Today the ASU, representing council workers, stood outside the Government Executive Building to demand Minister for Local Government Nic Street stop with his plans of forced council amalgamations.
Labor is firm in our position: we do not support forced council amalgamations.
The Liberal Government lacks any sort of transparency, as Tasmanians wait for their opportunity for consultation.
People from across Local Government were expecting their consultation packs as part of the Liberals’ Local Government Review on Monday.
Now they’re being told to expect them at the end of the month.
As one Mayor told me, “the goalposts have moved again”.
It was all well and good for Minister Street to buckle to pressure when he announced the latest extension last week.
That time extension was supposed to help councils do proper engagement, not cover up how unorganised the Minister is.
Minister Street has held up the latest round of Local Government Review engagement at every turn, including taking three weeks to read the report before releasing it to councils and the public.
It is becoming clear that the latest delay was to buy the Minister more time rather than give councils appropriate time to do their work.
Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Local Government & Planning