Mansfield Shire Council has again taken aim at the State Government, using the findings of a recent inquiry to reinforce its opposition to planning reforms and the controversial Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF). The inquiry, conducted by the Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee, found the state’s consultation processes have not consistently met best-practice standards, delivering 64 findings and 28 recommendations. Among its key conclusions, the committee found the state should provide genuine opportunities for consultation rather than simply distributing information, and avoid the use of non-disclosure agreements unless absolutely necessary. The findings align with concerns raised by Mansfield Shire Council over the past year. Council has been a vocal critic of both the ESVF and the Better Decisions Made Faster planning reforms, arguing they were introduced without meaningful engagement and have significant consequences for rural communities. Under the ESVF model, once transitional arrangements expire, farmers are expected to carry a greater share of the funding burden for emergency services — a point council says is especially concerning given the role of local CFA volunteers during the 2026 bushfire season. At the same time, council maintains the planning reforms risk eroding local decision-making, limiting councils’ ability to protect township character and reducing community input on development proposals. Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the inquiry validated council’s long-standing concerns. "Mansfield Shire Council thanks the Committee for the opportunity to express our disappointment in the recent level and quality of engagement we have witnessed from state government," he said. "Engagement with the community has to be meaningful. "The individuals and organisations that represent the community have to take steps to represent the community. "Consultation can’t be a tokenistic exercise that simply ticks a box. "It has to give people the opportunity to have their say. "We’ve seen some questionable consultation practices during recent engagements and it needs to improve." Cr Rabie said the lack of consultation around the ESVF levy had placed councils in a difficult position. "There was no consultation regarding the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, despite the fact it fundamentally impacts councils, putting us under pressure and eroding trust in us from the communities we represent," he said. He also criticised the use of non-disclosure agreements during consultation on the state’s planning reforms. "When the state pushed through the controversial planning reforms, they tied up those they consulted with in non-disclosure agreements," he added. "This flies in the face of the vital tenets upon which community consultation is carried out. "Transparency, trust and meaningful engagement. "Given the learnings from this report, Mansfield Shire Council will be assessing its own engagement processes. "In the very near future, we will put our community engagement policy out for consultation with the community and we want to hear from Mansfield Shire."
