Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Public Accounts and Estimates Committee

Report on the 2023–24 Budget Estimates

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (10:19): I rise to speak on the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) budget report, particularly dealing with the way our government funds councils. I refer to council rates, grants and rate caps. One of the things that we hear quite often from councils is that they are really struggling, they are broke and they cannot afford to be able to deliver local services. We hear a lot of complaining and whingeing, and in some instances it is quite warranted. But in particular I note that some of the councils are not staying within their wheelhouse. We have seen that on a number of occasions where councils are seeing themselves more as foreign policy experts running foreign affairs agendas rather than dealing with the basic issues of our roads, our rates, our rubbish, our parks and ensuring that local services are met.

I pay particular attention to Merri-bek, Darebin, Yarra, Maribyrnong, Dandenong and Hume councils, which have recently conducted motions against Israel – boycotting Israeli products, boycotting Israeli businesses and flying Palestinian flags on their buildings. Again, there is no question that we can have sensible discussion of a humanitarian nature that recognises and acknowledges the pain and suffering of all people, from all works of life. Whether they be those of Jewish background or Muslim background, no matter what, our social cohesion is so important in this state. Particularly when we look at funding and governments wanting more funding for a whole range of their projects, one would question why any government would fund such a council any more than they currently do. When you look specifically at rate caps, grants and all of those things, which are very, very important in terms of local government, I am sure many have had local councils come to them and say ‘We need more money for our roads’ or ‘We need more money for our kinders’ or what have you. In our local area of Glen Eira there are three kindergartens that have been closed – council-run kinders. In this particular instance, Glen Eira are not the culprit, but I refer to a number of councils. Last night we saw the City of Melbourne also run up a motion which was a very divisive motion. The last thing that we need is councils running foreign policy agendas. I commend the councillors that stood up against that last night. I know Nicholas Reece and others stood up against those motions last night. We saw again the divisive nature of protests and fighting on the streets of Melbourne. That is not what Melbourne needs. That is not what Melbourne wants right now.

The PAEC report looks at budgets, and it looks specifically at dealing with councils – things like rate capping and things like council services and all the important things that councils need. I would question why any of these councils that are so busy on foreign policy should receive one dollar more than anything that they are currently getting. Obviously they are too busy conducting matters other than what they should be within their local constituency. I think in a cost-of-living crisis, when many ratepayers are paying more for their rates than they ever have before, rather than knocking on the door of state government and saying they need some more money, maybe they should look at what they are doing in terms of their agendas and focus on what their local residents want – ensuring that the roads are okay, ensuring that the rubbish is being picked up, ensuring the beautification of their parks and ensuring that basic council services are met. In the PAEC report it talks about looking at rate caps and looking at grants – why should any of these local councils get $1 of a grant from any government, whether it be state government or federal government, when they are acting this way? They are not foreign policy experts. They have not got any idea or understanding of foreign policy agendas. Stick to your knitting. Stick to your wheelhouse. I call on those local councils – if they want to look at how the state government or any government should be helping them going forward, how about doing what ratepayers expect them to do rather than wandering and meandering with divisive, hateful motions? All it does is divide our state rather than unite it.