The Rockliff-Ferguson Government and Minister Nic Street need to get serious about reforms to local government after making big promises over almost a decade and today delivering yet another glossy brochure.
Instead of delivering yet another interim report on their promises of reform, the government needs to come clean on what they are specifically planning for their promised overhaul of councils across Tasmania.
What Mr Street has delivered today is yet more confusion and uncertainty among councils and the community, particularly around promised reform of the Code of Conduct.
Mr Street needs to tell councils and communities when he intends to finalise the review of the Code of Conduct Framework and confirm if he will introduce changes called for by the local government sector.
With council elections looming, we want Tasmanians to put their hand up and be involved in local government.
Minister Street is doing little to instil confidence or assurance to encourage people to have a career in local government. There are significant workforce shortages across the sector.
It’s time this government acted to ensure there is confidence in local government and recent concerns regarding integrity are addressed.
The local government sector and our communities are crying out for leadership from Mr Street and the Rockliff-Ferguson Government and they have failed to deliver again.
| Anita Dow MP Shadow Minister for Local Government and Planning |
