Treasurer Peter Gutwein deserves credit for nudging this process forward and has quite rightly pointed to the possible benefits of reform, which is a better focus than reform merely for the sake of it.

All credit as well to those in local government willing to explore options, rather than the traditional resistance to anything that may challenge the disproportionate power enjoyed by councils.

Local government is a grassroots business, arguably in better touch with its constituency than the other two tiers. That doesn't mean we need 29 councils and almost 300 representatives for our size, especially when a major function of these councils, water and sewerage services, has been devolved to Taswater.

Therefore, talk of ways to achieve better efficiencies is welcome. The eventual creation of a statewide planning system will also ultimately mean that we can make do with fewer councils.

Other reforms debated at the Local Government of Tasmania conference included compulsory voting and political donations.

Compulsory voting was rejected, even though the lack of it merely exploits voter apathy. One speaker said councils haven't the resources to chase up non-voters. But, councils wouldn't have to. The State Electoral Office runs elections and polices voting behaviour at state and federal elections and would do the same at a local level.

That aside, the conference has been a worthwhile event. Indeed, councils should be talking to each other constantly to achieve agreed outcomes and find more ways to cut costs, peg rate rises and improve services.

They may not all agree on an optimum number of councils, but it will only take amalgamations in one part of the state to put pressure on other regions.