Tasmanian Liberal members pressure Government to merge councils

SEVERAL branches of the Tasmanian Liberal party have sent their parliamentary representatives a message: revisit amalgamating the state’s 29 councils.

Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman makes an address during the Tasmanian Liberals' State Conference at Blundstone Arena, Hobart, Saturday, October 6, 2018. (AAP Image/Rob Blakers)

SEVERAL  branches of the Tasmanian Liberal Party have sent their parliamentary representatives a message: revisit amalgamating the state’s 29 councils.

The State Government has pledged it would not force mergers and, despite the recommendations of some studies, no councils have volunteered to join.

However, four of 32 state-based policy motions in the party’s State Council agenda related to downsizing local government.

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Only one council-related motion was debated yesterday and it was resoundingly voted down.

The Hobart City branch of the Liberals pushed for the State Government to consider abolishing councils and replacing them with a board that would manage local government issues from existing Service Tasmania shopfronts.

Branch secretary Katherine de Groot said Tasmanians were not getting value for money.

“The State Government needs to drive transformational changes in local government on behalf of the people of Tasmania,” Ms de Groot said.

“For almost a decade public opinion on this matter has been sought through a multitude of surveys and then subsequently ignored.

“The policy to not force council amalgamations, while seemingly an encouraging strategy, has not had the desired result.”

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But Clarence Council alderman and Lindisfarne branch member James Walker labelled the idea “socialism”.

“Twenty-nine [councils] may sound like too many but I tell you what, one is way too few,” he said.

The remaining three local government motions — to be debated when State Council reconvenes today — will urge the Government to revisit its amalgamation policy and call for a plebiscite on forced mergers.

Other motions passed yesterday had members put pressure on the Federal Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change and express support for keeping Australia Day on January 26.