are to be discussed are matters of priority for both sectors of government and require the cooperation of both state and local government to reach effective resolution.

Items for discussion at the meeting in April will include regional planning strategies and participation in and implementation of the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide. I look forward to updating the chamber about this matter after the forum.

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