LGAB recommends creation of a new local government

26/11/98

The Local Government Advisory Board has recommended that a new local government be created to represent the Shire of Greenough, the City of Geraldton and the Oakajee section of the Shire of Chapman Valley.

It has also recommended that a new local government be created to represent what are now the Shire and Town of Northam.

Local Government Minister Paul Omodei said today that both recommendations were consistent with the proposals he had put to the board and it could therefore be expected that he would accept them.

However, Mr Omodei could not formally do so or make orders to effect the recommendations until they had been advertised and electors of the affected areas had been given one month to petition for a referendum if they wanted to oppose the board's recommendation.

A petition would require the signatures of at least 10 per cent - or 250 electors - of any of the local governments which were to be abolished to allow the creation of a new local government.

If such a petition were received a poll would be conducted within that local government.

The result of the poll would be binding if at least 50 per cent of the electors voted and the majority were against the recommendation.

Mr Omodei said that in his view the changes recommended by the board would give greater effect to principles of local democracy.

Many people in Geraldton/Greenough, for example, lived in one local government area, worked in the other and shared their recreational and social activities between the two. They saw themselves as living within a single community, but they were able to participate in local government only in the area in which they lived.

"It is not a question of which local government is better because the two existing local govenrments will be abolished and replaced by a new one which will represent all residents equally," the Minister said.

"The real question is whether a cohesive community the size of Geraldton or Northam is better served by one local government or two, and I believe the answer clearly is one."

Mr Omodei said the last of the 'doughnut councils' to be considered by the board were the Town and Shire of Narrogin and he expected to receive the board's recommendation on that proposal within a few weeks.

Media contact: Hugh Ryan 9213 6700