Abstract
The aims of this research essay are to identify the role of local government in community care services for elderly people and to examine the importance of local democracy. This is done through a case study of two community service centres in two local government areas of New South Wales, Australia with different demographic compositions. I particularly focus on the relation between 'decentralization' and 'local democracy' as a framework for this stud y. This research topic is worthwhile because the influence of 'decentralization' to local government in Japan will increase after the introduction of a new long-term care insurance from 2000. This new insurance will provide for community care services for elderly people. The research shows that the direct participation by community members, volunteers, and clients in the policy-making process is very important to the development of local democracy at the local government level. Even if the level of decentralization for the local government is high in terms of legal and financial matters, decentralization will not lead to better provision and coordination of community care services for elderly people. Another result shows that the local government has to recognize clearly the role and responsibility and create the process of positive community participation not only in service provision but also in policy-making. The development of local democracy has various advantages. These include improving informal community networks and helping in the provisions of stable services by community volunteers. The local government areas in NSW show variation in demographic compositions (especially, in ethnicity) and financial situation. It was found these diversities strongly affect the content and system of the service coordination for elderly people in the areas researched. Therefore, these characteristics of the coordination system in each local government should be considered and respected. More importantly, the upper levels of government must consider the difficulty of coordinating complicated demographic conditions faced by local government and support the local government in maintaining equity and equality in community services in each local area.
