The Local Government Amendment (Rural and Remote Councils) Bill 2024 will deliver on the Government's commitment to return democratic representation to Central Darling Shire Council by amending the Local Government Act 1993 to set out provisions for what is best described as a mixed model of governance for rural and remote councils. Those councils will operate like a general purpose council with a mix of democratically elected local representatives and government appointees effectively running the governance structure.
The bill has come about due to the situation of Central Darling Shire Council, which has been in administration for the past decade. It is widely accepted that returning it to a general purpose council is not sustainable due to its remoteness, dispersed towns and villages, low population and rate base, socio-economic disadvantage and the extremely high cost of providing infrastructure and services. There have been significant financial and governance issues over the past 30 years and interventions and reviews by a succession of State governments. Effectively, a mixed model during the transition to a fully democratically elected local government is proposed. Although this may sound crass, I am genuine when I say that a little bit of democracy is better than no democracy at all. I think that the people of Central Darling shire will welcome that.
The member for Barwon supports the bill and spoke on it earlier. I am certain that the majority of people in Central Darling shire will welcome it. The bill proposes a new governance model for rural and remote councils that would require them to meet strict eligibility criteria. They will have the same powers and functions under the Local Government Act as any other general purpose council. They will be able to raise rates, impose fees and charges and will be primarily accountable to the local community that they serve. Prior to my election to this place, I was the treasurer of the peak body Local Government NSW. I enjoyed my time there, and I grew to have a great appreciation of the challenges that are faced by rural and regional councils. I understand that councils in certain parts of the State face challenges that most of us city slickers would not realise. Nonetheless, the communities have a right to democratic representation and to elections every four or so years to vote for who they want to represent them, voice their concerns, speak on their behalf and lobby the State and Federal governments. These changes will make sure that we have democracy across all parts of the State.
There will be streamlined governance requirements as the council transitions to a full council. There will be fewer councillors and they will be required to meet only four times a year. In governance parlance, they will act with a mixed membership board type of function. As I said earlier, some representation is better than none. That is an important consideration. Presuming that the bill passes and is assented to, we will see the return of local democratic representation to Central Darling Shire Council in 2025. The model will be implemented and there will be funding. After 11 long years, the community will finally be able have some form of democratic representation. I hope that everyone is able to get their nominations in on time. Some parties have had issues getting their nominations in when it comes to local government processes. But it is important that democracy is returned. As someone has remarked, if you cannot get your paperwork right, you do not deserve to be on a council. I support those words wholeheartedly. Hopefully everyone will get their nominations in on time at Central Darling Shire Council when democracy returns, presumably in 2025. I commend the bill to the House.
