Would you like a local council? [With poll]

I prefer the council model. The councillors are part time, they really are of the people, and there’s no government/opposition nonsense, they’re all there to do the job. The council staff are there through each council, and the councillors are the reps of the people.

You can have good and bad ones. Quangers council isn’t bad. Palerang is a basket-case. Haven’t heard how Yass and Goulburn are.

Yes, let’s replace the ACT government with a council and have the policy development functions outsourced……………….. to me.

I promise I will be cruel but fair but that doesn’t matter because I won’t be elected and you won’t have any say.

Then we can give control of the hospitals and ambulance to the NSW government and the education system to the Victorians.

Local governments don’t get GST revenue except through the States so money might be a problem but that’s ok, I’m sure the states won’t mind kicking in a bit each to keep a local council afloat.

Community Councils do not have and do not seek any governing authority. They are community forums with linkages into ACT bureaucracy. Its an established model of two way consultation.

We’ve got one.

replace the ACT government with a council, yes please.

reduce state government to a minimum, yes please.

we are the most over governed nation on the planet IMHO.

Given councils are renowned for slapping fees onto just about anything to make money to do things… i don’t think we need them.

Mark of Sydney said :

johnboy said :

Another level of representation does not equal another layer of bureaucracy.

But how would a local council carry out its functions without adding a layer of bureaucracy? Unless it didn’t have any functions — in which case why have it?

Exactly. If all you want is a talk fest with no powers then we already have the Community Councils.

We’ve already got a local council, that’s all the “ACT Government” is in effect.

“But how would a local council carry out its functions without adding a layer of bureaucracy? “

Regional governers will now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line.

Sorry. Surely someone was thinking it?

johnboy said :

Another level of representation does not equal another layer of bureaucracy.

But how would a local council carry out its functions without adding a layer of bureaucracy? Unless it didn’t have any functions — in which case why have it? There’s not much use discussing models of governance without discussing what you want the different layers to do.

With first hand experience of dealing with the NSW government and a local council, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to replicate that model — particularly in a relatively small, compact and self-contained jursidication like the ACT.

Less government please. At every level.

johnboy said :

Another level of representation does not equal another layer of bureaucracy.

Does though add an extra layer of partisanship and ego stroking, which is probably as bad. Just look at the low-life inhabitants of the ‘Community Councils.’ Northside, bitter infighting. Southside, blatent self-serving.

Another level of representation does not equal another layer of bureaucracy.

Hell no!

That would simply be another level of bureaucracy which can be used to pass the buck…

So that would mean bypassing the “pissant” ACT Government – right? This wicked federal plot is starting to look a little better.

I believe the idea has been around at least since the time of the Whitlam Government, when regional governments must have looked like a very attractive alternative to the state governments. If the referendum gets up, and even with bipartisan support, that’s still a fairly big “if”, it’s difficult to see to much use being made of it until the next Labor/Labor-Green federal government.