Mega-Councils Would Place Local Services At Risk

Recent comments from the Minister for Roads and Minister for Western Sydney, David Borger MP, have shown that the issue of council amalgamations has not gone away in NSW.

An amalgamation of local councils across Greater Sydney, however, would place services at risk and deprive local communities of the right to manage their own affairs.

The constant push for efficiency gains in local government comes at the expense of democracy. Experience has shown that local councils are often the most responsive to the needs of their constituents.

Local communities risk losing both their identity and their voice by being forced to merge in with bigger neighbouring councils.

The structure of local government in NSW allows communities to make decisions about their own local priorities and about the services which are most important to them.

Local communities value services such as regular rubbish removal, access to libraries and parks for their children.

Monolithic councils, on the other hand, provide a bland ‘lowest common denominator’ service across the areas they represent.

The best way State Government can assist local government is to stop cost-shifting responsibilities onto councils.

Councils are already stretched and have been picking up more of the ‘heavy lifting’ from State Government in regards to road maintenance, child care, law and order, and health services – but have not been able to increase their rates to match these responsibilities.

The Minister’s comments have sounded the warning bells for local councils around NSW.

I’ve since been advised by the Premier that the ALP will not force amalgamations onto any local councils, and the Coalition has also reaffirmed its commitment to ‘no forced amalgamations’.

Despite these promises, voters will need to be on-guard after the election to make sure politicians are kept to their word; the USU will be doing playing its role to ensure that local services are protected and that both parties are held accountable.

Graeme Kelly is General Secretary of the United Services Union (USU).