The Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) has hit out at the proposed forced amalgamations of a number of Tasmanian councils, saying that they stand to benefit a handful of vested interests at the expense of ratepayers.

 

LGAT’s comments are directed at the campaign being led by Tasmanians for Reform (TFR), who recently released a set of guiding principles in their call for the amalgamations and reform in local government.

 

LGAT says savings and efficiencies were already being delivered through council cooperation and resource sharing and councils, as the closest level of government to the community, were delivering major initiatives that may well be lost in larger bureaucracies.

 

TFR maintains that improved services and sustainable rates growth can only be achieved through structural reform of the local government, and amalgamations would lead to reduced cost of living as well as improved services, infrastructure, transparency and skills of council employees.

 

"Tasmanians for Reform is calling for meaningful changes to local government that will see improved services, greater capacity and reduced costs," TFR Chairwoman Mary Massina said.

 

"The principles highlight that local government reform is not about destroying the sector, but is in-fact about making it better."

 

LGAT President, Barry Easther, said that while local government is not opposed to amalgamations of councils, it should only be done where there is clear beenfits tfor all ratepayers and improves services for the community.

 

“However, we will not accept being forced into amalgamations simply to satisfy the greed of vested interests or to provide some diversion from some other greater political or economic issue,” Cr Easther said.