Tasmanians for Reform is calling on the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority (STCA) to refer its
final report on proposed structural reform of southern councils to the Minister for Local
Government for review by the Local Government Board.
The Tasmanians for Reform (TFR) Coalition is the largest coalition of peak bodies in Tasmanian
history, comprising 25 community and business organisations.
TFR Chairperson Mary Massina said the Coalition had written to STCA Chairman Damon Thomas late
last year, requesting the STCA refer the report to Tasmanian Local Government Minister Bryan
Green and the Local Government Board for review.
“Now is the time for the STCA to demonstrate they are actually serious about delivering options to
meet the needs and wants of the Tasmanian community,” Ms Massina said.
“The report process was inclusive and gathered extensive polling and community comment and it is
up to the STCA to accept that the community has spoken and to act on it.
“It would be a great shame if the 12 southern councils did not accept the recommendations of their
$300,000 report and refer it to the Local Government Board, rather than potentially spending more
rate payer money doing further work, conducting elector polls and so on.
“The TFR Coalition is hoping the STCA agrees to refer the report to the Minister and the Board when
they meet tomorrow.”
Ms Massina said with independent EMRS polling revealing 73 per cent of Tasmanians support the
call for council mergers, the case for local government reform was simply too compelling to ignore.
“The EMRS figures were not surprising, given the Deloitte Access Economics Report, which identified
efficiencies of up to 35 per cent could be achieved from local government reform,” she said.
“This equates to $110 million annually being wasted in the south of the State alone, which in today’s
economic climate, with the spiralling cost of living, is simply unacceptable.”
Mary Massina, Tasmanians for Reform
