WA election chance to address local challenges

Ahead of Saturday’s state election, the peak body for local government in Western Australia has reiterated its priorities.

The election “presents an opportunity for the incoming government to address the challenges facing WA both now and into the future”, says the Western Australian Local Government Association.

WALGA – which represents 139 councils across the state – has a wish-list of policies it would like the incoming government to adopt over its four-year term.

Among them – local government reform. WALGA is calling for an independent review to remove fees and charges from legislation and regulation, allowing councils to set service fees themselves.

“Fees set by legislation sometimes do not keep pace with the actual costs of providing the service,” says WALGA. “This can be due to a lack of regular updates, indexation, or clear guidelines for setting fees. As a result, taxpayers may end up subsidising certain activities without input into fee decisions or receiving direct benefits from the services provided.”

In the absence of an independent review, fees and charges set by state government regulations – “especially planning fees” – should be regularly reviewed with input from local governments.

WALGA is also calling for a review of rate exemptions – particularly exemptions for charitable purposes. This exemption has expanded to include commercial activities of not-for-profit organisations, says WALGA. “This broad interpretation dilutes the intended purpose of the exemption.”

Addressing these exemptions, says WALGA, “is crucial to ensuring fair and equitable distribution of rates among all property owners, while still supporting legitimate charitable activities”.

WALGA would like to see the definition of a charity clarified to help ensure the exemptions serve their intended purpose “without placing undue financial burden on other ratepayers”.

Other local government priorities include:

• evidence-based and data-led reforms to WA’s planning system
• provide funding to local government to improve the physical accessibility of community facilities and infrastructure
• create a comprehensive, long-term strategy to address the entrenched shortage of social, affordable and key worker housing
• provide guidance and capacity building to ensure local governments have the skills, resources, and understanding to meet their statutory obligations
• safeguarding communities against the impacts of climate change and ensuring local governments have the resources and flexibility needed to fulfil community responsibilities without unnecessary regulatory barriers
• establish a $10-million annual reserve fund for disaster resilient reconstruction of essential public assets
• review and redesign the local government grants scheme to ensure it can meet the current and future needs of volunteer bush fire brigades and the SES
• establish a comprehensive, statewide strategy to facilitate the development of large-scale renewable energy projects across WA
• provide $276m over four years to fund the state’s contribution to applying proven road safety countermeasures on 439 local government roads
• establish a $30 million per annum community arts and cultural facilities fund to support the development and enhancement of arts and cultural infrastructure across WA.

The priorities outline essential initiatives identified by local governments and their communities, says WALGA. “These initiatives aim to enhance community wellbeing and foster economic prosperity, aligning with our collective aspirations for a better future.”

WALGA and its members “welcome the opportunity to work with the next state government to realise this vision of a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient Western Australia”.