For those of you interested in the future of local government in WA and whether there should be bigger Councils or not there was an interesting episode on the ABC’s 7.30 WA last night (I suspect most people were watching the footy!)

The new minister for local government Tony Simpson declined to be interviewed for the show but said “We have no interest in forced amalgamations”.

If that is accurate then it is probably fair to say that local government reform in this part of the world is therefore dead before it starts. If the current conservative government with a huge majority that included defeating beating a range of anti-amalgamation candidates doesn’t have the conviction for reform then it isn’t going to happen this decade.

What does that mean for Fremantle? We can get on with improving Fremantle without this very large distraction swinging over our heads. Interesting times indeed.