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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-01 Daily Xml
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CENTRAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about the Central Local Government Association.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: I understand the minister recently attended the Central Local Government Region of Councils meeting. Can the minister provide further information on this matter?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:54): As part of my wanting to develop a very good relationship with local government, I take the time to go out into the regions and attend their local regional government association meetings. Recently I had the honour of attending and speaking at a meeting of the Central Local Government Region. The association is made up of 15 councils that span the Mid North, Flinders Ranges, Yorke Peninsula, Clare and Barossa Valleys.

James Maitland, Mayor of the Wakefield Regional Council, is the president of the association and chairs the meetings. This meeting was held at Balaklava. One of the most topical issues of the day was the Local Government Disaster Fund. As I have previously advised the chamber, a number of councils within the Central Local Government Region sustained extensive wind and flood damage to local government infrastructure in late 2010 and early 2011. A number of councils applied to the Local Government Disaster Fund Committee for funding assistance and payments were approved as part of the Mid-Year Budget Review late last year.

I was able to talk to the association about membership, about the lessons learnt from this experience and ensuring that we plan for the future. I also had the opportunity to address the association about a broad range of issues ranging from governance, accountability and codes of conduct as part of the next stage of the local government accountability reforms. This discussion provided an excellent opportunity for various mayors and representatives to put forward their views and ideas. Of course, all councils will have the opportunity to make submissions to the consultation paper that is shortly to be released by the government and the LGA.

This meeting also provided an excellent opportunity to hear about some of the local issues facing the association's membership at the present time. While we do not always agree with each other on various issues, I believe it is essential that as elected officials we listen to councils and their representative organisations about matters that affect regional South Australians. I welcome the input and contribution that an organisation such as the Central Local Government Region can provide.

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