Watts Simon; McAnulty KieranSIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): I appreciate the Minister's indulgence in regards to these questions. My question relates now in regards to workforce. As the Minister will be aware one of the most significant issues that local government across this country is facing is the constraints around the ability to get workforce to undertake the tasks which are critical to our communities. The fact that a number of their workforce through the period under review have left or resigned and moved to other aspects of the government sector—in particular central government. What plans if any does the Minister have to address what is probably one of the most significant aspects impacting local government over and above funding and financing which is the ability to retain and enhance the workforce that support our local government sector?The sector obviously is under significant pressure due to the scale of reform and change that's under way but also as we're all acutely aware from the implications of and the role in which they play in regards to civil defence and disaster response within their communities. The capability of some of these roles that are impacted as a result of uncertainty in regards to reform and other pressures that are out there does mean that when faced with the significant challenges that many of our communities have faced not having that workforce in place does put significant burden on the others within those teams. Many of those teams are highly skilled but they are dispersed in terms of the geographical location. So I'm interested in terms of the Minister's perspective in what action he is taking in regards to that significant issue.Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister of Local Government): Thank you Madam Chair. I actually acknowledge the concerns that the member's raised because I share them. I used to work in the local government sector before I came to Parliament and I know full well how committed and hard-working they all are. I also know the strain that the sector is under because they simply can't match the wages and conditions that are on offer elsewhere. Why? Because they are constrained by their level of revenue. At the moment for the majority of councils all they get is rates and that can only go so far. So it is a massive issue.I am reluctant however to share my thoughts because it's already been indicated that the future of local government review is going to look at this. It's an independent review and right throughout my tour of all the councils and engagement with sector groups and regional groups I've always said this when asked about it: I don't ever want to be accused of trying to steer the review in a particular way.I can assure the member that there isn't any work under way in this regard because we're waiting for the outcomes. My views at the moment will stay with me until we get the review's recommendations and then we can have a conversation. What I am willing to do is acknowledge that this is a major issue. It is driven in part because of the level of reform but it's mainly because of the constraints that councils find themselves under when they are limited on the whole solely to rates for their revenue.