Local Government Association of Tasmania Conference

Local Government Association of Tasmania Conference
Friday 20 June 2008

Local Government is all about grassroots connection with our local communities.

Councils are more than another level of Government – they are a part of the cultural fabric of this State. Thanks to our councils - the landscape of Tasmania is dotted with the war memorials, the parks, the roads, the galleries and the services that are essential to the identity of our State.

Of course, local councils are also a vital partner with the State Government in determining our future. I have said at the outset of my Premiership that I want a clever, kind and connected Tasmania. And Local Government is a big part of that. As we established through the Tasmania Together process, planning the Tasmania of 2020 is very much a joint project.

To stay connected, it is vital that we re-engage with renewed vigour in partnership agreements. I think they have worked well in drawing our two levels of Government together and its now time to take that to the next level. As we announced last year, an evaluation of the partnerships program is now underway. A snap shot of the analysis shows that there have been a total of 39 agreements between the State Government and local government since 1999, including 31 bilateral, three regional, four statewide and one tripartite agreement. Close to 3000 actions have been developed and progressed to address issues identified within those agreements.

I think there is scope for councils to work more closely together to further the interests of their wider regions. For future regional development in Tasmania to be integrated and sensible, we need to work together.  We need to widen our focus.  We need to welcome new ideas.

I will be having conversations with the Treasurer about looking strategically in next year’s budget to give priority to projects where two or more councils have produced a combined request.

None of us, at local or State Government level, can afford to be insular in our thinking. We cannot be silos operating in splendid isolation – especially given the complexity of issues with which governments now have to deal. The saying goes that no man is an island – and neither is a local Council. We need to work together in an integrated way. I’ll certainly be looking to establish future driven, regional goals as part of our new partnership agreements.

The planning front is a good example of how we can work together. With the current planning reforms underway, it’s vital that we keep working together to get regional outcomes that make sense. The three regional land-use strategies we are now working on will be an important part of achieving consistent, contemporary planning schemes right across the State. The project is already underway in the north-west, and I understand that Northern Tasmania Development and member councils have endorsed the MOU for the northern region, which is expected to be ready for signing in mid-July.

I’m interested in working together on planning, because I’m interested in the Tasmania of the next decade and beyond. The last 10 years have seen great social, economic and environmental advances for Tasmania. That includes some terrific partnerships between local and State Government.

It’s now time to put that in the bank and look towards the future. Where do we want our relationship to be in 10 years time from now? What will we be talking about at the 2018 LGAT State Conference?

I’m hoping we’ll be talking about a decade of achievement. A decade of strategic investment in connected infrastructure like cycle ways, in tourism drawcards and in essential services. A decade of continuous improvement in how councils are able to deliver services to the community.

To support that, I am pleased that we were able to announce in the budget $200,000 to fund the Stronger Councils, Better Services project. The project will help local government strengthen its financial sustainability, and improve the governance and service delivery of councils across the State. The project will be managed through the Premier’s Local Government Council, and be run jointly between the State Government and local government, through LGAT. The funding will also support pilot projects - such as resource sharing - that can be applied elsewhere in the State. It will identify examples of best practice in local governance for application within Tasmania. It’s an example of State and local government working together to better deliver for people in our local communities.

Of course, we need to extend that to the new services we can work on together into the future.

Recreation and cycle ways are a good case in point. As the Treasurer announced in the 2008 Budget, we are putting $4 million into these tracks. I am keen to encourage Tasmanians to be active; and to make it easier for them to leave the car at home. It’s good for the environment, it’s good for people’s health, and it’s a good project on which the State Government can work with local councils. I know that there are already initiatives underway in Hobart and Launceston. I am pleased to announce today that the State will match on a dollar for dollar basis the Greater Hobart Cycleways Project.

This partnership between the five Councils that make up greater Hobart is a firm example of acting strategically for a whole region rather than for individual councils. There are natural links there which are being exploited. I extend the same dollar for dollar pledge to Greater Launceston, and to the North-West Coast, for similar, integrated, cross-council cycling models.

Another great recent example of cooperation between the State and Councils at a strategic, regional level is the Water and Sewerage Agreement. This really is a groundbreaking achievement. It sets in place an arrangement to maintain essential services across urban and regional Tasmania for decades to come.

I want to re-assure all Councils of my commitment as Premier, and of the Government, of our ongoing goodwill in working with LGAT and councils to see these changes through. They are vital for the future of essential services in Tasmania, and we need to work together to make the transition to the new arrangements work smoothly. I also want to hear your ideas and have your input on a contemporary challenge that every Tasmanian family is facing – the price of fuel.

I have announced that we will have a Statewide Fuel Summit within the next two months. We will invite key stakeholders from across a range of affected areas, including the RACT, the TCCI, unions, the Tasmanian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, the University of Tasmania, industry groups, and the community sector. I very much want to invite local government to be a part of that summit, and contribute to practical suggestions to help Tasmanians who are experiencing financial stress because of fuel prices. Your input matters and I look forward to local government being represented at that summit.

The final issue I want to mention today is one on which I hold strong personal views. A public debate has already begun on the merits and drawbacks of compulsory voting in local elections. I know there have already been motions debated on this topic at this Conference on Wednesday. I believe fundamentally in the value of democracy. I think for a democracy to operate in a healthy way – to maintain its connection and relevance to the community – that everyone needs to have their say. That is why I am committed to compulsory voting for all levels of Government – including local government. I know that there are arguments for and against, and that a further analysis of the costs associated with it will need to be done. There are also arguments around postal voting as against attendance voting – and that will also need to be considered. That being said, I want no-one to be in any doubt, that I support compulsory voting.

I can announce today that I will take to the State Labor Party Conference a proposal to amend the Labor platform to support the introduction of compulsory voting in local elections. Ultimately, it is not a question of money, but of representation.

Local Government is vital to this State, and plays a vital role in the lives of constituents. I will be making the case that all Tasmanians should have a say in their local councils. I know that will cause debate and discussion, and I welcome that.  Democracy is too important a topic not to be worthy of a passionate debate.

I believe that a change to compulsory voting would increase the profile of local government elections. It will get more people engaged with local government, which would encourage a greater diversity of people to put their names forward.

For instance, I know that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association. Women are massively underrepresented on our Councils – currently I believe only a quarter of councillors are women – and that is something that needs to change.

Our councils should reflect in their composition the same diversity that we have in our society – and I think there is room for improvement there.

In closing, let me re-iterate that Local Government is a vital part of the life of Tasmania. value what you do. I value your ideas, your local leadership, and your contribution to State and national debates. want to work with you to build the next decade of a clever, kind and connected Tasmania.

That’s what you’ll hear me talk about in the months and years ahead.

I look forward to your contribution to that conversation.