The Age Editorial: Let public’s voice be heard on east-west link
The Age Editorial: Let public’s voice be heard on east-west link (August 12, 2013)
Bipartisan federal support for constitutional recognition of local government could not convince Victoria’s government to back a yes vote in the referendum to be held with a September 14 election. The state feared its powers might be usurped by a change that ”could blur the roles and responsibilities between the three tiers of government, leading to poorer overall outcomes for our communities”, Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell said. Now that the election is a week earlier, the referendum has been shelved and the state has changed its tune about respecting the role of each tier of government in serving community interests. The issue at hand is the proposed east-west link, but the role of councils in representing residents and providing informed local input to planning has broader significance.
