Did amalgamation make local government more fit for the future?

Drew, J; McQuestin, D; Dollery, B

Did amalgamation make local government more fit for the future?

Drew, J

McQuestin, D

Dollery, B

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Publisher:: Wiley
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2022, 81, (2), pp. 383-398
Issue Date:: 2022-12-09

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Drew, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3579-5758
dc.contributor.author	McQuestin, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0137-0260
dc.contributor.author	Dollery, B
dc.date.accessioned	2022-11-08T19:33:45Z
dc.date.available	2022-11-08T19:33:45Z
dc.date.issued	2022-12-09
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2022, 81, (2), pp. 383-398
dc.identifier.issn	0313-6647
dc.identifier.issn	1467-8500
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163324
dc.description.abstract	Local government amalgamations, mostly aimed at improving financial sustainability, remain a strongly contested public policy option. Proponents of amalgamation tend to emphasise the advantages of scale and plan around population size targets. By contrast, some scholars note the importance of understanding the needs and tastes of residents for local public services and stress the dangers of amalgamation dominated by population size considerations alone. In this paper, we conduct a robust empirical investigation of a recent amalgamation program dominated by population size considerations. Our results suggest that local government boundaries constructed principally to secure scale benefits have largely failed to deliver on the pecuniary promise of its public policy proponents. We conclude by offering some central public policy recommendations aimed at ensuring that future amalgamation programs might be more successful.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Wiley
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Journal of Public Administration
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/1467-8500.12530
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	14 Economics, 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services, 16 Studies in Human Society
dc.subject.classification	Political Science & Public Administration
dc.title	Did amalgamation make local government more fit for the future?
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	81
utslib.for	14 Economics
utslib.for	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/lnstitute for Public Policy and Governance
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - IPPG - Institute for Public Policy and Governance
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-11-08T19:33:44Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	81
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

Local government amalgamations, mostly aimed at improving financial sustainability, remain a strongly contested public policy option. Proponents of amalgamation tend to emphasise the advantages of scale and plan around population size targets. By contrast, some scholars note the importance of understanding the needs and tastes of residents for local public services and stress the dangers of amalgamation dominated by population size considerations alone. In this paper, we conduct a robust empirical investigation of a recent amalgamation program dominated by population size considerations. Our results suggest that local government boundaries constructed principally to secure scale benefits have largely failed to deliver on the pecuniary promise of its public policy proponents. We conclude by offering some central public policy recommendations aimed at ensuring that future amalgamation programs might be more successful.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163324