Two Federal Coalition parliamentarians  have clashed over the constitutional recognition of local government, and as a result the leader, Tony Abbot, has given the proposal ‘in principle’ support only.

 

One hundred and thirty councils around the country have now passed resolutions in support of constitutional recognition following a call from The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) to endorse the call for a referendum in 2013 to allow direct funding of Local Government by the Federal Government and to also include Local Government in any new preamble to the Constitution, if one is proposed.

 

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has promised a referendum either during the current term of parliament or at the next election.

 

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the West Australian senator, Alan Eggleston,  sent an email to fellow MPs saying he was “astounded” that Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, who is hoping to stand for the seat of New England in the lower house at the next election, had suggested Liberal MPs should support recognition.

 

''This matter has never been considered by the joint party room in the nearly 15 years that I have been in the Senate and I am astounded to find Senator Joyce claiming that this is now Liberal Party policy,'' Mr Eggleston said.


The SMH report said Mr Abbot subsequently supported Mr Barnaby’s candidature for the lower house, but described the Coalition stance on constitutional recognition of local government as ''in principle''.