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Storm Front Brewing for Local Government Reform

'Following the NT Government's announcement that the Top End Shire was out of the local government reform equation other councils are asking about the Government's processes and timetable for bringing in the reforms. The decision has created quite a deal of dissent', the President of the Local Government Association NT, Alderman Kerry Moir, said today.

'The Government's action in abandoning the Top End Shire proposal has set a precedent which is leaving councils with an emerging feeling of mistrust, of being led to believe one thing only to find it has changed dramatically to something else. They say they are losing faith in the Government's plan since the resignation of the previous Minister and since the change was introduced’, the President said.

'Council members are calling on the NT Government to explain why it took the action it did in relation to the Top End Shire. They want to ask their questions and express their opinions direct to the new Minister’, the President said.

‘The Minister needs to get out and reassure people where the reforms are going’, the President said.

'In response to a petition calling for the Tennant Creek Town Council to call a public meeting, the new Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Robert Knight, MLA stated yesterday that Tennant Creek would not be allowed to opt out of the Barkly Shire. The Minister needs to meet not only with the Tennant Creek council but also other councils in that proposed Shire’, the President said.

'Staff from affected councils are also expressing misgivings about whether the assurances the previous Minister gave that there would be no diminution in employment conditions or service provision levels will be honoured’ the President said.

'Elected members, council and Local Government Association staff, along with Department of Local Government staff, have put a tremendous amount of time and effort into the reform process so far. Consequently I call upon the Government to take these emerging expressions of concern very seriously otherwise the goodwill shown by the local government sector could well evaporate and the very necessary reform of local government service delivery across the NT could be in jeopardy’, the President said.