Madeleine Ogilvie MP
Tasmania's dysfunctional local governance paradigm Good afternoon Madelaine,
There certainly is a few balls in the air here but there is nothing new about that. First up it is quite apparent to me that in Local Govt in Tasmania (other forums too) there is a breakdown in regard to what's the role of government (the elected councillors/aldermen) and management. Civic Administration 101 tells us that governance's role is to do with 'strategic policy determination' and management's role is to implement the strategies/policies. By-and-large that's not happening all that often in some councils (in some, one, hardly at all) and maybe its more the case than I'm aware of.
Your "Organisational effectiveness" requirement just cannot be assumed to be in place just because it has been legislated for. On the ground, as you'd be no doubt aware, all kinds of power-plays are in operation and not the least Parkinson Law. Sadly, I can report that in one council at least it is apparently the driving force … OVERlings needing UNDERlings who need UNDERlings on and on and on!! It turns out, and there is no surprise that it does, that it is expensive, dysfunctional and disconnected from anything resembling the community's needs.
As I've said elsewhere it is encouraging that you are engaged with the newDEMOCRACY Foundation concept even if it seems that you may not be in tune with the paradigm. You say that you want people to be "engaged in their democracy (please join Labor)" but if that's the case Labor needs the be more upfront about its engagement with the community and I can see no better place to start than with Local Govt. On the evidence, the Minister is disengaged and it seems is an adherent to the status quo – he may even be understood as being Machiavellian but I couldn't possibly comment on that.
As an aside, I will not join any group/party simply because I'm a researcher, an independent researcher more to the point, and my field is cultural geography – plus being a cultural producer. Thus, I cannot critique anything I'm a member of and be credible and independent.
Now I do not often quote Ronald Ragan and I'm less inclined to do so now that we've entered the TRUMPIANparadigm, but he, Regan, is reported as saying that "the status quo is Latin and it means, the mess we're in"!! Dumb as he was, when someone gave him that line, he used it! More to the point it speaks so, so loudly of Local Govt. in Tasmania at the moment.
When it comes to resources available to Local Govt. in a climate of "an ever shrinking budget" one has to ask is the present budget realistic and strategically well directed? You've probably heard that by cutting the number councils anything up to $2.5 BILLION could be spent better (liberated?!) – not necessarily saved albeit saved from bureaucratic wastage. The disinclination of 'councils' operational wings' to consult with the communities they administer can probably be explained by a disinclination to engage with 'the people'. That's the people who have a range of qualifications, skill sets and a range of experiences that exceed their own. The bigger the community the more likely that is to be the case and if there happens to be a university in town in which it exists the more there is to fear(?) it seems.
That's not quite the case in Launceston as we have a university that's persuaded 'the council' to gift it all kinds of things the community can ill afford for it to do. That's so even though 'the university' still doesn't have a business case/plan for what it wants to do nor how it wants to do it. But there you go banks these days lend money on less evidence.
On the issue "no one wants rate increases" is true in so far as there is a disinclination to be paying more and more for less and less, which is what happens under the 'cost centre paradigm' administered by councils in general – and by design. In a 21st C context we need to start looking for entrepreneurial ways forward rather than advocating the dysfunctional status quo. Generally speaking the 'people' are not there in council operations with either the will, wherewithal or the experience to be entrepreneurial. There needs to be a CHANGEagent commissioned to pull that kind of exercise off!
For example, 'waste management' is typically seen as a 'council role' and true it currently is. Typically councils have 'waste management centres' which translates as places where one goes to waste resources that you have in your possession. 'Resource recovery centres' are beginning to spring up but often against the odds as they change paradigms in uncomfortable ways for bureaucratic functionaries and their underling operatives. This is but one example where progress/change is blighted by rhetoric and lazy self-interest. Interestingly, local governance elsewhere is also starting to be proactive in this area.
As for "forced amalgamations", well I wouldn't want to see that because it would compound the problems we're currently experiencing and struggling with. WHY? Well the chances are we'd have the same Act, that's the one written in 1993 and marginally fiddled with and the same dysfunctional, obsolete and socially redundant Act that's currently delivering less and less! The real need is for a a paradigm shift but whenever I voice that I hear very loud squeals of protest tinged with self interest. So if we are going to make this NEWomelette there'll be a need to crack a few eggs.
There's great deal more to be said about Tasmania's defunct and dysfunctional Local Govt. System but there's not the room here for it. If you have the appetite for an open and free ranging discourse on this I'm up for it. I also suspect that there'd be one or two others who might want to join in. Anyway, this has taken a bit more than the TRUMPIANstyle 130 character tweatz and thus I've probably exceeded my allowance or something.
I'd be happy to hear from anytime even if your inclination is to point out my delusions. Given that I'm a researcher all feedback is welcomed.
Regards,
Ray
A couple of links:
- http://tasratepayers.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/one-more-council-to-add-to.html
http://tasratepayers.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/amalgamation-is-that-question.html
http://lcc63.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/conscripted-investment-way-tasmania.html
Ray Norman
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Madeleine Ogilvie <https://www.facebook.com/madeleine.ogilvie?fref=ufi> All noted. It seems to me that we have quite a few factors at play here. Organisational effectiveness requires seasoned leadership together with resources, a good workplace culture, performance, metrics (so goals are agreed and progress reported upon for ratepayers) and a 'service' culture. If just one of these things goes awry it is difficult for everyone. I've been reading up on the Citizens assembly idea - which is deeper and wider than a parliamentary enquiry, which is as close as we get under our system. There is nothing I would like more than for everyone to be engaged in their democracy (please join Labor), but the reluctance of people to join parties means new ways of listening have to be found. Facebook is one way, but it has its limitations. When it comes to resourcing - pressure on councils to deliver with an ever shrinking. budget....no one wants rate increases. This is the critical issue that has to be addressed, or we risk under the Libs, forced amalgamations and loss of representation.
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George Burrows <https://www.facebook.com/george.burrows.75?fref=ufi> I believe you should have to explain some of your assumptions no here
Why are forced amalgamations bad, other than you not agreeing
Why should we/anyone need to join Labor to fix up things
What proof have you shown that Labor can or will fix things
Why do you imply that a Citizens Jury is outside your system
How would you achieve greater participation in a modern busy with environment
You answer raises many more issues than it answers
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Dennis Wild <https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000652343348&fref=ufi> George, I actually think Labor is a good bet to get things done. Thats way your concerns can be more than just whinging on facebook. facebook is fine for dialogue but at some point you need action.
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