Local councils become instrument of nanny state

Not content with imposing her dietary choices on her own local community Gosford's Greens Councillor Terri Latella next began pushing for a state-wide ban. Cr Latella said. “It's something we can regulate.” We can, so we will.

Then, of course, there is the most traditional target of these meddlers - alcohol. A councillor from the City of Casey, in outer south-eastern Melbourne has called for tighter planning controls to curb the number of packaged liquor outlets in one of the municipality’s major centres, Cranbourne. Cr Kevin Bradford claimed Cranbourne had become the bottle shop capital of Casey, with 14 bottle shops servicing an area with a 10km radius.

“Fourteen is a ridiculous number of packaged liquor outlets for a town this size,” Cr Bradford said, without specifying which smaller number he believed would be appropriate for his local community. He wants planning laws to be changed to give councils power to determine that number, whatever it is, but does not explain why he favours a law which would provide significant economic benefit to incumbent operators at the expense of potential competitiors. Ultimately, the sort of changes he is proposing will do nothing to address the problems of alcohol abuse which concern him, but will stifle economic development.

Now, it is true that for decades there have been local government areas in parts of Melbourne that were dry areas, but the ability to vote that an area become dry had been allowed by state government legislation. What is new is having so many councils believing that their remit includes attempting to control so much of what happens within their boundaries. No aspect of federal or state policy, or personal activity is seen as beyond their potential meddling.

Ironically, local councils all seem to have extensive diversity programs. Unfortunately, their tolerance of diversity fails to extend to those local residents who get enjoyment from playing the pokies, eating the foods of their choice or having a range of locations from which to buy alcohol.