Call for national cabinet seat for local government

When responding to future pandemics, national cabinet should engage and consult more with local government.

That’s one of the recommendations contained in a report released last week examining the Commonwealth’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

National cabinet should provide opportunities for more “structured engagement and active consultation” with local government “to enhance the coordination and communication of a national response”, says the report.

During the pandemic there were no local government representatives in national cabinet. Instead, as the report’s authors note: “It was expected that state and territory decision-makers would consult local government on specific issues.”

In its submission to the Covid review – established to improve Australia’s preparedness for future outbreaks  –the Australian Local Government Association criticised the lack of local government representation given its important role in implementing many of the response measures, which included administering public school operations, implementing facial covering and social distancing guidelines, and maintaining public access to government meetings and resources.

The panel heard that local government “played a larger, more active role during the pandemic than ever before”. As state governments struggled to deliver all the support that was needed, “local governments stepped in, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse, rural and remote, and border communities”.

However, ALGA told the panel its “extensive community networks and established relationships could have been better leveraged”.

Currently, ALGA attends one national cabinet meeting a year. However, the peak body only attends to share information and advocate rather than take part in any decision-making.

ALGA proposed to the review panel that, in future, local government representation be extended to all national cabinet meetings, which are held at least four times per year or as necessary.

The panel agreed with ALGA. “Local governments are critical for the implementation of national cabinet decisions and help to build and maintain public trust in government and drive the behaviour change necessary at the local level to implement restrictive measures required to respond effectively to the pandemic,” reads the report.

ALGA welcomed the report, saying local government is in “a unique position to identify community needs” and ensure solutions are delivered “in an appropriate way”.

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