논문

As cities continue to grow; as populations become increasingly urban; as trade between regions becomes as important, or more important, as that between nations; as the Westphalian delineation of countries falls apart; the importance of local government rises. Governments at sub-state or sub-provincial levels everywhere must rise to the challenges of building sustainable communities in which citizens attain fulfilling lives. Almost universally across Asia and the Pacific local government is undergoing considerable reform. Some reform is voluntary as local governments rise to the challenges they face. In some instances higher levels of government force the reform.


In the last decade Australian local government has been subjected to extensive reform; some voluntary, some forced. That reform has been managerialist in both form and substance. It has its foundation solidly in the new public management paradigm, emphasising "optimal use of resources and achievements of results performance excellence, effective outcomes, and value for money" (Tucker 1997:82).
This paper is in three parts. First it provides an overview of some of the main elements of local government reform in Australia. The lack of any research on the veracity of the postulated benefits of the reforms or debate on the very nature of local government, or local governance, is lamented. The second part presents four issues that could gainfully comprise an agenda for debate on the future of local government. Broadening the context, the third part in an extract from a major ESCAP study of local government in the Asian Pacific region.