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Date: 24th June 2026 A growing chorus of local government voices is demanding the Federal Government halt further Murray-Darling Basin water buybacks, following the Commonwealth’s purchase of almost 86 gigalitres of water in June 2026 at a reported cost of $430 million. The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO) has condemned the purchase, with RAMJO […]
Continue ReadingToday on the Local Government News Roundup: Listen to this episode now: Victoria Bayside City Council is taking its fight for transparency over new planning rules to the Supreme Court. The council is seeking to compel Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to hand over ministerial briefs and advice used to approve a controversial planning amendment affecting […]
Continue ReadingDate: 23rd June 2026 Bayside City Council has filed in the Supreme Court seeking to compel Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to hand over the ministerial briefs and advice that underpinned the state government’s controversial activity centre planning amendment. This is according a report today from The Age. The amendment overrides local planning controls across nine […]
Continue ReadingDate: 23rd June 2026 The City of Kingston has extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Peter Bean for a further four years, with an additional one-year option. Council endorsed the extension at its ordinary meeting on Monday night. Mr Bean has led the organisation since 2021. Mayor Georgina Oxley said he had earned the […]
Continue ReadingDate: 23rd June 2026 Preliminary findings from the largest study ever conducted into the mental health and wellbeing of Australian politicians suggest the sector faces a governance challenge as much as a personal welfare one, with a significant proportion of elected representatives reporting that poor mental health is affecting their capacity to contribute fully in […]
Continue ReadingToday on the Local Government News Roundup: Listen to this episode now: Victorian Report Melton City Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg has been suspended for two months, following an independent arbiter’s report into misconduct. The finding, which was tabled at last night’s council meeting, follows a complaint lodged by eight of her fellow councillors. The Age reported […]
Continue ReadingDate: 22nd June 2026 Loddon Shire Mayor Dan Straub has called for a fundamental shift in how the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is implemented. Speaking to Chris Eddy for an upcoming episode of VLGA Connect, Cr Straub said the current review process has become a political exercise that is ignoring both scientific evidence and the communities […]
Continue ReadingToday on the Local Government News Roundup: Listen to this episode: Victorian Report The Victorian Government’s new legislation aimed at strengthening council governance has drawn sharp criticism for failing to crack down on political donations. The bill follows years of integrity warnings, most notably from the anti-corruption watchdog’s Operation Sandon report into the Casey Council […]
Continue ReadingDate: 20th June 2026 Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden has been found to have committed misconduct on two separate occasions, after the Queensland Councillor Conduct Tribunal ruled she released confidential council information to a journalist while serving as a first-term councillor in 2023. In a decision published this week, Independent Assessor v Eden [2026] […]
Continue ReadingDate: 19th June 2026 The Victorian Government’s new legislation aimed at strengthening council governance has drawn sharp criticism for failing to crack down on political donations. The bill follows years of integrity warnings, most notably from the anti-corruption watchdog’s Operation Sandon report into the Casey Council scandal. While Local Government Minister Paul Hamer stated the […]
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