LOCAL GOVERNMENT (RULES OF CONDUCT) AMENDMENT
REGULATIONS 2020 — DISALLOWANCE
945. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Local Government:
I have a supplementary question. Given the disallowance, does
the minister now concede that his failed attempt to prevent councillors from being able to deal with sensitive matters
relating to a CEO was an overreach that has created more confusion and
uncertainty than existed before?
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN
replied:
The member for Moore is not listening! He comes in here but
he does not listen. The fact of the matter is that place up there —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for Moore, you have had two
questions.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: I do not want to cast any
inappropriate comments —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for Moore, you have had two
cracks. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: I do not want to cast any ''nasturtiums''
against members in the other place, but a member in the other place was
overheard saying to another member who voted to not disallow—not from
the Labor Party—''You do realise that you're acting
ultra vires?'' and the response was, ''Oh, but it's just
politics.'' That is what members opposite do and that is the approach in
the other place. We do not have the numbers in the other place and we accept that, but the simple fact of the
matter is this: the local government system in Western Australia needs reform
and the Local Government Act is more than 20 years old and it is not fit for
purpose. That is why this government has a program
of reviewing it and that is why we put forward and passed legislation in this
place to ensure that the Auditor General deals with financial and performance
measures. We will keep doing it. We will keep putting to the people of Western
Australia a proposal to reform local government because it needs to happen.
When Western Australians go to the election on 13 March next year, at least
they will know that we are doing everything possible to provide modern
legislation and a modern context for local government. We believe in the local
government sector because it is an important sector. All that Nationals members
do is carp and harp on. They do nothing. They continue to be the hyenas that
pick through the bins and throw rubbish around! They do nothing else.