David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to highlight the concerns expressed to me by a number of my constituents about the possible merger of the Gloucester and Dungog councils under the New South Wales Fit for the Future program.—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10 : 07 to 10 : 47

I would like to again highlight concerns expressed to me by my constituents about the proposed merger between Gloucester and Dungog councils and the Fit for the Future program. As I understand it, the New South Wales government has begun consultation on the possible merger following recommendations from the New South Wales Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, known as IPART. It made a determination that both these councils were not fit for the future.

Personally, I have great concerns about this proposal. Whilst being a federal member I do not have a direct say on a state issue, I will be making a personal submission to the merger inquiry process. My personal view is that, if the New South Wales government wants to make regional councils like Gloucester and Dungog fit for the future, it should not be looking at mergers. If you have two struggling councils, putting them together will not make things that much better. It should consider changing the formula itself has developed for the New South Wales grants commission in how it allocates federal financial assistance grants it receives from the federal government.

There are many councils areas in metropolitan centres such as Sydney, as I know well, where you could almost through a cricket ball across them. These councils receive significant funds for infrastructure under the financial assistance grants scheme. Yet most of them benefit from significant infrastructure that is already there, delivered by the New South Wales government itself, such as motorways, state road networks, public bus transport, public rail transport, massive sporting facilities and other facilities. Financial assistance grants should be allocated, I think, not on the basis of population alone, which they are currently skewed towards, but on the basis of the infrastructure and tasks that the local councils are challenged with, particularly the significant road networks that they must manage not only for their local population but also for key freight groups that are important to the nation's primary production. So I would encourage all locals to make their thoughts known and participate in the inquiry process. I am hopeful that a sensible outcome will be reached.