Local Government Act under review

TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE

13 February 2016 

Peter Gutwein, Minister for Planning and Local Government

Review of Local Government Act

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to improving the efficiency and governance of local government and reducing costs to ratepayers.

Today I announce a targeted review of the Local Government Act 1993 which is timely given current community concern over how some councils are managing their affairs.

How and why some councils make their decisions are under the microscope at the moment and our review of the Act is precisely aimed at improving governance arrangements within our councils.

Local Government must be efficient and effective and deliver good value for ratepayers if we want to make Tasmania the best place in the country to live, work, invest and raise a family.

This targeted review of the Local Government Act will ensure the legislative framework for local government is effective and efficient, with a focus on governance improvement.

I want everyone interested in local government to have their say and be consulted. I’m sure there are plenty of good ideas out in the community and ultimately we want to deliver a legislative framework that promotes good governance and enables local government to deliver improved services to communities.

A Steering Committee has been established, chaired by Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Deputy Secretary Rebekah Burton and including representatives from the Department’s Local Government Division, the Local Government Association of Tasmania and the Local Government Professionals Australia (Tasmania).

While I expect local government to play a significant role in the review, I also encourage all interested parties, including community groups and members of the public, to participate in the review process.

In a few months’ time I will be releasing a discussion paper outlining a range of ideas identified by the Government, or raised by members of the public and local government, to help inform people who wish to make submissions.

I anticipate any necessary amendments to the Act as a result of the review will be introduced to Parliament by May 2017.

The Steering Committee will consider and make recommendations to the Minister in relation to:

- the functions of mayors, deputy mayors and elected members;

- the appointment, functions and powers of the general manager;

- financial management and reporting;

- the functions and powers of the Director of Local Government;

- the functions, powers and procedures of the Local Government Board;

- the functions, powers and procedures of a Board of Inquiry;

- local government elections – electoral rolls, funding and advertising; and

- the reduction of unnecessary administrative requirements.

Further information about the review can be found on the Local Government Division’s website: www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgd