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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-05-31 Daily Xml
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:26): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question in relation to local government.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: On 23 March 2012, the Office for State/Local Government Relations and the Local Government Association of South Australia released a discussion paper called 'Local government in South Australia: improving governance'. The foreword, jointly signed by the minister and Mayor Kim McHugh, president of the association, states:

The State Government and the Local Government Association are committed to working together on governance issues and further reforms to the local government legislative framework.

Later in the foreword the minister states that:

Importantly, it is framed within the context of the Government's proposed public integrity and anti-corruption framework. These reforms will have significant implications for the local government sector and for the local government legislative framework.

In conclusion the minister states:

We look forward to receiving your comments on the issues and questions in this paper or other relevant suggestions to strengthen the governance and legislative framework for local government in South Australia.

In April 2012 the government agreed to an extension of the time frame for response to 31 May 2012, due to councils' concerns that more time was needed to respond to the discussion paper. The government tabled the ICAC Bill in the House of Assembly on 2 May and it was received in this chamber yesterday, 30 May. I repeat: the time frame for responses to the discussion paper is today. My question is: why did the minister agree to the extension in time for feedback on the discussion paper if he was serious about wanting local government input into the public integrity and anti-corruption framework?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:28): This bill contains issues in regard to local government. One in particular is the mandatory code of conduct. There are other issues regarding sanctions. With the code of conduct, the councils will have quite a bit to say on what that code of conduct has.

There are a number of issues in this government paper, such as training and the like, so there are other issues which are not in this bill and which pertain to the issue of governance. This is the reason we extended it, to make sure plenty of consultation has been given. I have been going around the councils myself, talking about governance issues and the importance of them giving feedback in regard to the discussion paper. I look forward to the outcome of the consultation period.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wade has a supplementary; you have already been given the answer.

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