By Julian Bajkowski Coalition support for the ‘yes’ case in the referendum on Constitutional recognition for local government has edged one step closer to official collapse after Opposition leader Tony Abbott intensified his attack on the poll process amid growing internal pressure to withdraw bipartisan support. Speaking at a press conference in Whittlsea, Victoria, Mr...
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Referendum teeters as Rudd makes King latest Local Government Minister
By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley Australia’s 565 councils and shires have been handed their third federal minister for Local Government in as many months on the back of an inevitable reshuffle following the second incarnation of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. Member for Ballarat, Catherine King has been elevated into Cabinet under a simplified...
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Referendum legislation clears Senate despite Coaltion walkout
By Julian Bajkowski Legislation to make a local government referendum on 14th September has finally cleared the Senate amid a widening split in the Coalition that resulted in seven members of the Opposition cross the floor to vote against the bill and at least as many abstaining. The last minute bid to shoot down referendum...
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Liberals support for referendum shatters
By Julian Bajkowski Bitter factional infighting has torn apart public Coalition support for a Constitutional change that would guarantee federal funds can flow directly to more than 500 local governments after key hard-right elements publicly railed against the case for a ‘yes’ vote in a torrid Senate debate. After more than a year of publicly...
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‘No’ camp accuses Albanese of abuse of process over referendum funding
By Julian Bajkowski Opponents of Constitutional recognition for local government have accused the federal minister leading the multi-party push for a ‘yes’ vote of trying to buy the referendum result by giving $31.6 million to supporters and just $500,000 to opponents of direct funding for councils. Conservative dominated group ‘No Power Grab’ claims that the...
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Gillard warns referendum is ‘last chance’ for councils
By Julian Bajkowski Embattled Prime Minister Julia Gillard has bluntly warned Australia’s 560 councils and shires that the forthcoming referendum on Constitutional recognition for local government will be their final chance to guarantee direct funding for projects from Canberra. Speaking at the opening of the 2013 National General Assembly for Local Government in Canberra, Ms...
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Federal leadership turmoil weighs-on referendum
By Julian Bajkowski A referendum that could give financial uncertainty to federally funded local government projects like Roads to Recovery is again in doubt after another outbreak of internal attacks within the Labor that threaten to topple Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Less than week after crucial legislation to hold a referendum finally cleared the House...
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Howard veterans launch referendum ‘No’ vote campaign
By Julian Bajkowski Opponents to a change in the Constitution that could give financial recognition to local government through a referendum at the 14th September federal poll have launched their official campaign with an attack by former Howard government minister Peter Reith on the Nationals leader in the Senate,. Barnaby Joyce. After months of sniping...
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May 30, 2013November 4, 2024by Staff WritersIn Education & TrainingLibraries & museumsLocalPublic transportRoadsSports
Bureaucrats roasted over referendum education progress
By Julian Bajkowski The Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sports has come under fire from the Opposition during Senate Estimates over the rate of progress in its efforts to mount a civics campaign to inform Australians about the looming referendum on whether or not to give financial recognition to local government in...
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Council resource bans cleared for referendum campaign use
By Julian Bajkowski The New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet has moved to clear up confusion over whether or not strict new prohibitions on the use of council resources for partisan election campaigning would also capture local governments pushing for a ‘yes’ vote in the forthcoming referendum. According to a statement from the...