THERE have been a few “wins” for those around the region this week, the latest being the announcement of an upper house inquiry into the NSW government’s Fit for the Future local government reforms.
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In news that’s probably not music to the government’s ears, an upper house inquiry has been announced on the back of a push by the Christian Democrats, the Greens and the Shooters Party.
They’re specifically concerned about the potential for council amalgamations under the reforms, and the impact of that on regional and rural communities.
Of course, it means this inquiry’s timetable has the very real potential to interfere with the Fit for the Future reform agenda, inevitably delaying any decision on whether councils are “fit” or “unfit”.
There was even speculation this week that the inquiry’s reference to the tight timeframe for councils to respond to IPART, which is assessing their submissions, could derail the government’s push for amalgamations.
The government has made no secret of its wish for mergers, enticing councils with promises of compensation money for those who enter the process voluntarily.
Two weeks ago though, many felt the government showed its hand when it refused to support a motion against forced amalgamations on the floor of parliament.
It’s this that’s thought to have prompted the upper house inquiry, which may still be too little, too late.
Fit for the Future is well down the path to fruition and just how much of an influence this inquiry can have on the process is unknown at this stage.
Delay it? Possibly. Change the outcome? It’s too early to tell.
Councils and communities, though, will welcome the opportunity to voice their opinions when the inquiry hits the road in July, and the government is no doubt preparing itself for an avalanche of opposition.
Opposition though can bring results, just ask local irrigators and the nation’s farmers.
This week the federal government was forced to rethink its timetable for the introduction of farm depreciation measures announced in the budget after it came to light the tax break was still 12 months away.
Lo and behold, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce delivered on his promise to lobby the treasurer about bringing it forward, announcing on Wednesday farmers could start using it immediately.
Irrigators up around Moree also received some promising news yesterday, with the NSW government committing to fixing the problem that has seen them, and their communities, have to suffer through harsh water embargoes at a time when they can least afford it.
They have been told they have to wear it for the sake of critical human consumption downstream, an infrastructure failure they told the NSW water minister last week shouldn’t be their problem.
From now on it won’t be any longer, a gratifying result and one that should give hope to everyone fighting bureaucracies that too often don’t seem to be listening.