Pay rates for mayors and councillors will be reviewed and they could be eligible for superannuation after a vote at the Local Government Association of Tasmania's (LGAT) annual general meeting.
The motion was passed with a view to professionalising the local government sector and attracting younger people to local council positions.
Circular Head Mayor Darryl Quilliam said he worked hard at all hours of the day and was paid about $40,000 a year.
His councillors are paid about $10,000 a year.
Mayor Quilliam still works as a sales representative for an agribusiness company.
He said being a mayor was a big job and he loved doing it, but pay and superannuation needed to be addressed.
"It's not a job that you take on for the money," he said. ..... CLICK HERE TO GO TO ABC SOURCE AND ACCESS THE COMPLETE STORY
OUR NOTE: It seems that LGAT is either out of step with the community debate to do with council amalgamations or is right on the money!
WHEN, and not if, Tasmania's councils are amalgamated into a reasonable number of councils commensurate with need, and ratepayers capacity to pay, there will be plenty of money to pay Councillors and Aldermen stipends that are appropriate to their work load.
However, when that all comes about there will need to be a greater level of professionalism on display than is generally the case now. This is an unfolding story and it is as much to do with amalgamation as it is to do with the elected representatives' stipends.
There must be a 'root and branch reimagination' of Local Government and that must include the professional standards of council officers as much as it would the elected representatives. It's high time that the Minister got on with the job and started the process right now given that the call for "more money" is out there.
OUR NOTE: It seems that LGAT is either out of step with the community debate to do with council amalgamations or is right on the money!
WHEN, and not if, Tasmania's councils are amalgamated into a reasonable number of councils commensurate with need, and ratepayers capacity to pay, there will be plenty of money to pay Councillors and Aldermen stipends that are appropriate to their work load.
However, when that all comes about there will need to be a greater level of professionalism on display than is generally the case now. This is an unfolding story and it is as much to do with amalgamation as it is to do with the elected representatives' stipends.
There must be a 'root and branch reimagination' of Local Government and that must include the professional standards of council officers as much as it would the elected representatives. It's high time that the Minister got on with the job and started the process right now given that the call for "more money" is out there.
Jack Bauer
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