Local Democracy and Local Government Efficiency: The Role of Community Engagement in Local Government Reform in Queensland

Australian local government has been subjected to vigorous reform by State Governments for more than a decade, with the most recent reform episode presently under way in Queensland under the Size, Shape and Sustainability programme. Reform has typically focused on enhancing the operational efficiency of local government, with scant consideration accorded to local democracy. Accordingly, this paper examines the role of community engagement in local government reform in Queensland, both as a means of retaining the vibrancy of local democracy and as a method of improving the efficacy of reform itself by drawing upon local knowledge through engagement with local communities.