Resolved by the House—13 December 2001, 2nd Session, Minutes No. 141, Item 7. That the Standing Committee on State Development inquire into and report on the impact of proposed changes to local government boundaries in Inner Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs (South Sydney, Leichhardt, Waverley, Woollahra and the City of Sydney Councils), and in particular: the economic impact of the proposed boundary changes on the areas affected, the social impact on the communities affected by the changes, the total value of assets owned by each Council in areas that could be affected and the most equitable way to distribute those assets if the boundary changes were to proceed, the extent to which there are differences between the changes recommended by Professor Kevin Sproats in his “Report of an Inquiry into the Structure of Eight Inner Sydney and Eastern Suburbs Councils” and the proposed changes later announced by the Minister for Local Government, whether the Local Boundaries Commission Inquiry into the Government’s proposals has conformed with appropriate legislative requirements, the need for a plebiscite of ratepayers of affected Council areas under section 265 of the Local Government Act 1993. That the Committee report by 31 March 2002. That, in view of the current proceedings in the Supreme Court and the Land and Environment Court, the Committee not commence its inquiry until a judgment is given in those proceedings. The Committee, in its inquiry, is to have regard to any decision of those Courts impacting on the proposed boundary changes.

That the Standing Committee on State Development inquire into and report on the impact of proposed changes to local government boundaries in Inner Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs (South Sydney, Leichhardt, Waverley, Woollahra and the City of Sydney Councils), and in particular: the economic impact of the proposed boundary changes on the areas affected, the social impact on the communities affected by the changes, the total value of assets owned by each Council in areas that could be affected and the most equitable way to distribute those assets if the boundary changes were to proceed, the extent to which there are differences between the changes recommended by Professor Kevin Sproats in his “Report of an Inquiry into the Structure of Eight Inner Sydney and Eastern Suburbs Councils” and the proposed changes later announced by the Minister for Local Government, whether the Local Boundaries Commission Inquiry into the Government’s proposals has conformed with appropriate legislative requirements, the need for a plebiscite of ratepayers of affected Council areas under section 265 of the Local Government Act 1993. That the Committee report by 31 March 2002. That, in view of the current proceedings in the Supreme Court and the Land and Environment Court, the Committee not commence its inquiry until a judgment is given in those proceedings. The Committee, in its inquiry, is to have regard to any decision of those Courts impacting on the proposed boundary changes.