Financial sustainability the key to local government reform

Sydney Harbour Bridge - Stock Photo. Actual photo coming soon.

Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT) President Damien Ryan has today welcomed the Northern Territory Government’s commitment to improve the financial sustainability of councils involved in local government reforms.

Mayor Ryan said, “councils need to be able to develop long term financial plans for the financial sustainability of their communities”.

Mayor Ryan chaired the government’s regional governance working group and said extensive community consultation demanded greater community representation and improved financial sustainability as part of the local government reforms.

“LGANT supported both of these outcomes,” Mayor Ryan said, “local people making decisions about their community is one of the cornerstones of local government”.

“Most of the shires have already established Local Boards in their communities,” Mayor Ryan said, “we see the creation of Local Authorities building on this process and welcome the statutory role that these authorities will now have.

“The government has undertaken significant consultation with communities across the Territory and the proposed changes reflect the needs of these remote communities”.

“The budget of $6.2 million over four years to facilitate the changes to local government will build on the significant investment in improving local government to date,” Mayor Ryan said, “councils have been working hard to improve services to remote communities and we want that to continue”.

“Staging the reform process allows councils to plan for the change.

“I look forward to this legislation passing through the assembly later this month and hope that we can get on with the business of improving representation and services to our remote communities.,” Mayor Ryan said.

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