The NSW Government‘s ramped up attacks on local councils is starting to unleash an angry response, which, combined with Malcolm Turnbull deposing Tony Abbott, could see the beginning of significant Coalition political unrest in NSW.
A million dollar advertising campaign and media stories about the failures of local government are clearly pointing to the State Government trying to justify future forced amalgamations of councils in metropolitan areas and joint arrangements in the regional and rural areas, despite overwhelming evidence that forced amalgamations or forced arrangements don’t create efficiencies or improve finances.
There are 110 councils represented by roughly 1200 councillors throughout the State with a large percentage run by a Liberal majority or conservative Independents in the metropolitan area, or by Nationals or conservative independents in regional and rural areas. This is a significant support base for the Coalition that could easily be alienated if the Baird Government continues to attack Local Government.
It is very easy to isolate the wrongdoings of one individual councillor in Auburn or to highlight alleged misbehaviour in councils such as North Sydney or Hurstville, or to re-ignite past problems with councils such as Ryde where one former Mayor allegedly responsible has long-since departed the scene. At its very worst, this still only represents less than two to three percent of the total number of councils or less than 0.005 percent of the total number of councillors. Also, while some issues may be considered serious, generally they are confined to a single area such as Auburn.
Put this situation in perspective with the running of the NSW State Government. With 135 Members of Parliament (Lower and Upper House), there are findings against more than a dozen serving and former MPs by the corruption commission with many of these already/likely to lead to serious criminal charges. Comparing the percentage of roughly five to 10 percent of the total 135 MPs seen as engaged in wrongdoings at any one time compared with a 0.005 percent of the total number of councillors in NSW, most people would conclude the State Government has a far greater problem than Local Government. Wrongdoings by MPs and former MPs also tend to have greater impact and involve far greater sums of money running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
Premier Mike Baird and Coalition Ministers have highlighted one incident in Auburn to discredit all Local Government operations throughout NSW, and used this to justify a need to overhaul councils … by making them even bigger.
As a Liberal councillor and former Mayor, I recognise the need for change in the Local Government sector – but any change must add value, be consultative and properly managed, and most importantly be based on evidence and statistical realities, not emotion and spin.
Nearly all councillors do a valuable job for their communities with little or no thanks, and very little remuneration. Most are lucky to earn $20,000 annually which is a about a tenth of what a NSW backbencher is paid including allowances but not including payments for committee and other appointments. MPs also get political staffers to help them, adding significantly to their Budget. Extrapolating the data out, NSW pays a far bigger price for its 135 MPs/Ministers (estimated at more than double) than it does for 1200 councillors/Mayors.
Sure, the argument can be made that the State has bigger matters to handle such as Health and Transport… but people are just as likely to be angry if their rubbish isn’t picked up or their local road is falling apart, as they are if the train breaks down or the hospital wait is excessive. The difference is they can contact and speak directly to their Mayor and councillors to get something done, but would have little chance of getting directly through the bureaucracy to the Minister.
Against this background, Coalition-aligned councillors are growing increasingly concerned at the State Government’s provocative denigration of the Local Government sector while trying to keep faith with local voters – who in most council areas, don’t want to see their local council amalgamated.
Liberal-controlled councils have even fought back with their own campaigns against the ‘undeclared’ war by the Baird Government – a Government that did not seek a mandate at the last election to alter its previous stance on no forced amalgamations of councils. But it’s going to get worse!
In recent times, the fight has escalated to alarming levels with a number of councils threatening legal action against the Minister and the State Government, a petition with more than 10,000 signatures from one city council alone being presented to parliament, and protests outside Liberal MP’s offices and in Macquarie Street. This is just the start of what is to come.
The State may have grabbed an already angry tiger by the tail that is ready and able to bite back ferociously.
Liberal councillors in metropolitan areas have strong grass-roots support and better connectedness with their communities than most Government MPs. The smart local members are realising their actions are under close scrutiny with some already saying they won’t support a forced amalgamation.
The deposing of Tony Abbott by Malcolm Turnbull created major party divisions particularly in its majority conservative base. Combining this with the mounting discontent with the Baird Government’s attack on councils is setting the stage for an explosion within the Party – particularly with both Federal and NSW Local Government Coalition Party candidates facing pre-selections and then elections in 2016.
