Tasmania council amalgamations: Sue Hickey supports merge amid Nic Street local government report

“Who cannot see the inefficiency created by having 29 councils, 29 general managers, 29 sets of councillors and 29 sets of bureaucracies for our population,” deputy mayor Sue Hickey asks.

Glenorchy deputy mayor Sue Hickey. Picture: Richard Jupe

AS the state’s 29 councils wait to see if they will be told to amalgamate, former Hobart lord mayor Sue Hickey says Tasmania “deserves better than many little fiefdoms”.

Labor is imploring Local Government Minister Nic Street not to “forcibly amalgamate councils by stealth”.

But Mr Street has guaranteed all stakeholders in the local government sector will be involved “in the direction we take as a state”.

The stage two report of the review of local government is due by March 31.

Ms Hickey, the former Liberal speaker in the House of Assembly who was lord mayor for four years from 2014, said she was genuinely impressed by the work of the current review panel and Mr Street on reform.

Now deputy mayor of Glenorchy City, Ms Hickey would not be drawn on which councils should be amalgamated.

“Who cannot see the inefficiency created by having 29 councils, 29 general managers, 29 sets of councillors and 29 sets of bureaucracies for our population?” Ms Hickey said.

“Before the last serious amalgamations of 1996, Esperance, Bothwell, Bruny Island, Green Ponds, Gormanston, Hamilton, Ross and Strahan each had their councils, despite having less than 1000, and for some 500, residents.

Sue Hickey. Picture: Richard Jupe

“Any arguments against these moves would all be laughable today given the progress made with technology, communities’ expectations of what they should receive for their rates, and critical staff shortages without venturing into what this folly is costing.

“Whether the outcome is some amalgamation of the struggling councils and a mixture of resource sharing, the damning truth is that Tasmania deserves better than many little fiefdoms that are not particularly good at repairing their roads, maintaining their buildings or even able to resource sufficiently to provide community building.

“I remain hopeful that elected members will realise the benefits for the greater community this time and not fight against this progressive review because they don’t want to give up their seats.”

Labor local government spokesman Luke Edmunds wants Mr Street to rule out using his powers under the Local Government Act to sign off on forced amalgamations.

“If Mr Street wants to close down councils without consulting residents he should commit to bringing his amalgamations agenda before both houses of parliament.”

Mr Street said he had told the independent review board chair he would not pre-empt the work of the board or “any recommendations that they bring back to the government”.

“It’s for this reason that I won’t be drawn by Labor into a politically motivated ‘rule in-rule out’ game,” he said.

“Efficient and sustainable service delivery must be the primary outcome of the review and we will work with all stakeholders to achieve this.”

Originally published as Tasmania council amalgamations: Sue Hickey supports merge amid Nic Street local government report