Local Govt reform hangs in there by three votes
Yesterday the resolve of the current WA Government to force council amalgamations was tested when David Templeman, Opposition Spokesman on Local Government, moved a motion:
“That this house advise the Government that it does not support its forced council amalgamations process in the metropolitan area”.
There was almost a boilover when the National Party MLAs, true to their State Conference resolution, voted against the Government – the Government’s majority came down to just three – and if South Perth MLA, John McGrath, had lived up to some of the things he has said publicly about the local government so-called reform process it would have come down to just one – one more ‘honourable’ Liberal member and the Government would have suffered an embarrassing defeat. No doubt the party whips were out in force to make sure this didn’t happen.
Ian Ker has written more about it in his blog here:
http://ianrker-vincent.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/almost-but-not-quite.html
