By Natalee Kerr
Geelong’s council has slammed State Government changes to local laws, claiming it failed to give City Hall enough time for community consultation on the shake-up.
Council’s call followed the government introducing a Local Government Bill 2019 into parliament on Wednesday with six reforms to deliver “better” outcomes for communities.
Deputy mayor Kylie Grzybek said council had refused to support the changes, which included “improved” councillor conduct standards and a preference to return to single-councillor wards.
“We’re supportive of any measures that make us more accountable and democratic (but) we don’t believe our community had enough opportunity to let the state government know if they thought the changes in the 2019 Bill would achieve that.”
Cr Grzybek said council would need to “form a position” on whether it supported the re-introduction of single-councillor wards in time for the 2020 council elections if the bill passed parliament.
In July councillors voted unanimously against supporting the introduction of the bill. They called on Local Government minister Adem Somyurek to allow more than 30 days for community consultation.
But Mr Somyurek said the government undertook “extensive consultation” with councils, communities and “sector bodies” regarding the reforms.
Surf Coast Shire said it looked forward to seeing the progress of the legislation despite also previously holding “serious concerns” about the proposed changes to electoral structures.
Both Geelong and Surf Coast have multiple-councillor wards. Councillors have argued the arrangement allows them to manage and share their council workloads.
