FROM THE EXAMINER
No compulsory voting: councils
BY ALISON ANDREWS CHIEF REPORTER 21 Jul, 2011 08:50 AM
TASMANIAN councils have given a resounding no to compulsory voting in local government elections. A similar motion was presented to the Local Government Association of Tasmania's last annual meeting and was only narrowly defeated by two votes.
But association chief executive Allan Garcia said that the motion, put by the West Tamar Council to the annual meeting yesterday, was soundly defeated with 18 councils voting against compulsory voting.
Twenty-seven of the state's 29 councils were represented at the annual meeting held in conjunction with the association's 100th anniversary annual conference in Hobart yesterday ... click here to read the complete story online
But association chief executive Allan Garcia said that the motion, put by the West Tamar Council to the annual meeting yesterday, was soundly defeated with 18 councils voting against compulsory voting.
Twenty-seven of the state's 29 councils were represented at the annual meeting held in conjunction with the association's 100th anniversary annual conference in Hobart yesterday ... click here to read the complete story online
EDITORS NOTE: LGAT is not representative of Tasmanian ratepayers and government needs to take into account that this decision reflects the aspiration of Councillors/Alderman and Council Officers without them finding any need to consult their constituencies. The minister needs to inform himself more broadly than simply listening to LGAT. Let us see!
FROM THE ADVOCATEDevonport council talks mergers
19 Jul, 2011 11:02 AM
Council will host a workshop to look at reducing not only the number of elected members on the council, but the number of councils on the North-West Coast.
At last night’s Devonport council meeting alderman Steve Martin sought support to take the matter to the Minister for Local Government Bryan Green, so he could direct the Local Government Board to conduct a review into the number of aldermen on the Devonport City Council.
Last month Ald Martin was unsuccessful in moving that the number of aldermen be reduced as a cost-saving measure.
‘‘Since 1981 there has been no review of aldermen numbers. Since that time the city has grown, aldermen’s roles have grown, but so have improvements in communications and technologies,’’ Ald Martin said.
‘‘We no longer handle water and sewerage, there’s been staff reductions and a restructure, rate increases. I think councillors have not applied that same rigor to themselves.’’
Alderman Grant Goodwin said the issue skirted around the bigger issue of cost savings and a reduction in the number of councils in Tasmania. ‘‘There’s 29. If you travel west to Ulverstone, east to Shearwater and south to Sheffield, you travel through four municipalities,’’ he said.
‘‘The issue is bigger than the number of councillors on the Devonport City Council.’’ Ald Goodwin put forward a workshop to discuss amalgamation and the number of aldermen.
The motion was carried without the support of aldermen Martin or Justine Keay. The motion proposed to seek the support of Latrobe, Kentish and Central Coast councils in a joint bid to urge the State Government to fund the commissioning and development of a business model using independent business consultants in consultation with all four councils.
The goal would be to establish a single authority to manage the administration and operation of the participating councils, and to demonstrate both the feasibility and economic benefits that may flow to the community.
It was resolved to conduct a workshop on the issue, though Ald Leon Perry and Ald Annette Rockliff voted against that.
Alderman Graham Kent likened the ‘‘A’’ word amalgamation) with the ‘‘F’’ word and said it had
that effect in many localities, but if the council did not act they could be forced into amalgamation in a model that was probably not the best for the local community.
‘‘I think we need to talk to our neighbouring councils and the State Government can look into a study which can go out into the marketplace so people can see if there are benefits to the community,’’ he said.
Ald Goodwin agreed, saying it was a good independent path to look at what could be done to reduce the cost in council.
Ald Goodwin challenged The Advocate to gauge opinion among its readers about amalgamation and let the people make the decision.
‘‘The Advocate could help us out doing a poll for the municipalities and what the people say in relation to this motion.’’
At last night’s Devonport council meeting alderman Steve Martin sought support to take the matter to the Minister for Local Government Bryan Green, so he could direct the Local Government Board to conduct a review into the number of aldermen on the Devonport City Council.
Last month Ald Martin was unsuccessful in moving that the number of aldermen be reduced as a cost-saving measure.
‘‘Since 1981 there has been no review of aldermen numbers. Since that time the city has grown, aldermen’s roles have grown, but so have improvements in communications and technologies,’’ Ald Martin said.
‘‘We no longer handle water and sewerage, there’s been staff reductions and a restructure, rate increases. I think councillors have not applied that same rigor to themselves.’’
Alderman Grant Goodwin said the issue skirted around the bigger issue of cost savings and a reduction in the number of councils in Tasmania. ‘‘There’s 29. If you travel west to Ulverstone, east to Shearwater and south to Sheffield, you travel through four municipalities,’’ he said.
‘‘The issue is bigger than the number of councillors on the Devonport City Council.’’ Ald Goodwin put forward a workshop to discuss amalgamation and the number of aldermen.
The motion was carried without the support of aldermen Martin or Justine Keay. The motion proposed to seek the support of Latrobe, Kentish and Central Coast councils in a joint bid to urge the State Government to fund the commissioning and development of a business model using independent business consultants in consultation with all four councils.
The goal would be to establish a single authority to manage the administration and operation of the participating councils, and to demonstrate both the feasibility and economic benefits that may flow to the community.
It was resolved to conduct a workshop on the issue, though Ald Leon Perry and Ald Annette Rockliff voted against that.
Alderman Graham Kent likened the ‘‘A’’ word amalgamation) with the ‘‘F’’ word and said it had
that effect in many localities, but if the council did not act they could be forced into amalgamation in a model that was probably not the best for the local community.
‘‘I think we need to talk to our neighbouring councils and the State Government can look into a study which can go out into the marketplace so people can see if there are benefits to the community,’’ he said.
Ald Goodwin agreed, saying it was a good independent path to look at what could be done to reduce the cost in council.
Ald Goodwin challenged The Advocate to gauge opinion among its readers about amalgamation and let the people make the decision.
‘‘The Advocate could help us out doing a poll for the municipalities and what the people say in relation to this motion.’’
EDITORS NOTE: The Advocate needs to be congratulated on how it reports on these matters. Also Devonport Council needs to be congratulated for taking on the hard issues and keeping ratepayer's issues front of mind.
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