Stand Up Against Local Government and WALGA Secrecy

Game: Government Secrecy About Your Rates Money Expenditure

Umpire Oversight: Supreme Court - single judge

Umpire: FOI Commissioner

Goliath: WALGA

David: LGEMA

WA’s Freedom of Information Commissioner has decided that the Local Government Elected Members’ Association Inc (LGEMA) cannot access Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) records because (notwithstanding it is a local government system statutory authority) the Commissioner has decided that WALGA is not subject to the FOI Act because it,

• is not a public body,

• does not serve a public purpose, and

• influences governments akin to a lobbyist.

This unfortunate decision denies public accountability for the indirect expenditure of the money YOU are required to pay as rates to your local government.

https://lgema.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/F2023056_Decision_Comp.pdf

WALGA, NOT Councils or the community, alone speaks to and is heard by state and federal governments for and on behalf of all WA’s local governments. WALGA,

• income, directly or indirectly, is primarily from public monies being ratepayer monies, and state and federal grants

• has financial links to the WA state government

• is not required to be audited by the state auditor

• has numerous statutory powers to nominate preferred members of many government bodies

• enters secret agreements on behalf of local governments, such as electricity power sharing arrangements.

Senior Counsel has advised LGEMA that there are three grounds of appeal that could be successful against the Commissioner’s decision.

The Supreme Court could overturn the Commissioner’s decision to foster access to WALGA records.

Not for profit, with few funds in the bank and run entirely by volunteers LGEMA needs to raise $70,000 for its legal costs and filing fees, and the Commissioner’s costs if we are unsuccessful.

Access to government records is an essential tenet of our representative democracy.

Will you team up with LGEMA and the public interest in this David and Goliath appeal?