Reform Wollongong City Council

“Below is a copy of your submission to the Australia 2020 Summit for your records.

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Please stay in touch with what is happening for the Summit through the www.australia2020.gov.au website.”

TOPIC 9: The future of Australian governance

RECOGNITION OF COMMUNITY LEVEL OF GOVERNANCE

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Changes to the Australian Constitution and/or Australian law and regulations in relation to the recognition of local government as the third level of government to include:

1.  a ban on all State and Federal political parties from direct involvement in local government.

2. all forms of local government organisation to provide for properly resourced Precinct Committees as committees of Council and as local community conduits to all levels of government.

CHANGES AT STATE AND TERRITORY LEVELS

1. Change the State/Territory Local Government Acts or equivalent to provide for, and protect,  properly resourced Precinct Committees as formal committees of local councils. (Protection to include provision that a Precinct Committee cannot be abolished or dissolved by a simple majority of Council).

2.  Precinct Committees to consist of twelve community representatives elected annually from residents within the Precinct area. (Full disclosure provisions to apply to those seeking election to Precinct Committees).

3. Precinct Committees will be provided with Council funding and resources necessary for them to fulfil their functions.

4. The provision of coordination services for a Precinct Committee shall be contracted out, with Council providing the funding for these services and the Precinct committee and Council jointly selecting the successful tenderer.

5. All general meetings of Precinct Committees to be open to all residents, with rights to speak and a right to provide an indicative (non-binding) vote; Committee members required to comply with Council level disclosure provisions when dealing with items of business and voting; the Model Rules for organisations (modified as required) to serve as a blueprint for conduct of Precinct Committees (and as set out by other legislation).

6. Functions of Precinct Committees to be determined by community consultation, but may include the provision of a conduit between people in the local area and other levels of government; setting funding priorities for the local area; recognition of their role as an authority in determining the local character of the area (including cultural heritage matters and questions of significance in relation to the cultural and natural environment); a clear and unambiguous role in the selection and review of senior Council staff; a role to provide community representatives to other bodies.

7. Change the Local Government Acts (and Planning Acts) to require all major projects of state or national significance to be issued with a “statement of community consent” from the relevant Precinct Committee as a prior and necessary condition for the Planning Minister to grant development consent (such statement of community consent not to be unreasonably withheld – with a test of ‘reason’ in contested cases being determined by a popular vote within the area of the Precinct Committee).

9. Precinct Committees to be Community Trusts for holding title to community land within their area, and in the management of these lands in keeping with community based plans for these lands, and other conditions (such as respecting the conditions of original grants).