Local Government Capacity in Australia

Ryan, Roberta; Woods, Ronald K.

doi:10.5755/j01.ppaa.14.3.13433

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…While there have been extraordinary changes in communication technologies, it is reasonable to assume that per-capita communications between residents and elected representatives fall significantly as the size of the governing jurisdiction rises. This reflects popular expectations, as found in a recent national survey by the Australian Centre in Excellence in Local Government (Ryan et al 2015). This survey found that 48 per cent of respondents expected that their interests would be worse or much worse represented by councillors in an amalgamated council and only 7 per cent expected an improvement in representation, with the balance having no view either way.…”

Section: Ability To Provide Desired Local Servicessupporting

confidence: 71%

“…These feelings were also confirmed in the national survey by the Australian Centre in Excellence in Local Government (Ryan et al 2015). A third of the surveyed population expected that they would experience a significant decline in their sense of local community and in belonging to their local area in a larger amalgamated council, with only 7 per cent expecting an improvement in their sense of their local community and in their belonging, with the balance having no view either way.…”

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confidence: 60%

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Untitled

2016

Agenda

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The paper examines two Australian freedom-of-speech controversies between 2011 and 2013-the debate over section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, and the debate over the Gillard Government's print media laws. These controversies featured rhetorical and ideological debate about the limits of free speech and the nature of human rights. The paper applies a 'subjective political economy' framework to these debates in order to trace the effect of increased perceived 'disorder costs' and 'dictatorship costs' of freedomof-speech restrictions. The paper concludes that policy change is driven by exogenous changes in perceived institutional costs. In the case of the Gillard Government's media laws, those costs were borne by the Gillard Government, and one would not expect print media laws to be a major political issue in the absence of a further exogenous shock. In the case of section 18C the revealed dictatorship costs of legislation, which includes the words 'offend' and 'insult', suggest the section 18C controversy will endure.

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Section: Ability To Provide Desired Local Servicessupporting

confidence: 71%

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confidence: 60%

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2016

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“…By its very nature local government is an integral part of the community, providing a broad range of services which have a direct effect on public well‐being, such as recreational facilities, health, cultural, and community services (Brackertz, ; Ryan & Woods, ). It is the third tier of government in the Australia federal system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coming to grips with corporate governance in local government

et al. 2019

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Local government, the tier of government closest to the people, provides services and infrastructure which impact daily on the well‐being of local communities. Despite the Australian state‐based regulatory framework, governance dysfunction regularly results in dismissal of councils. This paper seeks to gain an insight into what is understood by corporate governance at the local government level, an area not addressed in previous research. The methodology was a case study of one local municipality in Tasmania using explanatory sequential mixed methods. Findings revealed a narrow compliance‐based understanding, with effective accountability strategies not included in that understanding. Diverse information sources, such as previous employment experience and industry‐based training, led to embedded beliefs about the meaning of corporate governance which were not necessarily shared by all. This study has implications for state governments seeking to find long‐term solutions for dysfunctional councils, and to bring about positive change.

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“…Almost every state has experienced forced amalgamation (Bell, Dollery, & Drew, ; Drew, Kortt, & Dollery, ). Subsequently, the number of local governments has been reduced from 1,067 in 1910 to 565 in 2013 (ILGRP, ; Ryan & Woods, ). Despite the push for amalgamation from state governments, forced amalgamation has always been a controversial effort (Drew, Kortt, & Dollery, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research in urban studies, planning, and geography offers a valuable conceptual framework to examine this NSW local government reform and its accompanying opposition. Importantly, the recent research that examines the efforts to reform the NSW local government planning system (Abelson & Joyeux, ; Aulich et al, ; Bell et al, ; Brian et al, ; Dollery, Burns, & Johnson, ; Dollery, Crase, & Johnson, ; Grant & Drew, ; Grant, Ryan, & Kelly, ; Ryan & Woods, ) and the community concern to controversial land use, housing, transport planning, and development decisions (Gurran & Ruming, ; Inch et al, ; Legacy, Curtis, & Scheurer, ; Ruming, Houston, & Amati, ) offers some important insights. Despite the claims by governments that such policy reforms and development align with and support an overreaching strategic objective (such as housing supply or new transport infrastructure), these claims have been challenged at the local scale, and communities have antagonistic relations with governments in executing development planning (Legacy et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

NSW local government reform: Council amalgamation, antagonism, and resistance

Uddin

2018

Journal of Public Affairs

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The New South Wales State Government announced its local government strategic reform programme Fit for the Future in 2014. At the centre of the plan was the desire to reduce the number of local government areas. Opponents mobilised various resistance strategies to challenge amalgamation. However, the initial efforts to resist amalgamation failed but opponents got success in opposing amalgamation via the legal system. As such, the New South Wales State Government was forced to abandon its plans to amalgamate some regional and metropolitan councils in response to community opposition and resistance. Despite a growing body of existing literature, to date, the analyses of local government reform fail to examine the rationale and strategies of community opposition. To examine the public participation, community opposition, and resistance, this paper draws on the research that pertains to the proposed merger of the Ryde, Lane Cove, and Hunters Hill councils.

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Local Government Capacity in Australia

Cited by 9 publications

References 12 publications

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Coming to grips with corporate governance in local government

NSW local government reform: Council amalgamation, antagonism, and resistance

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