More…The Premier’s announcement today that the 2012 Local Government Elections will be deferred from 31st March to 28th April has been slammed by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ). A copy of their media release is pasted below.
From a personal point of view, my main concern is that this delay takes the swearing-in of the new Council even further into Budget deliberations which means that newly appointed Councillors have even less time to ‘learn the ropes’ and to provide the most valuable input into the 2012/13 Budget preparations.
I’ve always argued that even the legislated March election timeframe is too close to Budget preparations and that a more appropriate date would be around September or October in the year of a quadrennial election.
This would at least give the new Councillors six or seven months to ‘settle in’ and acquire an understanding of the Council structure, policies and operations. Perhaps most importantly though, they could gain a better understanding of what projects rate as a priority in the Budget.
LGAQ Media Release
Today’s decision by Premier Anna Bligh to disrupt the timetable for Queensland local government elections is more about political convenience than good governance.
Local Government Association of Queensland President Paul Bell said Ms Bligh had gone back on several assurances that she would not shift the date of local council elections from 31 March to suit her own political purposes.
He said there was no good reason for the Premier to go back on her word simply because the Floods Commission of Inquiry needs more time to compile its final report.
“If any poll needs to be delayed it should be the state election,’’ he said.
Cr Bell said it was deeply disappointing that local councils will be disrupted due to questions over evidence before the inquiry that involved state agencies rather than councils.
“The local government sector is effectively paying for the mistakes of others,’’ he said.
“There has been no suggestion in our extensive consultations with the commission of inquiry that individual councils or councillors will be the subject of adverse findings.’’