Letters to the editor

Reform is a given for any business that wants to remain for the long term and local government is no different.

The “shared services” model is growing within our region and is the way to deliver outcomes with the advantages that come with economies of scale.

It can deliver a more sophisticated and efficient service provision while retaining local government’s close contact with their communities.

Rates as a percentage of the tax raised within Australia are about 3.3 per cent of all taxation.

Shires generally receive a further three to four per cent in grants and support and that percentage over time is falling.

Councils do need to push back on community expectations that have seen local government take on new services.

They also need to push back on state governments who deliver joint services and then gradually withdraw leaving local government to carry the can.

A good example is libraries where the state traditionally provided 70 per cent of funding but have now pulled back to 30 per cent.

Mr Kempton argues that local government is inefficient and to a degree he is right.

Much of that inefficiency is brought about by state government regulation and oversight.

Local government is operating with one hand tied behind its back.

The growth in the bureaucracy he mentions is the massive red tape of compliance and reporting being placed on council staff by the state.

The review of the Local Government Act provides an opportunity to clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of both tiers of government and rationalise the red and green tape oversight and reporting burden.

Local Government does not need more state scrutiny but should be judged by our constituency, the voters, something Mr Kempton should know only too well.

Chris O’Connor, Corangamite Shire councillor, Terang

I picked up The Standard (December 28) to read on page five, ‘Call for local council reform’.  Not long into the article I start to read quotes from Adam Kempton.  I thought, ‘Oh my God, he is at it again,  poor Adam, he’s overdosed on Christmas lunch, has had a rush of blood and has come out with some more questionable quotes’.

Readers  may recall that on April 15 this year, an article appeared in The Standard titled: Waste of Money, former MP: amalgamate ‘overblown’ councils.

In the article, Kempton lambasted local councillors, mayors and executives as well as making a number of other outlandish accusations.

In response to the article, I wrote a letter to the editor, in which I challenged Kempton to substantiate his accusations.

In fact to make it very clear to Mr Kempton, I included the following sentence at the end of the letter: “Mr Kempton, I would suggest that if you are not able to back up your claims, you should get back into the hole from which you crawled. Your statements are totally offensive and ridiculous.”

And what did we hear from Kempton, in response to my challenge? Absolutely nothing.

It appears that the hot weather has brought him out again and he is having another dip.

In his latest foray into this topic he again uses generalisations and makes accusations without any substantiations.

It is obvious that there is a lot about the workings of local councils that Mr Kempton doesn’t know.

How they work in a spirit of cooperation with each other and state and federal government to deliver assets and services to the local communities.

What’s your agenda Mr Kempton?

Time to come up with some facts. My advice to you is the same as I gave you last time.

Colin Ryan, Moyne Shire mayor, chair of Great South Coast Board

As its name suggests, the Andrews Labor Government's Fair Go Rate cap is about giving local residents a fair go.

With Warrnambool ratepayers facing an average rate increase of 6.5 per cent every year for the last decade, enough is enough.

Just like households, councils need to budget, and they need to make responsible decisions about their spending. 

With council rate rises across the state capped to 2.5 per cent in 2016-17, our Fair Go Rates system will encourage councils to do exactly this.

If a council wants a higher cap they can apply for permission from the Essential Services Commission. 

But to do so, they will need to prove that they have consulted their local community and their budget is as efficient as it can be.

We designed the Fair Go Rates system to give councils this flexibility because we don’t want to see important community facilities or services cut.

But we do want councils to get back to funding the things that matter to their communities.

Our message couldn’t be clearer: residents deserve a  say – and councils need to be listening.

Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Local Government