Table 1 . Number and types of Local Government Areas
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
WA |
SA |
TAS |
NT |
Total |
Boroughs |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Cities |
30 |
33 |
7 |
22 |
21 |
6 |
2 |
121 |
Councils |
28 |
|
|
|
|
23 |
|
51 |
District Councils |
|
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
35 |
Municipalities |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
Regional Councils |
8 |
29 |
11 |
4 |
52 |
Rural Cities |
6 |
1 |
7 |
Shires |
58 |
39 |
24 |
107 |
10 |
238 |
Towns |
1 |
12 |
2 |
2 |
17 |
Community Government |
|
|
|
2 |
2 |
Councils |
|
|
|
|
|
Aboriginal Shires |
12 |
|
|
|
12 |
Island Councils |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
Unincorporated |
2 |
10 |
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
18 |
Total |
132 |
89 |
74 |
152 |
64 |
29 |
21 |
561 |
Source : adapted from Nokia ( 2017 ). |
The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies point to recent legislation included in State Local Government Acts , which provides councils with :
‘ the authority to provide for “ good governance ” of their local community through powers of general competence conferred on them : that is , they are able to take on any role not precluded by other legislation … [ Consequently ,] there would seem to be little or nothing , resource constraints apart , that would preclude local government in … Australia … from taking on whatever role they might wish to play in promoting economic development within their local economies ’ ( The South Australian Centre for Economic Studies 2013 : 6 ).
This observation is important as it alludes to the vital importance of meanings and how economic development is framed . In other words , there are no legal restrictions to councils performing a role in economic development . This draws attention to the importance of interpretations .
INTERPRETING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR ENABLING AND CONSTRAINING FUNCTIONS
The practice of economic development can mean considerably different things to different organisations , groups and individuals . The same terms can be invoked to refer to completely different things or different terms ( e . g . ‘ area-based development ’, ‘ local development ’, ‘ community
development ’ etc .) can be used interchangeably to refer to similar things . Whilst development tends to be the common denominator , how it is understood and interpreted is important in regards to the nature , scope and design of local and regional economic development policies , programs and initiatives .
DEFINITIONS FOUND IN THE LITERATURE
There is no universally applicable definition of economic development . Indeed , it is generally accepted that understandings differ across places and cultures including sectors and professions . Nevertheless , some guiding principles and objectives can be distilled from the literature .
According to UN-Habitat , economic development ultimately boils down to ‘ sustainable development in the long-term ’ ( UN-Habitat , 2009 : 1 ). The Local Government Association of South Australia ’ s Economic Development Statement also contends that ‘ the economic development objective is always the same : to increase the wealth and wellbeing of citizens ’. Conversely , other perspectives argue that this is not necessarily the case ( Feldman & Lowe , 2017 ). This brings to the fore economic development interventions that may prioritise some interests at the expense of others , which are typically justified on the basis of serving the greater good . From example , an economic develop program might increase business productivity , but negatively impact employee or community wellbeing . Moreover , objectives are socially produced and subject to reinterpretation .
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