Budget Estimates hearings are really all about strategy and I congratulate the Palaszczuk Government on how it seems to have gotten the message.
The Government has used this week’s hearings to announce a host of measures aimed at heading off debate on other matters.
Fortunately for our member councils the news was all good.
First, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad announced that the Government would index regulated infrastructure charges from this financial year.
The LGAQ estimates that that announcement is worth $26 million to Queensland councils. It is the first increase in maximum charges that councils have seen in four years. We campaigned hard and long to right a very obvious wrong for ratepayers and thank the Government and particularly Ms Trad for that outcome.
There was also a welter of announcements regarding political donations and elections this week, plus an inquiry into the Electoral Commission of Queensland’s management of the March local government elections - again, all good news for councils.
What’s more, the Government has rightly trumpeted the economic benefit of its Building Our Regions projects and subsequent funding rounds.
All in all it’s been a profitable week for our members and a demonstration that our efforts to engage this Government are paying big dividends.
But that is not to say we agree on everything. Our Supreme Court challenge to the ministerial directive to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission regarding the single local government award shows that.
Our approach is always apolitical, issue by issue, and putting the interests of councils first.
That is certainly the philosophy of the LGAQ’s general manager of advocacy, Greg Hoffman.
This week, Hoffy announced his resignation from the LGAQ, effective from the end of October.
We will have plenty to say about Hoffy’s incredible legacy as his departure approaches.
And the good news is that we have his services for three more months yet, meaning that his successor will have plenty of time to learn the ropes from someone who is a giant of local government.