I find it impossible to disagree with this article. Our local council is in the process of building a 'war chest' against climate change, as if we have suddenly become the USA or China. This will, of course, require an increase in rates and the addition of 37 new bureaucrats to our already bloated and over-paid council staffing levels.

Meanwhile our roads and footpaths are in disgraceful condition, though we won't need to worry too much about that since our council is busy trying to force us to ride bicycles everywhere.

If I could vote for one change in government in Australia, it would be to abolish local councils and have State governments manage our municipalities.

Bullseye Richard.

I have been living in Adelaide for two years and the Adelaide City Council has vetoed numberous projects on either the grounds of heritage or environment or environmental heritage. Meanwhile, the CBD is tumbleweed city.

SA is nanny state writ large and one reason is the ACC. They are retrograde in their thinking, small 'l' liberals who will burn this village to save it. I have long thought that councils should do what councils do best: pick up garbage, tend parks and run libraries. Give them a limited budget and remove their legislative powers.

A good article. Kennett got it right.

The problem is not with councils, but with those who run them. Putting management of local area's in the hands of state governments, would produce the same outcomes seen around the country, disaster. It's the same problem with all government, councils and government departments run by psychopathic bureaucrats who wield unstoppable power, even over elected councillors.

The author is trying to create s smoke screen, he's one of the causes, an academic bureaucrat. As with all things, the people have lost all control over their lives and for anything to improve, the people need to get control back and in local government have a full say in what is done, built and what is not. The politicisation of councils is just the same as the politicisation of the public service, something which is bringing us to a situation you would see in china and other bureaucratic party dictatorships throughout history. Poker machines are the scourge of the earth, as is increased alcohol outlets, I'd ban poker machines, casino's, which are appearing as clearing houses for crime. We need money in the community instead of going into the pockets of the vested interests, who contribute nothing to society but economic and social carnage.

The more bureaucrats in council, the more chaotic and uneconomical it becomes. In our local government, we have 14 in the council officers, 6 full time workers and 3 casuals. The manager and his 3 assistants get a car and free fuel, telephone and travel allowances. The workers get paid the award rate and we have a council population of less than 1000, yet the council area is huge. We have no water, sewage in our towns, no public transport except at school times and very high rates to keep the bureaucrats in luxury.

Power relationships, Local politics and Citizenship is a topic that does require more debate however it is difficult to see where you are coming from Richard Allsop. You obviously know little about 'redneckville'. The situation or condition of life for families, specially mothers and children in rural areas, isolated and left to deal with the intimidation of your claims. The impact of "gaps" and of social-ills surrounding the the core of civic health indices, where the preoccupation swings without balance to a persons right to "enjoyment from playing the pokies, eating the foods of their choice or having a range of locations from which to buy alcohol."

If all peoples, including business itself were respectful of their impact on others within community perhaps such a superficial claim could be made.

The issue I want discussed is populations. What contact do individuals have with government if local governments themselves carry on as if they are State or Federal agencies or worse lobbyist for specific kinds of business.

The power cultures surrounding Local Councils do need much more scrutiny. So much community goodwill, performance, efficiency, effectiveness, efficacy is lost because of the ethical stance promoted in this article.

I want to see Councils do more to engage with Community Enterprise. See themselves as well as their communities as an investment rather than impregnate fast money ventures as being the only means of economic "wealth".

In Cooktown most of the revenue made belongs to business enterprises [franchised] not living local, meaning the revenue leaves town. Not smart for progressive local employment, nor regional stability when it comes to sustainable "qualities of life' or economic and social vibrance.

http://www.miacat.com/
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living in the 4th largest town in the Philippines here in Northern Mindanao, we have the opposite problem - local barangays (councils)with barebones services, eg garbage may be collected if the truck doesn't break down again and folks have to resort to burning their trash in the street, flooding may be averted if the tiny drains are kept clear of trash, and the few roads that are bitumenized can be utilized provided residents and squatters keep their dogs, cattle, goats, pigs, toddlers and other wildlife off. Sometimes it's almost like living in a semi-failed state, but I'd rather put up with this than the constant nitpicking by nannystate councils determined to have me conform to do what they deem best, for my own benefit of course.

Allsop's from a state background and the IPA. Two things which make me suspicious of what he says.

As other posters have pointed out, the problem is government interference, which can just as easily come from the State, which in Queensland, has been doing its damnedest to emasculate councils anyway.

Frankly, I'd like to see the middle tier of government eliminated with local and federal government kept.

Strangely, the ineptness of State government isn't mentioned in this piece.

At least at a local government level, there's a chance for a degree of community input. At a state level, it's gotten absolutely contemptuous of the public view, largely due to the ineffectual nature of state oppositions across the country.