Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett says WA should 'man up' and force local government amalgamations. Picture: David Caird. Source: Herald Sun
FORMER Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has urged the Barnett Government to find "the courage" to force local councils to reform warning voluntary amalgamations "will never bloody work".
Mr Kennett, who more than halved the number of councils in Victoria nearly 20 years ago, said Premier Colin Barnett should use his parliamentary powers to legislate "meaningful change" instead of trying to pander to bureaucrats.
"They already have the model of how to do it," Mr Kennett said. "You redraw the boundaries, you stand down your councillors, you put in commissioners for two years, hold rates for two years and then have elections. It's not difficult."
In a scathing attack on mayors, councillors, chief executives and staff, Mr Kennett said most would never agree to amalgamate because they were protecting their own interests.
"We had 211 and brought them back to 78 and most of those who were critical at that time had vested interests," he said. "The one thing they don't put as their top priority is the ratepayers of these councils."The Barnett Government has been trying for five years to cut down the number of WA councils, but with little success. Its latest plan is to concentrate on the metropolitan area, slashing the number of local governments in Perth from 30 to 14. But that plan has met with fierce opposition from councils.
Mr Barnett has said mergers won't be forced, and is hoping for voluntary changes by 2015.
Committee for Perth chief executive Marion Fulker said Mr Barnett had a chance to introduce bold reforms that could define his premiership, but instead WA was having a narrow debate about boundaries, rather than wide-ranging reforms.
The City of Perth has attacked the Government's insistence that it merge with the entire City of Vincent. Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said yesterday forced amalgamations would "disrespect the great work of local government".
"Pitting mayor against mayor and having local governments fighting is unhealthy," she said.
Local Government Minister Tony Simpson is expected to release revised maps for all Perth councils this week, which will be submitted to the Local Government Advisory Board for further consideration.
A spokesman for Mr Barnett said yesterday: "(The Premier) is confident that councils will come to the amalgamating process without the need to force amalgamations. And, so far the process is working through well with around 20 submissions to the LGAB."
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Kennett urges WA to 'man-up'
Dengan url
https://donyblackedet.blogspot.com/2013/11/kennett-urges-wa-to-man-up.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Kennett urges WA to 'man-up'
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar