GETTING rid of state governments would simplify bureaucracy and free up billions of dollars for regional projects, Lake Macquarie City Council believes.
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The council will lobby at the Local Government Association annual conference for a review of the Australian constitution, looking at replacing the three levels of government with a two-tiered system.
The conference will be held from October 25 to 29 in Broken Hill.
A system of federal and regional governments could potentially replace the federal, state and local levels of government.
The council said economic estimates showed that duplication among three levels of government cost Australia about $9 billion a year, money that could instead be spent on local infrastructure projects.
Lake Macquarie Mayor and state MP Greg Piper said yesterday that changing the system of government was not a new idea.
Cr Piper said it would be complicated, and putting the matter on the agenda was more about getting people to talk about how to make government more efficient.
"I don't think there's going to be constitutional change that will bring about this huge change in Australia that will get rid of the states," Cr Piper said.
"It's such a dramatic change but in the fullness of time, maybe we can change the way the states themselves operate."
One Lake Macquarie-based state member is not averse to the idea.
"My eyes are open to it," Swansea MP Robert Coombs said yesterday.
"I'm certainly not against looking at it and working with people, whatever is determined the best government I'll go along with."
Mr Coombs said legal complexities could make change difficult.
