Today’s long overdue response to the Future of Local Government Review is yet another example of the Liberals’ trademark ability to waste a lot of time and money without getting much done.

The report cost Tasmanians $3 million, and it took the Liberals 13 months to respond. Given the extremely limited outcomes outlined today it is very difficult to say Tasmanians got value for money.

Former Local Government Minister Nic Street had already given any meaningful reform the kiss of death when he infamously told ABC Radio’s Leon Compton that the review wasn’t about reducing rates for ratepayers.

“The one thing you will not hear me promise, Leon, is that amalgamations will reduce rates for ratepayers because that simply is not the case. And it’s not been the experience anywhere. We’re not talking about reducing rates … for me this has never been about cost cutting for ratepayers,” he said.

New Minister Kerry Vincent’s anti-climactic response today suggests the review wasn’t about anything else either.

Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Local Government