12th October 2007Unelected union representatives are dominating the forced council
amalgamations transition process, with revelations this week up to 54
union representatives are sitting on one of the regional committees
which will determine how the new councils will work.
Shadow Local Government Minister Howard Hobbs said the State Labor
Government’s forced council amalgamations were more about creating
stronger unions than creating stronger councils.
“The Queensland Coalition has previously exposed the fact that some
union representatives are on up to nine and ten of the ‘transition
committees’ which have been established to make all the structural,
financial and operational decisions of the new regional councils over
the next six months,” he said.
“Now this week we learn that up to 54 union representatives are sitting
on the Dalby Regional Council’s employment sub-committee which will be
making recommendations on employment issues.”
Mr Hobbs said there was nothing in the new local government laws about
the make-up of the transition subcommittees and unions were seizing the
opportunity to stack the employment subcommittee.
“In the case of the Dalby Regional Council, the unions have gone to
ridiculous extremes with the employment sub-committee three times bigger
than the overarching transition committee,” he said.
“This whole forced council amalgamations process has been a farce that
has been bulldozed through with little real thought about how the
councils will practically be able to work both in the transition period
and after the March 2008 elections.
“The Local Government Minister needs to explain why unelected union
hacks seem to be more important in the transition process than council
representatives democratically elected by their communities.”
Media Contact – Howard Hobbs 0428 152 656
Unelected union representatives are dominating the forced council
amalgamations transition process, with revelations this week up to 54
union representatives are sitting on one of the regional committees
which will determine how the new councils will work.
Shadow Local Government Minister Howard Hobbs said the State Labor
Government’s forced council amalgamations were more about creating
stronger unions than creating stronger councils.
“The Queensland Coalition has previously exposed the fact that some
union representatives are on up to nine and ten of the ‘transition
committees’ which have been established to make all the structural,
financial and operational decisions of the new regional councils over
the next six months,” he said.
“Now this week we learn that up to 54 union representatives are sitting
on the Dalby Regional Council’s employment sub-committee which will be
making recommendations on employment issues.”
Mr Hobbs said there was nothing in the new local government laws about
the make-up of the transition subcommittees and unions were seizing the
opportunity to stack the employment subcommittee.
“In the case of the Dalby Regional Council, the unions have gone to
ridiculous extremes with the employment sub-committee three times bigger
than the overarching transition committee,” he said.
“This whole forced council amalgamations process has been a farce that
has been bulldozed through with little real thought about how the
councils will practically be able to work both in the transition period
and after the March 2008 elections.
“The Local Government Minister needs to explain why unelected union
hacks seem to be more important in the transition process than council
representatives democratically elected by their communities.”
Media Contact – Howard Hobbs 0428 152 656