LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM
807. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Local Government:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's proposed reforms to the local government sector. Can the
minister outline to the house how these
reforms will provide greater transparency and accountability for community
members and ratepayers?
Mr J.N.
CAREY replied:
I want to thank the member for
Cockburn for his question. Unfortunately, often where we see dysfunction and
controversy and where there are toxic relationships in local government, it is
the fault of the lack of transparency to ratepayers. Often there is controversy
and confusion about basic information, so as part of our reforms, which are the most significant reforms to local
government since the Local Government Act 1995, we are genuinely trying
to empower communities and ratepayers with a vast number of reforms that will
provide them with information at their
fingertips. Even during COVID-19, we have seen that some progressive local
governments have already moved to far
greater online measures to engage and empower their local communities. I am
deeply proud that these sweeping reforms will mean better performance in
local government. For example, we will be mandating the recording of all
council meetings, live streaming of tiers 1 and 2 meetings and recording all
meetings of tiers 3 and 4, so people in their homes—whether they want
to or not; whether it is the most entertaining thing they want to look at;
maybe they will want to put their children
to sleep—they will be able to watch the live proceedings of their local
government. I am sure if David Templeman were still there, it would be
an amazing singing performance!
There will also be clearer rules
for what is confidential and not confidential before councils, again,
eliminating sometimes the controversies
about local government decision-making. We will be bringing in a vast number of
new online registers—lease registers about what local
governments are leasing; as we know, with sporting clubs, they can be deeply
controversial—a community grants register indicating all grants online;
a contracts register of all contracts worth
over $100 000 undertaken by a council; an interest disclosure register that
will keep standing conflicts of interest that have been declared by
councillors; and an applicant contribution register about the money the local government is holding for cash in lieu and so
forth. Also, we will be putting CEO key performance indicators online so that ratepayers can see how local government is
going. Do not underestimate—often we see conflict, controversy,
claims of conspiracy when there is a lack of information to ratepayers. These
are sweeping reforms and they will help deal with those relationships and
dysfunction, and ensure that we empower ratepayers and give them greater
knowledge about the performance and decision-making of their local government.