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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