Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Why is the government proceeding with a referendum to recognise local government?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Greenway for her question. I know she has a very long-standing interest and strong track record in developing productive partnerships between federal government and local governments for the benefit of local communities. The member for Greenway was, of course, the Deputy Mayor of Blacktown before standing to represent her community in our federal parliament.

Since 1901 the Constitution has served Australia very well but we must ensure that it remains a living and a relevant document, one which reflects the reality of government and the provision of essential community services in Australia. The proposed change to section 96 of the Constitution is a modest and a practical change. Section 96, of course, currently allows the granting of financial assistance to any state on such terms and conditions as the parliament sees fit. The proposed amendment would simply acknowledge the fact that the Commonwealth has partnered with local governments for decades to deliver local roads, sporting fields, libraries, child care and vital community services. The roads that we drive down every day, the football fields, the new changing sheds that our kids use on the weekends, the modern learning centres that are being built in new suburbs—many of these have been made possible by local and federal governments working together.

I also want to make clear what this amendment does not do. It does not give the Commonwealth any ability to interfere with the creation or regulation of local government bodies by the states. The proposed change of course follows extensive consultation and development by the expert panel convened in 2011 and chaired by Jim Spigelman. It was endorsed by a joint select committee chaired by the member for Greenway and supported by members of parliament from across politics.

History shows that only a referendum with bipartisan federal support has any chance of being agreed at the ballot box on 14 September, and we therefore welcome the support of the opposition for this practical change to our Constitution and look forward to working with the opposition members to explain this change to the people of Australia. National Party members in particular understand the benefits arising from partnerships between federal government and local governments which serve to develop and strengthen their electorates. So let's work together with the Australian people to say yes to recognising local government in our Constitution.