Reshaping Australia's Local Government: Finance, governance and reform

Abstract

As we enter the new millennium with new global configurations the need for strong structures of governance at the sub-state and local levels is increasingly important. Despite reform initiatives of the latter years of the twentieth century, in this country local government structures remain largely as they were at the beginning of the century. There may be fewer of them, and they may be providing a different range of services more efficiently, but by and large they still reflect their antecedents. Local governments are not universally valued highly by citizens. Too often are they seen as havens for self-seeking politicians and over-regulating bureaucrats.