Submission on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill

To the Parliamentary Select Committee for Local Government and Environment (22 July 2012)

We are concerned about some of the proposed changes outlined in the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill, particularly the deletion of “social, economic, environmental, or cultural wellbeing” in Clauses 19, 20 and 25.

While we do understand the need for financial constraint in both Government and Local Government, we do not agree that social, economic, environmental and cultural well being is the sole responsibility of Central Government. Local government is charged with the responsibility of looking after the citizens in their regions and they must be able to undertake a range of activities that benefit their citizens. This is what our communities expect.