Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Local Government spokesperson
Local Government is a critical level of government for communities. It is the pathway for residents to shape the place they live.
The Approved Reforms for the Local Government Legislative Framework Review, released today, provide for reforms that, in large part, are very welcome.
The Greens have long called for reforms to the General-Manager’s roll, including that only citizens should have the right to vote and that the Tasmanian Electoral Commission administer the process. We are very pleased these have been included in the approved reforms.
We are also pleased to see that councils will be required to introduce caretaker provisions during an election period, which reduces the potential for council powers or resources to be improperly used by candidates.
Some decisions, such as the choice not to pursue mandatory voting, are disappointing.
Other matters, such as the changes to community consultation requirements, we need to see more detail on before forming a view. We will provide feedback when we see the Draft Bill.
We believe, as a whole, the reforms released today will strengthen the local government sector.
We commend the Local Government Division for the consultation process. The consultation was genuine, accessible and had well-designed means for input.
The consultation process has led to more robust outcomes and community buy-in and we encourage the government to adopt this approach for other significant proposals. It stands in stark contrast with how the Major Projects legislation is being handled at the moment.
The proposed reforms, despite some omissions, will improve our democracy, and we look forward to working constructively towards their implementation.