Local councils that go on international business trips need to be held accountable to it’s rate-payers

Local councils would be better off working in conjunction with both the state and federal government, rather than taking it upon themselves to go on international business trips, according to Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchins.

‘I don’t think they need their own foreign affairs department…they’re competeting against each other.’ she told 3AW Drive.

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‘If councillors are going to use rate-payers money to do these trips, they need to be very accountable when they come back and say what they’ve done.’ she said

Click PLAY to hear the full interview