Reform Spokesperson Ignores the Simple Facts

Mary Massina is again mixing fact with fiction and continues to ignore simple facts about circumstances existing in this State,” Acting President of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, Mayor Deirdre Flint said today (Thurs).

“In her article in today’s Mercury (Less really is more for councils), where she keeps up her recurrent nonsense about killing off Local Government, she claims that Local Government has already lost control of water and sewerage and that next it will be planning.”

“The fundamental problem with Mary and her Tasmanians for Reform are that they are large on rhetoric and small on facts. The water and sewerage corporations in this State are owned by Local
Government. They are subject to an independent regulator that determines pricing but the ownership remains with councils. In fact, councils will next week be considering future governance arrangements for the corporations that they own – not the State Government and certainly not Tasmanians for Reform,“ Mayor Flint said.

“Local Government has also been working closely with the State Government on planning reform to establish regional land use strategies and to put into place template planning schemes for every
council to ensure consistency of terminology, descriptions, actions and ideally, decision-making.

There is no agenda to take planning away from Local Government,” she said.

“Certainly the Property Council, the leading organisation behind Tasmanians for Reform, would prefer to see planning taken away from Local Government but one wonders about the motive.

Councils represent all the community and land use decisions are made on the basis of the fundamental land use requirements and benefits for the whole community, not just a privileged few,” Mayor Flint added.

“Local Government is not afraid of reform and has never shied away from an independent umpire undertaking reviews. It is reviewed by the Auditor General every year and each council is subject to
an Annual General Meeting where the community has the capacity to scrutinise and question the actions and spend of councils. There is a Minister for Local Government to oversee the performance of Local Government in the State and there are a range of statutory regulators to which councils are accountable to on an ongoing basis.”

Mayor Flint said the biggest problem with the Tasmanians for Reform Group is that it considers itself to be the voice of the people and the independent umpire. “The fact is that communities are not
banging on the doors of town halls calling for change and, for the most part, they acknowledge the efforts of councils in these difficult times in delivering the services they need, where and when they
want them, at a fair price. If they are dissatisfied, they can vote the council out but, for the record, this has never happened in Tasmania,” she said.

“Local Government has been involved in a range of reforms over recent years including water and sewerage, planning, and rating and valuation. If a broader review of structural reform is to occur, it
needs to be robust, comprehensive and inclusive. It needs to engage with councils, State Government, business and the community and not simply be a kangaroo court where the loudest voice wins the day,” Mayor Flint said.

“Prosperous communities succeed by working together. Tasmanians for Reform would do well to focus on the benefits councils provide to communities and work with councils in improving services, rather than constantly knocking,” she said.