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20 January 2010
Local government welcomes the Rudd Government's work on constitutional reform
The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has welcomed comments by the Federal
Government that it is currently considering four referendum questions – including one dealing with local
government – to be put to voters during the next parliamentary term.
ALGA president Cr Geoff Lake said, "For the past 12 months, local government has been advocating the
need for constitutional change to improve the way the three levels of government operate in Australia.
"In particular, we have been pushing for a clear statement to be inserted in the Constitution which expressly
empowers the federal government to provide funds to local government. Since the High Court's decision last
year in Pape, it has been increasingly doubtful whether the Federal Government can continue its current
practice of providing funds directly to councils.
"Given that local government receives most of its government funding from the federal level and has done
since the Whitlam Government, this uncertainty is regrettable and deserves redress.
"It's important to stress that such change would not threaten or diminish state powers over councils in any
way. State governments would still be able to amalgamate, reform and sack councils in exactly the same
way they can at present. All this change would do is drag the Constitution into the 21st century by expressly
enabling and supporting current practice.
Cr Lake, a member of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) alongside the Prime Minister and
state and territory leaders, has also welcomed the Government's move to examine referendum options to
encourage cooperative federalism.
"You don't need to sit around the COAG table to know that Australia's federation desperately needs renewal
and reinvigoration. Whatever the issue – whether it be climate change, major infrastructure, education or
health reform – there are very few contemporary political issues that don't require cooperation between at
least two of the three levels of government. The constitution should enable such cooperation not hinder it.
"It defies belief that in 2010 we continue to have a situation where the three levels of government cannot
function effectively because of a constitutional framework devised in a completely different era long before
the motor car, centrally collected taxation, television, climate change and the internet.
"We support the Rudd Government's commitment to building a better federalism and see this as a logical first
step towards realising the Government's goal of lifting Australia's productivity growth from 1.4 per cent to 2
per cent over the next four decades."
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Contacts:
Cr Geoff Lake, ALGA President 0411 645 281
Amanda Lynch, Director, Public Affairs 0419 123 862 / 02 6122 9434
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