Fed: Council amalgamation laws rushed into parliament

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2007
Fed: Council amalgamation laws rushed into parliament

By Maria Hawthorne, Peter Jean and Jane Bunce

CANBERRA, Aug 16 AAP - Emergency laws to overturn Queensland Premier Peter Beattie's
ban on councils holding votes on forced amalgamations have been rushed into federal parliament.

Prime Minister John Howard announced the laws this morning after they were endorsed
by a special meeting of government MPs.

Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has promised Labor's support amid fears the deeply
unpopular amalgamations will hurt Labor at this year's federal election.

Mr Beattie immediately threatened a High Court challenge and accused Mr Howard of giving
false hope to amalgamation opponents.

But Mr Howard said the only way Mr Beattie could delay the referenda was if he obtained
a court injunction.

The federal changes will not stop any amalgamations going ahead.

But they will give local communities a say on whether they agree with the mergers by
striking out a ban on councils taking part in votes which was pushed through Queensland
parliament last week.

"I'm not going to say that this or that council merger should not take place," Mr Howard
told reporters.

"But I am going to say on such a fundamental principle, it is outrageous for the state
government to punish people for wanting to express a view.

"And we're using the limit of our constitutional power to prevent that occurring."

Under the changes, the commonwealth electoral roll could be used for the referenda
if the Queensland government refuses to make the state roll available.

And state laws allowing councils to be sacked for taking part in a vote would be overturned.

"Nothing the prime minister has announced today will make a difference to the much-needed
reform of local government in Queensland," Mr Beattie said.

"The prime minister is making a lot of noise but at the end of the day he's playing
tricks on people."

Mr Howard accused Mr Beattie of acting in an "arbitrary, jackbooted fashion" and promised
to federally fund any referenda.

He refused to say whether he thought the referenda should be held on the same day as
the coming federal election, the date for which has not been announced.

Mr Rudd said he had disagreed with the forced amalgamations for the past three months.

"Way back in May I went and saw Mr Beattie face to face and said `Peter I don't this
is the right way to go', I think it's wrong for a number of reasons and here they are
and I'll be indicating this publicly tomorrow unless you're going to change your approach',"

Mr Rudd told reporters.

He denied that his failure to talk Mr Beattie out of going ahead meant that he would
be unable to rein in the states if he became prime minister.

"I've not for the life of me ever indicated that it is going to be all sweetness and
roses if I become the next prime minister of Australia in terms of my dealings with the
states," he said.

AAP mfh/sb/it/sp

KEYWORD: COUNCILS HOWARD LEAD

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