The PSA welcomes changes to the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill that will see reinstatement of four aspects of community well-being – social, environmental, economic, and cultural – into the Local Government Act.
The changes follow the successful passing of the Bill during its third and final reading in Parliament this week, restoring the well-being aspects after their removal from the Act in 2012 and their replacement with a very narrow purpose of local government that focused on efficiency over the well-being of communities.
“This decision acknowledges the pivotal role local leadership can and does play in promoting the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of citizens and communities,” says PSA national secretary Glenn Barclay.
“The PSA opposed the removal of the well-being aspects from legislation in the first place, and the imposition of this change was ultimately detrimental to the relationship between central and local government,”
“We hope the reinstatement of the four well-being principles continues and promotes a renewed recognition of the broad and important functions of local government, and a growth in democratic participation at the local government level – especially considering the upcoming local body elections.”
