The promise of growth in the Spencer Gulf City region could be threatened if theMarshall Liberal Government does not reduce some of the cost burdens passedonto councils.
Meeting with council mayors and chief executives from Port Augusta, Port Pirie andWhyalla - at the Spencer Gulf Cities regional forum on Tuesday, 6 August - theShadow Minister for Local Government, Mr Tony Piccolo MP, heard these concernsfirst hand.
“What I heard from council mayors was an excitement about the investmentsproposed in these areas and the growth and prosperity these investments wouldbring. But what was also evident, was a healthy realism about the challengesconfronting this growth potential,” Mr Piccolo said.
“Specifically, councils are concerned about some of the costs passed onto themfrom the Marshall Liberal Government’s increases in taxes, fees and charges.“In the recent State Budget, we saw a whopping 40% hike in the bin tax (chargedon waste sent to landfill), and councils are subjected to the administrative andfinancial burden the collection of the Natural Resources Management Levy has onthem.”
Council chief executives explained that regional councils are limited in theircapacity to raise revenue separate to rates, meaning that increased StateGovernment charges result in service cuts.
Service cuts have included the closure of a special needs school in Port Augustaand the privatisation of an aged care facility.
Mr Piccolo also heard from councils that services need to be maintained to attractnew residents in growth industries.
“In regional areas I know that councils work very hard to maintain services, andthe quality of life of their residents, needed to attract the high-skilled workers andprofessionals they need to remain vibrant communities,” Mr Piccolo said.
“These services include those needed for a balanced family life: health, education,sporting and aged care services etc.
“These much-needed services are threatened when costs are transferred from theState Government to councils.”
Spencer Gulf Cities councils also expressed their concerns about the 75% raterebate applicable to community housing stock transferred from the SA HousingAuthority, the non-rating of renewable energy assets, the labour force andaccommodation requirements of big investment projects, and the finances requiredto maintain their Marine infrastructure.
Mr Piccolo encouraged councils to make their views heard regarding the raterebates for community housing through the LGA, so that a mutually beneficialsolution could be pursued through talks with the community housing sector.
Mr Piccolo also advocated for research into the issues surrounding rate exemptionsfor renewable energy assets, he committed to requesting information from theDepartment of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure regarding the maintenanceof Marine infrastructure, and called for the Federal Government to desist from itsslow processing of VISA applications for resident skilled migrants, keen to makeAustralia their permanent home.
Planning issues were also discussed, and Mr Piccolo took the opportunity to informcouncils of the Labor Party’s proposals to open up the State CommissionAssessment Panel’s (SCAP’s) meetings and deliberations.
“It is important that regional councils and their communities remain highlyengaged in the planning processes for major projects in their areas,” Mr Piccolosaid.
“The reforms I have proposed to SCAP meeting procedures, the access tosupporting documentation and deliberations – with protections for commercial-inconfidenceconsiderations – will ensure that this is the case.”