Shadow Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Chris Hartcher, said figures revealed in this week’s NSW Ombudsman 2008/09 Annual Report are indicative of why an O’Farrell approach to Local Government is right for NSW.

The annual report shows that complaints from the public about Local Councils decreased while complaints about State Government Departments remained static, a result the report said was, “disappointing, especially in view of the State Plan’s focus on improving public sector performance”.

“The NSW Government is more focused on cost shifting and blame shifting when it comes to Local Government.

“But what these figures show is that despite the NSW Labor Government, Local Councils are the ones getting it right.

“Successive Ministers for Local Government have attacked Councils and have encouraged their MPs to do the same for the sake of political expediency.

“We still have problem Councils and problem Councillors but what we can see from these figures is that when Councils tell us they are trying, like they did at this week’s Local Government Conference in Tamworth, they mean it.

“When the Rees Labor Government tells us they are trying we know it’s just an act.

“Nathan Rees is running around with copied-from-Queensland restructure plans and shoot-from-the-hip policy proposals, trying to convince us his Government is improving. But the NSW Ombudsman has blown away the smoke screen and the same shoddy Government is in the spotlight again.

“Indicative of the Rees Government approach is the fact that ‘information’ was one of the State Government complaints categories that increased from 334 (07/08) to 383 (08/09). Nathan Rees promised more transparency and a more open Government but he certainly hasn’t managed to get that right.

“A static result is a bad result for a Government that claims to be on the up-and-up. Rees promised improvements but simply hasn’t delivered.

“Barry O’Farrell has promised a less combative approach to Local Government and a more inclusive approach to intergovernmental relations generally.

“Only the Liberal / Nationals Coalition have the policies that will get NSW back on track,” said Mr Hartcher.