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Big reforms to Local Government

Big reforms to local government flagged

With local government elections scheduled for March 2020, the Queensland Government has recently announced a raft of reforms to the electoral process and how elected councils operate.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the proposed reforms were informed by the Crime and Corruption Commission’s Operation Belcarra report, which was written in response to allegations of corruption involving several South East Queensland councils including Ipswich.

“We want to create a more open and transparent system of local government in Queensland and that’s why we’re consulting with stakeholders,” Mr Hinchcliffe said.

“The Belcarra report emphasised the need for transparency and accountability as the cornerstone of local government.”

The proposals under consideration are included in an information document from the Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs (www.dlgrma.qld.gov.au/local-governmentreform.html). Some of the recommendations relating to elections include:

• Compulsory preferential voting in council elections, which will standardise the election system across all three tiers of government

• Public funding for council candidate campaigns, set at $1.57 per vote received, in a bid to reduce candidate reliance on third party donations

• Compulsory candidate training before elections are held

• Caps on election spending by candidates

• Public interest registers that require all candidates to disclose any contracts they have with council, their political party membership or any development applications they or close associates have before council

• Real time financial and gift disclosures for council candidates, groups of candidates and third parties

The plan to pay candidates who receive more than 4% of first preference votes $1.57 per vote could cost an estimated $650,000 according to the government’s own figures. From the 2024 election, councils will have to pay for this through the collection of extra rates.

The way councils operate is also up for reform, including:

• Tighter regulation on discretionary funds

• Greater transparency in council meetings and the topics discussed

• All council committees to keep minutes of meetings

• Councillors to be provided information requested from council within five days

• Changes to mayoral powers, removing the capacity to direct the work of senior staff and limiting what they can direct the CEO to do

• Community consultation on council budgets

The electoral changes are opposed by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), with its CEO Greg Hallam calling it a “voting calamity”.

“We strongly oppose the government’s plans to force compulsory preferential voting into all local council elections,” Mr Hallam said.

“Forcing people to put a number in every square on a ballot paper would be a boon for political parties but a big headache for voters.

“This change is all about making it easier for party politics to muscle its way into all 77 council chambers across Queensland, not just Brisbane.

“People need to believe in the fairness and genuineness of any election. Our whole system of democracy is based on that belief. We all have a responsibility to make sure that remains the case.

“Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to give a detailed explanation to Queenslanders why she thinks this is a good idea. Otherwise the government should keep its hands off local councils,” Mr Hallam said.

The LGAQ has created a website where people can register their protest at www.handsoffmycouncil.com.au.

“Our campaign pulls no punches,” Mr Hallam said, adding that it was needed to avoid an “electoral calamity, the results of which will be with us for at least the four years following the 2020 elections”.

Mr Hallam said the LGAQ knew Queenslanders supported its stance. “According to our pollsters, 70% of voters are happy with the system they have now,” he said.

In next week’s edition, GC&M News will provide an insider’s point of view on the proposed changes.

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