THE INTRODUCTION: "Local government in Tasmania is facing a period of significant reform (??), with the possibility of amalgamation, new models of resource-sharing and continued work on moving to a statewide planning scheme.
As the closest level of government to the community, councils do a lot more than just managing our rates, roads and rubbish.
A 21st century council is judged on its ability to directly influence people’s lives and across the state municipal workers are taking on more responsibilities than ever before.
The Examiner’s local government reporter HOLLY MONERY [LINK] reviews some of the most prominent council-related stories from 2016."
EDITOR'S NOTE: It seems that The Examiner's Holly Monery is spending quite a lot of time talking to "municipal workers" – managers?? – and spending very little time with the elected representatives – or for that matter local government constituents. What the 'review' exhibits more than anything else is the writer's lack of 'domain knowledge'. And, it's time that the people at Fairfax attended to that sort of thing if they wish to survive publishing hardcopy local newspapers in the 21st Century.
Sadly, this so-called 'review' fails the pub-test in that it self-evidently absorbs and then credentials the bureaucratic rhetoric coming out the 'operational divisions' of councils. Worryingly, it does it without critique nor the slightest hint of interrogation – investigation either as often as not. However Ms Monery is not alone as in many councils neither do the Councillors/Aldermen. They seem to have been persuaded 'to get out of the way' and let the experts(??) get on with it – and let the press report the operation point of view.
The smoothed-over fact is that general managers are flexing their bureaucratic muscles and insisting that it is them who are there to make the 'real decisions' and its the elected representatives' role to not only listen-up but also to jump when called upon to do so.
This writer is told that on many occasions 'council heavies' are reported as telling constituents that they "do not need to answer their questions" or "we have the authority to do whatever we want here" and "this is an operational matter and nothing to do with [the elected representatives]". It is more than concerning when this translates as being a disinclination to be accountable – despite the Ministers' bumblings last May.
Local newspapers have a role to play here but are they doing anything that might resemble holding elected representatives to account or for that matter holding their 'servants' – public servants after all – to account? The evidence speaks loudly for itself!
As for 'the possibility of amalgamation', it is abundantly clear that Tasmania has way too many councils and too many for its relatively tiny population to sustain. Whether its 26 too many, or its 22 that's too many, or some other number, its clear that a great many dollars might be better spent than at present via the funding of Councillor/Aldermen and so-called 'senior management', most of whom could be safely dispensed with in a flash.
The question here is, is The Examiner interrogating any of this? Not a bit of it! Since, 'senior management' holds the purse strings these 'functionaries' are humoured in order to win the 'advertising dollars' and as time passes 'the trickle down effect' is palpable and the 'constituents' lose out at every turn, over and over.
There is much more to say on all this but it is clear that 'standards' applying to local governance reporting is well and truly underdone – and especially so at The Examiner. By way of contrast, the authority applying to 'civic functionaries' is overblown.
By the look of things no time soon can we expect The Examiner, or for that matter any other corporatised local newspaper, to lift their game or indeed 'their standards'. Fortunately, social media has a role to play in filling this hole in local newspapers' credibility.
Tandra Vale, Social Commentator
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