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LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS ANATIONAL ISSUE

What does this mean in detail?

Respect.With the Liberal and National Parties tearing uplocal councils, forcing amalgamations and ignoringresidents, the fact is local government hasn’t had alot of respect of late. It’s time that changed. The Greens are committed to ensuring that

residents, not politicians, have the nal say on themake-up of their local council. “This means thatwe guarantee to support and develop legislationthat gives residents in each and every council thatis the subject of a forced merger the right to votein a binding plebiscite on de-merging.” Whether this legislation passes in 2016 or 2019 thecommitment remains rm, and residents deserve

nothing less.

Resources. Did you know that local councils do everything theydo on just over 2% of the nation’s GDP? On such atight budget local councils deliver not just roads,

Respect.This means saying no to forced amalgamationsand supporting legislation that gives residents,not politicians, the nal say on any proposedamalgamations.

Resources.Commonwealth nancial assistance grants delivermore than $700 million in roads funding to localcouncils. The Greens believe that regional councilsneed a fairer share of this nding to deal with theirextensive road network.

Recognition.It’s well past time Local Government was recognisedin the Australian Constitution. The Greens supportmeaningful constitutional recognition that gives legalprotection to local democracy.

No nation can achieve its potential if it fails to respect, and properly resource, the level of governmentclosest to the people. The Greens understand this. That’s why we are releasing a package tostrengthen local government in the regions.

For regional Australia local government means a lot more than just roads, rates and rubbish. Localgovernment builds communities, delivers essential services, provides quality jobs and skills trainingand forges strong local identities.

What’s the Greens promise to LocalGovernment in your region?

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rubbish and recycling, but also pools, libraries, agedand child care, health services as well as a sense ofplace and community.

But if regional councils got a fairer deal on funding

they could deliver much more. So what do we needto do to x the funding? First we need to make itfair.

Regional councils have large road networks,often small populations and a limited rates base.Bizarrely Commonwealth Financial AssistanceGrants that fund roadworks are distributed

essentially on a per-capita basis. “This meansregional councils with small populations and

extensive road networks get less fundingthan most metropolitan councils with largerpopulations and much smaller road networks.”

We are not talking small beer here either. This yearthe Commonwealth government budgeted $712.2million in Financial Assistance Grants to NSWCouncils. This is crucial funding that needs to bedistributed fairly, with those regional councils inmost need getting priority funding.

t’s not just the Greens saying this. The NRMA havesaid the same, so has a recent NSW Parliamentaryreport.

f we are to redirect some Commonwealth fundingfrom more well off metropolitan councils then wealso need to allow them the nancial autonomy to

lift rates where their residents can afford it. Thismeans an end to rate pegging and allowing localcouncils to set their own rates. This doesn’t mean a blank cheque for rate

increases. Any increase in council rates should ofcourse only take place after detailed communityconsultation and be coupled with a clear plan onhow the money raised will be spent. Ultimatelycommunities should be deciding the level ofservices that their council provides and the ratesthat they are willing to pay to get them.

Recognition. By putting local government in the federal

constitution it will protect it from being theplaything of state governments. Our system ofgovernment is designed to have three tiers, local,state and federal, and the constitution should makethis clear.

The Greens aren’t interested in just some blandempty statement in the constitution. We believe theconstitution should provide that commonwealthfunds can go directly to local councils andthat local residents have the nal say on thecomposition and shape of their local council. Entrenching and protecting local government inthe constitution would help the most grassrootslevel of government resist the kind of undemocraticattacks we have seen from the Baird government’sforced amalgamation agenda.

The Greens believe in supporting, respecting and empowering local

councils. This means that we are committed to implementing long termpolicies that keeps councils strong, sustainable and connected to

their local community.

David Shoebridge MLC | www.davidshoebridge.org.au | nsw.greens.org.auAUTHORISED BY JAMES RYAN FOR THE GREENS NSW. SUITE D, LEVEL 1, 275 BROADWAY NSW 2037. PRINTED BY SENATOR LEE RHIANNON, 72 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010