Local Government (Fixed Charges) Amendment Bill

Rise to indicate support for this bill.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I rise to indicate support for this bill which amends the Local Government Act, which currently provides that fixed charges cannot be charged for certain categories of sites—those being at the moment caravan parks, residential parks and marinas. The bill amends this to include retirement villages, the reason being that retirement villages are often on a single title, and residents are given a licence to occupy their particular units. Councils do not actually provide direct services within retirement villages but do provide amenity for rubbish removal, road maintenance and so forth adjacent. The impact of this should be to reduce the amount of council rates being paid by retirement village residents overall, and therefore we support the bill.