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Local government in Victoria comprises 79 municipal districts〔''Local Government Act'', 1989 (Vic.)〕 in the Australian state of Victoria, often referred to as local government areas (LGAs). They are constituted as cities (33), shires (39), rural cities (6) and, in one case, a borough. Up till 1994 there had been 210 LGAs, when then-premier Jeff Kennett oversaw amalgamations to reduce the number to 78. The councils of Benalla and Mansfield split subsequent to this to arrive at the current number. In addition to the LGAs, there are also 10 coastal islands and ski resorts which are unincorporated areas and administered either by the state or management boards. ==History== Local government existed in Victoria since before its separation from New South Wales in 1851, with the Town of Melbourne being established by an act of the NSW Governor and legislative council in 1842〔Act 6 Victoria No. 7 of the Governor and Legislative Council of New South Wales.〕〔 Accessed at State Library of Victoria, La Trobe Reading Room.〕 and the Borough of Geelong being established in 1849.〔''Geelong Incorporation Act'' (NSW), 13 Vic. No. 40.〕 Both bodies continued after the creation of Victoria as a separate colony, and both later became cities. Road districts were established pursuant to legislation passed in 1853. From 1862 many road districts became shires pursuant to the ''District Councils Bill 1862''. To become a shire, the road district had to be over in size and have annual rate revenue of over £1000. There were 96 road districts or shires created by 1865.〔''(The progress of Victoria: A statistical essay (Intercolonial Exhibition essays, 1866–67) )'' by William Henry Archer. ASIN: B0008BRIUG〕 The first Victorian general Act dealing with local government was the ''Local Government Act'' 1874, which empowered shires to be established in territories that could financially support them, and boroughs to be established in areas not exceeding with a population of at least 300. Promotion to town or city status was dependent on the gross revenue of the council. Such promotion was not automatic, but it was granted often. Local government has been referred to in the Victorian constitution since 1979 (sec. IIA), but it does not operate so as to make Victoria a federation or protect the borders or powers of local government from amendment by executive order or act of parliament. Today, the constitution recognises it "a distinct and essential tier of government" and prohibits a council being dismissed by executive order, but grants significant powers to the state parliament in respect of local government. The clauses have been amended many times by parliament, but since 2006 the ''Constitution Act'' has required a referendum to further alter them. The current ''Local Government Act'' dates to 1989 and eliminated administrative distinctions between cities and shires, introduced the category of rural city and removed the possibility of declaring any further boroughs or towns (existing boroughs and towns were retained, although only one, the Borough of Queenscliffe, remains today, the other being abolished with the 1994 restructure). Five shires became rural cities but were dissolved with the 1994 restructure. In 1992 there were 65 cities in Victoria; more than there were in England at the time despite a significantly lower population. In 1994, the Jeff Kennett government restructured local government in Victoria. His reforms dissolved 210 councils and sacked 1600 elected councillors, and created 78 new councils through amalgamations. In suburban Melbourne 53 municipalities were reduced to 26. The new local government areas (LGAs) were headed by commissioners appointed by the State Government, democratically elected councils did not return until 1996. The current total of 79 LGAs arose when the Shire of Delatite was split in 2002 into the Rural City of Benalla and the Shire of Mansfield.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Local government in Victoria」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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