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The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: My question is to the Minister for Local Government. How can councils and ratepayers have confidence in the ability of the Minister's Local Government Boundaries Commission to properly consider a large number of proposals for council boundary changes when this is the same Boundaries Commission that has previously been strongly criticised by Justice Talbot in the Land and Environment Court for failing to do its job properly in the consideration of the recent inner city boundary changes?
The Hon. TONY KELLY: There is only one proposal before the Boundaries Commission at the moment. As there are not "a large number of proposals before the Boundaries Commission, the rest of the question is irrelevant.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I ask a supplementary question. Can the Minister elucidate his answer and inform the House whether the councils that were invited to make boundary change submissions were chosen on a practical or a political basis? How were they chosen?
The Hon. TONY KELLY: They were chosen on the basis of their previous correspondence.