Agree 100% Leafblower. Local Councils and State and Federal Governments are adding layer upon layer of costs on the community with zero or negative returns on investment.
By way of example, our shire, one of the smallest, had a $300,000+ pa. CEO who then seriously argued the need for him to hire two deputy CEOs at $250,000 pa. so that he could concentrate on “strategy”. I say “had” because the community finally arced up enough to have him terminated. Over 50% of our council rates are eaten up by administrative staff salaries and on costs with little or no money left for capital works and that figure is getting worse.
We are also drowning in complex “planning policies” one of which - environment, will require months of paperwork and fees to cut down a single tree - alive or dead. The net result of that policy, like so many others is counterproductive, as farmers are going to poison and pull down as much native vegetation as possible before this latest impost is completed.
Another example concerns aboriginal artefacts; the hoo ha and costs associated with their preservation means that any sane farmer who discovers some will immediately destroy or conceal them. For example the discovery of a “canoe tree” on a property requires the design and creation of a special reserve around it which includes restrictions on what the land can then be used for - all at your expense of course. This happened to a friend three months ago.
As far as GA is concerned, we are blessed with a wonderful privately owned airstrip, but that is under constant threat from NIMBYs and as for council approval to build a much needed new hangar, forget it - even if we could afford the planning fees (heritage, water, aboriginal and environmental plans) not to mention the effing opposition from greenies.