SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,. MR L. H. BARNARD
AT THE OPENING OF THE TASMNA DIVISION O
THE MUNICIPAL ASCAO'S CONFERENCE IN
LAUNCESTON -5 NOVEMBERJ 1973
Today I am talking to you about our new deal
for Local Government in Australia.
We are not seeking changes for changes sake
nor, as some would say, to centralise power in Canberra.
What we are really dging is to give a new and realistic
meaning to Federalism, real local participation in public
affairs and in effect, real decentralisation of Government.
The Australian Government is moving quickly to
develop its policies for Local Government and the cities.
Our commitment to Local Government is an important part of
our overall commitment to urban and regional development.
I think most of you here today know about the three
specific promises which the Labor Party made to Local Government
while in Opposition.
Firstly, we promised direct Local Government
representation at the 1973 Constitutional Convention. You
will all be aware that on the Steering Committee of that
Convention there was some division over this question.
we remained firm to our commitment and I am pleased
that the outcome was successful and that Local Government was
represented at the convention.
Secondly> we promised to change the Loan Council so
that Local Government representatives from all States could
have a voice and a vote on that Council.
On the 11th of last month the Prime Minister met
the State Premiers to resolve this question. Unfortunately,
some of the Premiers ( not including Tasmania) would not
accept our proposal. But we are not going to let the matter
rest there. We now propose to ' hold a referendum on the matter
early next year. I
Thirdly, we promised to amend the Grants Commission
Act to authorise the Commission to enquire into and make
recommendations on grants to regional groups of Local
Government. In May, we changed the Grants Commission Act
which will give some relief for Local Government areas. You
will remember that Mr Whitlam has been speaking for years
about the Grants Commission doing a similar exercise for
regions in need within the States as it now does between the
States. No one doubts the strength of Local Government'. s
case for more financial assistance.
Under the new Grants Commission Act some relief is
in sight for Local Government areas. Let me turn now to some
aspects of the Grants Commission operation.
We should be quite clear that the responsible
Minister under this legislation is the Special Minister
of State, Senator Ddn Willesee.
I know that people in Local Government would'
like the grants from the Commission to flow through as quickly
as possible. But we must all realise the difficulties. The
Grants Commission now has to adapt to its new role, recruit
extra staff and work out how it is going to deal with
applications from Local Government.
When the Commission is ready to begin considering
applications an announcement will be made.,
On present indications this might not be before
January next year. In the meantime a handbook is being
prepared to assist regional organisations in drawing up
their submissions. Another colleague of mine, Mr Tom Uren, the Minister
for Urban and Regional Development, has two important
responsibilities in this area.. Firstly, he is responsible
for approving regional groupings of local councils through
which submissions to the Grants Commission must be made.
Secondly, he can comment to the Commission on the
submissions from regional groups. In this way, Mr Uren can
inform the Commission on how the applications may be assessed
in the light of the Australian Government's overall regional
planning and development objectives.
What we are trying to do is to encourage councils
to think big. Certainly far bigger than they have in the
past. We hope that this new move of ours will provide an
effective and useful fillip to bigger regional planning.
As you know, the Department of Urban and Regional
Development has already made some tentative grouping of
regions. We expect that Local Government will want to make
some comments to the Department through the appropriate
Minister in each. State. The appropriate Minister in Tasmania
is, of course, Mr Michael Barnard. I would like to emphasise
that at this stage the suggested regions are tentative. This
is because we can in time carry out longer investigations.
Also we expect to gain a lot of experience in the first couple
of years in the working of the Act.
In its investigations the Department has found that
regions already adopted by the various State Governments for
the rural sectors in each State will probably be suitable for
purposes of the Grants Commission Act.
As a general rule the State's regions have been taken
as the main basis for approved regional organisations in nonmetropolitan
areas.
I would like to stress again that the report being
sent out to all Councils is designed to encourage comment
through the appropriate State Minister on the suggested
regions. We will also have the benefit of experience
before we decide on the final regions after a couple of years. ./ 3
These are still very early days in our new approach
to urban and regional development generally and Local
Government in particular.
We must make sure that we act quickly because the
needs are both great and urgent. But, on the other hand,
we must also make sure that we take notice of the views of
Local Government representatives. All of us must try to
make sure that we take notice of the views of the citizens
we all represent. I have already mentioned the role played by the
Grants Commission and the requirements for regional groupings.
But these are small elements of the Australian Government's
plan for a new federalism.
The Department of Urban and Regional Development is
charged with the responsibility for the development and
implementation of national and regional development strategy.
It is also charged with the development and monitoring
of an urban and regional budget programme to co-ordinate
resources allocated for investment in urban and regional
services by federal departments, state and local governing
bodies. The Department of Urban and Regional Development
has a role in the administration in the Grants Commission Act.
But it will be guided by a wider concern to promote effective
regional development and to improve generally the resources
of Local Government so that it can operate efficiently.
Unfortunately we are being thwarted in our attempts to advance
the role of Local Government by the attitudes of some State
Premiers. on this issue it is not the Federal Government
which is adopting a centra ' list stance but some of the States.
We want to give an effective say to local populations on local
matters. We want to give, local populations an effective say
about the things that immediately concern them. We are not
being allowed to and that is why we are being forced to go to
a referendum so that Local Government has direct access to the
Loan Council. These are just a few thoughts on what we are doing
in this important area. They have been Labor Party policy
for some time. We are fulfilling the-promises made many years
ago. I think we are on the verge of an exciting new era for
our third tier of Government in this country. Whatever way
you may look at it, it is certainly the best deal that Local
Government has ever had in our living memory.
Thank you for having me. It has been a pleasure to
be here today to give you a progress account of what's
happening in this field. By the time you meet again no
doubt a lot of the administrative problems will have been
sorted out but most importantly I hope that the Australian
people will have decided to support your cause and give you
direct access to the Loan Council and therefore the means
to put into practice imaginative plans.