Abstract:Institutional theories of urban primacy suggest centralized urbanization can be decentralized through political reform. Despite this potential, rectifying primacy and its attendant inefficiencies attracts sporadic interest. Perhaps this is because the disruption of primacy is rarely observed, rendering the potential of decentralization a nebulous concept. Missing cities are a defining feature of primacy yet rarely figure in empirical cost-benefit analyses. To explore this dimension, we examine the history of u… Show more
“…The states allocate funds to the local government sector at their discretion. As noted by Wilkinson (2023), it is unlikely local government productivity is a factor determining distributions, given effort neutrality is a governing principle of federal‐to‐state, state‐to‐local transfers (Worthington & Dollery, 2000).…”
Section: Local Government In Australiamentioning
confidence: 99%
“…As explained by Wilkinson (2023, p. 17): These limitations not only impact the balance sheets and creditworthiness of LGAs, but also organizational performance and incentive structures generally. For example, if a local government authority (LGA) were to successfully implement a tourism strategy drawing in large numbers of tourists for a public event, the LGA will derive little to no direct financial benefit whilst incurring many costs related to management, marketing, crowd control, and sanitation.…”
Section: Local Government In Australiamentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Wilkinson (2023), in his assessment of why local government is so stubbornly weak in the Australian context, examined the potential for OSR. OSR is measured by as a percentage of total revenue and represents a tier of the government’s independently generated and controlled income, an indicator of fiscal power, which as shown by Wilkinson (2023) in Figure 6, is not a hallmark of the Australian local government sector.…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Wilkinson (2023), in his assessment of why local government is so stubbornly weak in the Australian context, examined the potential for OSR. OSR is measured by as a percentage of total revenue and represents a tier of the government’s independently generated and controlled income, an indicator of fiscal power, which as shown by Wilkinson (2023) in Figure 6, is not a hallmark of the Australian local government sector. He contends that the structural weakness imposed ostensibly by the state keeps the sector under their control; “the proclivity of states to intervene, abolish, redraw and reorganised local government authorities demonstrates their weakness” (Wilkinson et al, 2022, p. 448).…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…1910–2018 Australia, own‐source revenues (OSRs) as percent of gross national product (GNP). Source : Wilkinson, 2023; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1912–2012, 1975–2018, 1994–2020 (reproduced with permission).…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
The inevitable mine lifecycle sequences of the mining industry and the eventual closure of mines has dramatic impacts on mining communities. The complexities of mine closure and planning for a different future beyond mining demand prescient preparation, preferably long before mines close, to optimise community participation in planning and enhance change management opportunities. Convincing others of the usefulness of imagining a future that is so different from the status quo is challenging, and it is especially difficult bringing an entire community on a long‐term planning journey. The Shire of Coolgardie, a small Western Australian local government authority, has embarked on a long‐term mission to build economic and social resilience, shoring up funds that will assist the Shire to ride out the inevitable mine lifecycle sequences of and diversify its income bases. This article builds an evidence‐based approximation of the economic and social benefits of the initiatives accrued across the Shire, outlining the calculated risks taken by the Shire in its quest to ultimately reorient the local economy to one less dependent on mining income and employment. The article concludes with lessons learned and a discussion regarding the replicability of the successful initiatives for other local government authorities elsewhere, particularly in Australia where the legislative restrictions to generate own‐source revenues are so severely limiting.
“…The states allocate funds to the local government sector at their discretion. As noted by Wilkinson (2023), it is unlikely local government productivity is a factor determining distributions, given effort neutrality is a governing principle of federal‐to‐state, state‐to‐local transfers (Worthington & Dollery, 2000).…”
Section: Local Government In Australiamentioning
confidence: 99%
“…As explained by Wilkinson (2023, p. 17): These limitations not only impact the balance sheets and creditworthiness of LGAs, but also organizational performance and incentive structures generally. For example, if a local government authority (LGA) were to successfully implement a tourism strategy drawing in large numbers of tourists for a public event, the LGA will derive little to no direct financial benefit whilst incurring many costs related to management, marketing, crowd control, and sanitation.…”
Section: Local Government In Australiamentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Wilkinson (2023), in his assessment of why local government is so stubbornly weak in the Australian context, examined the potential for OSR. OSR is measured by as a percentage of total revenue and represents a tier of the government’s independently generated and controlled income, an indicator of fiscal power, which as shown by Wilkinson (2023) in Figure 6, is not a hallmark of the Australian local government sector.…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Wilkinson (2023), in his assessment of why local government is so stubbornly weak in the Australian context, examined the potential for OSR. OSR is measured by as a percentage of total revenue and represents a tier of the government’s independently generated and controlled income, an indicator of fiscal power, which as shown by Wilkinson (2023) in Figure 6, is not a hallmark of the Australian local government sector. He contends that the structural weakness imposed ostensibly by the state keeps the sector under their control; “the proclivity of states to intervene, abolish, redraw and reorganised local government authorities demonstrates their weakness” (Wilkinson et al, 2022, p. 448).…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…1910–2018 Australia, own‐source revenues (OSRs) as percent of gross national product (GNP). Source : Wilkinson, 2023; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1912–2012, 1975–2018, 1994–2020 (reproduced with permission).…”
Section: The Shire Of Coolgardie Response To a Socio‐economic Crisismentioning
The inevitable mine lifecycle sequences of the mining industry and the eventual closure of mines has dramatic impacts on mining communities. The complexities of mine closure and planning for a different future beyond mining demand prescient preparation, preferably long before mines close, to optimise community participation in planning and enhance change management opportunities. Convincing others of the usefulness of imagining a future that is so different from the status quo is challenging, and it is especially difficult bringing an entire community on a long‐term planning journey. The Shire of Coolgardie, a small Western Australian local government authority, has embarked on a long‐term mission to build economic and social resilience, shoring up funds that will assist the Shire to ride out the inevitable mine lifecycle sequences of and diversify its income bases. This article builds an evidence‐based approximation of the economic and social benefits of the initiatives accrued across the Shire, outlining the calculated risks taken by the Shire in its quest to ultimately reorient the local economy to one less dependent on mining income and employment. The article concludes with lessons learned and a discussion regarding the replicability of the successful initiatives for other local government authorities elsewhere, particularly in Australia where the legislative restrictions to generate own‐source revenues are so severely limiting.
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