“In the 1980s Margaret Thatcher said “There is no such thing as society” in 2009 Greg Barns tirade against Local Government (Mercury 14/9/9) effectively implies there is no such thing as community.
The Local Government Act requires Councils to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the community. Furthermore, councils are required to represent and promote the community’s interest.
Tasmania’s 29 different municipal areas are too many. However Councils such as Clarence have scale and remain viable even after the unfortunate theft (compulsory acquisition) of water and sewerage assets by Southern Water.
I would suggest that it is those Councils which are majority funded by grants and special purpose payments from State or Federal Government which are unlikely to be viable in the long term. Those Councils should look seriously at amalgamation.
Mr. Barns suggests Local Councils should be cut out of planning because State Government can deliver better planning processes for major projects. Presumably he has in mind recent examples such as the Pulp Mill fast track assessment.
Disenfranchising a local community from planning processes has long term social and economic consequences. Just ask West Australian Council’s about their experiences with canal estate developments.”
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/09/14/97125_opinion.html
