Local Government Electoral (Implementing Stage 2 of Belcarra) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019

As Minister for Local Government, introduced and moved the second reading of the bill, defending the government's rolling reform agenda to restore community faith and trust in local government following Operation Belcarra.

“Community confidence in local government is of paramount importance. As members are aware, the Crime and Corruption Commission formed the view that the systemic issues in the local government sector identified through Operation Belcarra justified the implementation of a more stringent regulatory framework.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

As Shadow Minister for Local Government, supports the CCC's Belcarra recommendations but criticised the bill for including unrelated Labor reforms. Welcomed the government's last-minute amendments removing compulsory preferential voting provisions.

“The LNP opposition supports the recommendations made by the CCC in the Belcarra report. The LNP respects the hard work being undertaken by elected local government representatives across the state.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Criticised the minister's last-minute amendments removing compulsory preferential voting and conflict of interest provisions as a 'humiliating backdown', while supporting the underlying Belcarra recommendations.

“The two key planks of the Belcarra stage 2 bill have been thrown away in the last hour. They have been cast aside, which begs the question as to why we are even debating this bill?”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

As chair of the Economics and Governance Committee, defended the committee's recommendation that the bill be passed and criticised the opposition for partisan attacks rather than engaging with the substance of local government reform.

“When it comes to the tough job of reform of our local government sector, it is clear that the LNP are simply not up to it. They are not up to this difficult task of balancing competing priorities.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Spoke in support of the reforms to restore community confidence in local government following the 'darkest days' of corruption scandals, noting that her own council and councillors had made submissions to the committee inquiry.

“Integrity, transparency and accountability are the cornerstones on which our framework of government must be founded. It is important for us to continue to improve, and these amendments do just that.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Supports the legislation following removal of compulsory preferential voting provisions, but criticised the minister for frightening councillors across Queensland and attempting to rig the voting system to favour Labor.

“Yes, at the end of the day I support this legislation that we will vote on, but I am totally disappointed in all of this time and effort, threatening all the people involved in local government, for no outcome whatsoever.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Strongly supported the reforms as member for Ipswich, where the council was dismissed following CCC investigation into widespread corruption including 16 people charged with 91 criminal offences.

“The matters that arose out of the CCC's investigation into the Ipswich City Council were serious and effectively undermined the public's confidence in our council.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

As former Local Government Minister, supports Belcarra reforms but strongly defended the 2012 LNP reforms to empower elected mayors, criticising the minister's attempts to use Belcarra to 'besmirch' the vast majority of good councillors.

“Faced with a choice between somebody sitting in an office in Brisbane and an elected mayor who is accountable to his or her community, I will take the elected mayor every day of the week.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Supported the comprehensive reforms to elections at state and local government level, emphasising the key focus on disclosure requirements and implementing CCC recommendations from Operation Belcarra.

“The Palaszczuk government has a strong record of enhancing electoral integrity, transparency and accountability in Queensland. These bills aim to further strengthen public confidence in both our electoral system and local government system as key democratic institutions.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard

Acknowledged the committee's deliberations but criticised Labor for including self-serving reforms beyond the CCC's recommendations, noting 58 per cent of clauses do not relate to the Belcarra report.

“We have already heard from my colleagues and relevant shadow ministers... about the evolution of Labor's bill that purports to implement recommendations from the CCC's 2017 Belcarra report.”— 2019-10-15View Hansard