Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to applaud all candidates for mayoral, shire president or councillor positions in the WA local government elections that will take place on 21 October across my division of O'Connor. O'Connor houses more local governments than any other electorate. There are 57 all up, ranging from Wiluna in the WA Goldfields down to Nannup in the state's south-west. Nominations for the elections opened last week and close this Thursday. I wish all candidates well.

I thank and pay tribute to those elected members who've worked so hard on their councils and who've decided to retire this year. I work closely with mayors, shire presidents and councillors, all of whom contribute so much to their communities.

All LGAs in my electorate are regional or remote ones. These municipalities have especially appreciated two programs that were tailored to regional Australia. The Labor government abolished the Building Better Regions Fund and will discontinue the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. Both programs allowed the Commonwealth to directly support projects that LGAs themselves nominated as important. The 57 councils in O'Connor will sorely miss them.

Many members of this place started out as local councillors. They cut their political teeth developing budgets, debating issues and driving democracy at grassroots level. All candidates, be they local, state or federal, have a passion for public service. I commend local candidates of O'Connor, who, in 2023, aspire to bring the voices of their communities to their shire or city halls.