2016-09-13
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — The Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchins, made some bizarre utterances on the radio station 3AW on Thursday, 8 September. The minister said that Labor was open to suggestions of forcefully amalgamating local government authorities in Victoria. This ill thought out idea, if implemented, would be disastrous. In order to preserve confidence in the veracity of upcoming local government elections and to ensure the preservation of democratic expression at the local level, forced amalgamations of local governments must be ruled out immediately.
Of course we have been here before. The forced amalgamation of councils in the 1990s under the then Premier, Jeff Kennett, were a disaster for local governance and community selfdetermination and in fact saw the genesis of the Victorian Local Governance Association, which was formed in August 1994 to restore democracy at a local level. Today we only have to look north to see the damage that such a topdown power grab can do. The people of New South Wales are aghast at the Baird government’s authoritarian amalgamation of dozens of councils in that state, with the defenestration of democratically elected members. As a result millions of citizens of New South Wales were denied their right for democratic representation at a local level during the elections over the past weekend, although I do congratulate the Greens councillors in their efforts in New South Wales, where there have been some extraordinary successes in their election campaigns. The Greens have been a consistent voice for grassroots democracy and the autonomy and independence of local government.
It comes as no surprise to see yet another attack on local government by the Andrews Labor government. The suggestion of council amalgamations by the Minister for Local Government is an assault on local communities and local democracy. You have to wonder if she is softening us up for more meddling with local government. Local government is the closest tier of government to the people. Amalgamating councils to create mega shires diminishes representation at a local level and disenfranchises communities. We do not want to see a return to the dark days of the Liberal Kennett government, which took an axe to local government and forced amalgamations across Victoria.
The role, independence and autonomy of local government needs to be celebrated and supported. Labor should think twice before following the same path for Victoria yet again. The action I seek is that the minister disclose any plans or discussions within her department for amalgamating local governments in Victoria.