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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-28 Daily Xml
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:49): My question is to the Minister for State/Local Government Relations. Will the minister please provide an outline to the chamber on the achievements in the local government sector throughout 2012?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for her ongoing interest in local government affairs and for her question. Since my appointment as Minister for State/Local Government Relations, it has been my privilege to attend many of the local government bodies throughout South Australia and meet some wonderful people. During my tenure I have made approximately 47 visits to individual councils as well as attending a range of local government regional meetings and other local government related seminars and functions.

This year alone I made it to 28 individual council meetings as well as eight other local government meetings. I have enjoyed meeting the elected members and staff of the local government family and learning firsthand about the issues facing individual communities and regions. There are many benefits to both state and local government in having a Minister for State/Local Government Relations taking an active interest in the local area and regions. My visits have brought home to me the challenges and issues that local communities face and overcome, such as the severe storm damage that required a substantial drawdown on the Local Government Disaster Fund. This has resulted in a review of the structure of the fund.

My visits to local government regional associations have resulted in funding being made available for regional planning days. The first of these were held by the Murray Mallee LGA on 9 November 2012. My growing awareness of the challenges facing small regional communities led to an initiative whereby we have made funding available to assist these councils in training and ensuring that they are able to meet their legislative requirements. In turn, I have encouraged local government to align their planning to the matters identified in the state government's seven strategic priorities to more closely coordinate the two spheres of government.

During my term of office, the Andamooka community has formed the Andamooka Town Management Committee, and a system of community contributions has been established to fund the future development of the township. The supplementary funding component of the federal assistance grants has been extended. Unique to South Australia, the supplementary local road funding was extended to 2013-14 and will provide approximately $50.9 million to South Australia over this time.

On 17 May 2012 the Premier and the President of the LGA executed the new State/Local Government Relations Agreement. A schedule of priorities for the 2012-13 financial year was prepared to accompany the new agreement. The schedule focuses on South Australia's seven strategic priorities, local government governance and constitutional recognition of local government. Reflecting on my travels throughout regional South Australia, I often ponder how once upon a time the opposite side of this chamber was a bastion of country representation, and what a shame it is now that most of these members now reside in the leafy eastern suburbs or picturesque Adelaide Hills.

I look forward to continuing meeting with representatives from the local government sector into 2013 and ensuring that we work together in facing the challenges and issues that confront local communities. I note that the Hon. Mr Ridgway has mentioned that he had an odyssey throughout the outback. I have asked whether they had seen the Hon. Mr Ridgway and I must say that nobody has indicated to me that they have actually seen the Hon. Mr Ridgway on his travels. They have given me an undertaking that they will look out for him. They mentioned Where's Wally? Now it is going to be 'Where's Widgway?' throughout the outback.

I would like to reassure the members that what I am saying in my contribution here today is accurate, and I will outline the dates to reassure those opposite that the country and the regions are being looked after under a Labor government. On 25 October 2011, I met with the Adelaide City Council; the Adelaide Hills Council on 24 April 2012; the Alexandrina Council on 19 August 2011 and 4 October 2011; and Andamooka on 8 December 2011 and 20 March 2012.

I also met with The Barossa Council on 21 February 2012; The City of Burnside on 9 August 2011; the Campbelltown City Council on 6 December 2011; the District Council of Ceduna on 2 November 2011; the City of Charles Sturt on 10 April 2012; the Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council on 12 January 2012; the District Council of Coober Pedy on 21 March 2012; The Flinders Ranges Council on 22 July 2012; the District Council of Grant on 24 July 2012; and the City of Holdfast Bay on 22 May 2012.

I met with the Kangaroo Island Council on 4 November 2011; the Kingston District Council on 23 July 2012; the Light Regional Council on 11 January 2012; the City of Marion on 8 May 2012; the Mid Murray Council on 11 January 2012; the City of Mitcham on 20 September 2011; the District Council of Mount Barker on 6 August 2012; the City of Mount Gambier on 24 July 2012; The Rural City of Murray Bridge on 7 October 2011 and once again on 20 August 2012; and the Naracoorte Lucindale Council on 23 July 2012.

I met with the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peter's on 7 November 2011; the City of Onkaparinga on 17 April 2012; the District Council of Orroroo Carrieton on 23 August 2011; the District Council of Peterborough on 23 August 2011 and 12 January 2012; the City of Playford on 28 August 2012; the City of Port Adelaide Enfield on 11 October 2011; the Port Augusta City Council on 22 August 2011; the Port Pirie Regional Council on 26 October 2011; and the City of Prospect on 29 September 2011, 1 May 2012 and 17 September 2012.

I met with the District Council of Robe on 23 July 2012; The Municipal Council of Roxby Downs on 8 December 2011; the City of Salisbury on 24 October 2011; the Tatiara District Council on 23 July 2012; the City of Tea Tree Gully on 14 August 2012; the City of Unley on 26 March 2012; the Corporation of the Town of Walkerville on 16 July 2012; the Wattle Range Council on 24 July 2012; the City of West Torrens on 13 December 2011; and the Corporation of the City of Whyalla on 1 November 2012.

In addition, I met with the Local Government Association state executive on 17 May, signing the local government agreement. I attended the Council Members Strategic Issues Residential Seminar on 8 June 2012. I met with the Flinders Shared Services Group (Flinders Ranges Council, District Council of Orroroo Carrieton, Mount Remarkable and Peterborough—there were five there at the time) on 27 July 2012. The Eastern Region Alliance meeting of mayors and CEOs was on 1 August 2012. The Murray Mallee LGA was on 3 August 2012, the Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association was on 14 September 2012 and the Local Government Association AGM was on 25 October 2012 and on 26 October 2012, where I had the luxury and the pleasure of presenting two awards. The recent Murray Mallee Regional Planning Day was on 9 November 2012.

Finally I need to mention that, if not for the recent bushfires, I would also have visited the following councils with the Local Government Grants Commission (some of which I had already visited): Port Lincoln, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Franklin Harbour, Cleve, Tumby Bay, Streaky Bay, Elliston, Kimba, and Wudinna. I would like to reassure the members that I will be there in February, so they can rest assured they will be well looked after.

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