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Message from the Premier of Tasmania Jim Bacon

Partnership Agreements between State and Local Government herald a new era of unprecedented cooperation between the two tiers of government in Tasmania.

They are ground breaking. It's a concept that hasn't been tried before in Australia. Getting Tasmanians to work together to achieve success and solve our problems is one of the key aims of my Government and Partnership Agreements embody that approach. It's an approach that contrasts with that of the previous government. The bungled Council amalgamation process created a lot of hostility and division in the community and was totally unproductive.

Partnership Agreements have the potential to make the local community a better place to live - to make it more prosperous, innovative, safer, united and cleaner. The historic first agreement with the Circular Head Council is now up and running. It is an action plan that will deliver real benefits to the people of the Circular Head community.

It includes a whole range of things from an economic development strategy, a tourism development plan, the transfer of the Smithton airport to Council ownership, to plans to enhance community safety, investigate wind power, and Council taking over the management of key local sites, including Stanley's famous 'Nut'.

The Partnership with the Launceston City Council is being negotiated around the issues of recreation and culture, community services, environment and planning, and economic development. It will be a pilot for future agreements with metropolitan Councils in the State.

It's important to understand the role of the local community in all this. At all times, Councils and the State Government will obtain the views and opinions of local people before and during the negotiations, and the final agreement will reflect that.

The Partnership process is flexible. Councils can enter into a bilateral agreement with the State Government or groups of Councils from a particular region can enter into an agreement.

The whole Partnership process represents a new way for Tasmania. Cooperation, listening to people and implementing initiatives driven by the community will be hall marks of this Government. It's an approach that we're taking in developing Tasmania Together, Tasmania's social, environmental and economic plan.

At the end of the day solutions to Tasmania's problems and its future prosperity lies in the hands of all Tasmanians.

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