Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I want to say a few words on this on behalf of government, as a former local government minister and a member of a council for 11 years—and in saying that, Mr President, I recognise your distinguished career as Warden of Clarence, a very significant council in Tasmania. At the Local Government Association of Queensland meeting last week the association asked that I might say a few words, and I am delighted to do that. I am one who believes that local government performs a magnificent role in the governance of Australia. Unfortunately, time does not permit me to give local government the credit that it deserves in Australian governance, but the motion is an expression of the government’s support for local government and it is adopted by the Labor Party and by all other parties in this chamber, I understand.

Senator Carr has moved an amendment to seek constitutional recognition by referendum. There are many in local government who want formal constitutional recognition. This proposition has been unsuccessful in two referenda and the government is not convinced that another referendum at this stage would produce a different result. And the reason for that—and I just want to make this point before I sit down—is that unless you have the bipartisan support that Senator Carr talks about you will never get a referendum through. Ask any one of the Labor state governments whether they would support a referendum and the answer is no. It is state governments that fear what Senator Bartlett mentioned: if there were formal recognition given to local government, it would not be long before there would be movement to get rid of the states. For that reason, and any number of other reasons, the Labor state governments want to keep local government under their thumb. They want to make sure that local governments are absolutely subservient to the state Labor governments, and that is why the state Labor governments, in spite of occasional lip service, will never agree to this—and if you do not have the states agreeing on a constitutional referendum you know what the outcome is going to be.

I give credit to the President of the ALGA, who is also the President of the LGAQ, Councillor Paul Bell, a great man and a very distinguished statesman almost. I have said to him that if he wants to have constitutional recognition there has to be agreement by all of the states first. When that happens then he can seriously think about constitutional recognition. Until that time, it is simply not feasible. In concluding, I again commend this motion to the Senate. I congratulate all parties for supporting it. It is recognition of the fabulous work that local government does in Australia. So many committed people right across our nation give their time and efforts to make sure that our governance at local level is world class and even better.