This 'Examiner Editorial' – January 9 2023 – comes at a somewhat interesting time. This 'personality' on the Tasmanian stage has interesting histories that he may yet illuminate in a memoir or biography or perhaps via a PhD Thesis. Ex-Councillor/ex-Minister Cox is a Launcestonian who appears to be moving on, via stage left, to a more balmy clime and he has a bit to say upon self reflection to see himself off.
His DEEPhistories may or may not find thier way onto a bookshelf somewhere and many of us may well have fallen from our twigs long before that event if in fact his perceptions do turn up there.
Anyway ex-Alderman/Councillor/Minster Cox has played an interesting part in Launceston's local governance right up to when he finally announced that he would not be a candidate in the most recent Local Government Elections.
A researcher will no doubt find rich pickings in Council Agendas, Hansard and Trove not to mention the recollections of his fellow Launcestonians – some will be kind others less so. In particular budding 'cultural geographers and social scientists' will be able to glean a great deal from the records of Launceston's and Tasmania's somewhat gothic peri-colonial cultural realities through the 'Jim Cox lens'.
Interestingly, ex-Councillor Cox while apparently not actually front and centre for the most part, it seems that he was ever present in recent Launceston Council's decision making and as likely as not the voice that lent credibility to some very interesting decisions.
For instance can anyone recall him speaking up for the people in the city suffering 'housing distress'? Perhaps a somewhat unfair question but it is there to be asked. Alternatively, where was he in respect to the Brisbane Street Mall goings on?
Currently, Launceston's new Council is going to have to deal with the legacy of some very contentious decision making. Like the breaking news today to do with the euphemistic Birchall's Carpark for instance. That's not to mention Mayor Gibson's suggestion that yet again the 'planning goal posts' are up for a shift if needs be. Anyway, Cr Cox was there and this is the first of other appeals for justice etc. so as they say, watch this space.
Let us just see how all this pans out.
To be fair, Cr. Cox was not and is not alone in the unravelling debacles at Launceston's Town Hall. Nonetheless, he exhibited all the features of a compliant 'team player' and reliable incumbent when push came to shove.
Anyway, cutting to the chase here, the ex-Councillor is as 'The Examiner Editorial' says, he is on the money when he tells what we all should know. Indeed ,Tasmania has way too many Councils and especially so in regard to Tasmania;'s population. However, he is totally misguided if he thinks that forcing some bCouncils to 'amalgamate' will fix what is broken and that is not delivering.
It is the Tasmanian Local Government Act 1993 that is well past its use-by-date NOT one or two Councils here and there. In the wake of ex-Councillor heading off to warmer climes to perhaps don some 'white shoes in the sun' apparently. Anyway, Launceston's local governance does not look much like it being a 'sweet ride' looking forward.
Given all that needs to be done that's not being done no doubt it will be a rough ride at Town Hall. Some of it is clearly NOT on some Councillors' agenda.
As many Launcestonians share fond memories and not so warm and fuzzy ones, all in all there will be rather mixed feelings about this or that event in relation to interpretations of 'history'. The city's governance and the planning that has shaped it is without doubt contestable. How various players have achieved various outcomes figure in people's consciousness, placemaking and indeed their imaginings of their 'placedness'.
How and when various people plays a part in the DEEPhistories and the storytelling that shape and make places it is never far away in people's sense of identity. Indeed, how various individuals are understood tends to colour imaginings of places and the ways people belong to and in them.
So, at those famous backyard barbecues and dinner parties all kinds of preconceptions are pulled apart and contested. In any event over a 'tipple or two' ex-Councillor/ ex-Minister Cox's contribution to LAUNNYplacedness for some time yet will deliberated upon over a 'tipple or two'. And, on the subject of 'amalgamation', or would/could that be the 'colonisation', of this or that Council by this or that Council, ex-Councillor/ exMinister Cox's name is likely to crop up one way or another.
Again, let us just see how all this pans out.
EDITORIAL || Numbers game one that won't go away By Editorial ... January 9 2023 - 5:00am
When someone with the political experience of Jim Cox speaks, you generally do listen to what is being said.This becomes especially true when the topic in question is local government, something that he has quite an intimate knowledge of.
Mr Cox, of course, served as a Labor Local Government Minister and was also a longtime councillor in Launceston, so to say he is something of an expert on the topic would be somewhat of an understatement.
So when Mr Cox says that Tasmania having 29 councils is an example of being "over-governed" and that the situation needs to change, it really is case of sitting up and taking notice.
Not that what he said last week to Australian Community Media on the issue would have come to a surprise to anyone.
"Why do we need 29 councils?" he said.
"It's over-governing.
"Some of the councils are terrific, some are good and some, I think, have reached their use by date."
Mr Cox is correct about one thing in particular, Tasmania does have too many councils.
As much as there would be people out there adverse to change, as has been said previously, this is a situation where change is very much needed.
Council reform is very much a hot-topic issue in this state at present, with the Local Government Board's state government-commissioned review of the future of local government adding some obvious fuel to a fire that has been burning away in this state for some time.
Mr Cox was also on the money when it came to another key aspect of the amalgamation discussion, that it won't be something that councils will be volunteering to be a part of.
The government forcing the issue seems to be the most likely way to find a solution.
Local Government Minister Nic Street has said the Local Government Board's final recommendations would be considered and cutting council numbers is one of the three main "potential reform pathways" that are on the table at present.
How this all plays out obviously has some intrigue attached to it, considering the obvious need for change.
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