[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Council Amalgamations Back On Labor's Agenda_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

FORCED COUNCIL AMALGAMATIONS BACK ON LABOR'S AGENDA

Need for Improved Efficiency Should Not be Used as Forced Amalgamation
Stalking Horse

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Local Government Spokesman

Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today slammed Premier David Bartlett's revelation
yesterday to the Tasmanian Property Summit that local Council
amalgamations are "inevitable and necessary" in Tasmania, saying that
Labor is now moving towards forced amalgamations, and queried what has
happened to the Labor Government's previous position that Council
amalgamations would only occur if the Councils involved actually
requested amalgamation themselves.

Greens Shadow Local Government spokesperson Tim Morris MP said many have
been warning that Councils will be financially worse off after Labor's
Water and Sewerage reforms are implemented, but raising the prospect of
forced Council amalgamations is the wrong way to address this looming
financial challenge of the government's own making.

"The Premier's new approach smacks of previous attempts at forced
amalgamation where the government of the day has sought to dictate to
Councils and their communities, rather than focussing on the real issues
around ensuring that local government in Tasmania is able to provide
services to the community in an efficient and cost effective manner," Mr
Morris said.

"Government facilitation of cooperative resource sharing by Councils is
a kind and clever solution to the financial difficulties about to be
imposed on local government by Labor's water and sewerage reforms."

"While there are savings to be made in local government, they are best
achieved through Councils working cooperatively at the administrative
and operational levels, something that the Bartlett Government could
assist with if it cared to."

"The Bartlett Government must now rule out forced amalgamations and
instead focus upon assisting Councils to develop a framework that
ensures their future efficiency and viability," said Mr Morris.

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Text of Motion tabled by Tim Morris MP in the House of Assembly today: 

1. The Premier is reported to have said that council amalgamations are
"inevitable and necessary" when addressing the Tasmanian Property
Summit;

2. This has revealed that the Bartlett Labor Government is intent on
forcing local council amalgamations;

3. This approach is again like previous rounds of amalgamations and
attempted amalgamations where the Government of the day has sought to
dictate to Councils and their communities how their governance should be
organised, rather than focus on the real issue, which is to ensure that
councils are able to provide their services to their communities in an
efficient and cost effective manner whilst being able to retain their
community identity; 

4. Further notes that no Councils, and neither the Local Government
Association of Tasmania nor the Tasmanian Greens support forced Council
amalgamations, but do acknowledge the need for change to ensure ongoing
council viability after the Water and Sewerage reform process being
implemented; and 

5. Further, that this House calls on the Bartlett Labor government to
change this position and to desist from forced council amalgamations.

 





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