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Date: 1 July 2026 Kiama Municipal Council has unanimously resolved to ask the NSW Minister for Local Government to allow it to operate temporarily with eight councillors, rather than proceed with a by-election scheduled for 22 August. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Cr Mike Cains and announced by the NSW Electoral Commission […]
Continue ReadingDate: 1st July 2026 Randwick City Council has voted to reject a controversial paid beach parking proposal following intense community opposition. The Daily Telegraph reported on a tense Tuesday night council meeting, where two thirds of the fifteen member council voted against the recommended plan, which aimed to generate up to three point six million […]
Continue ReadingDate: 26 June 2026 New South Wales councils will be subject to mandatory livestreaming requirements and tighter conduct rules at meetings, following the commencement of the Local Government (General) Amendment (Meetings) Regulation 2026. The regulation was issued following the disallowance of the 2025 Model Code of Meeting Practice by the NSW Legislative Council on 26 […]
Continue ReadingDate: 25 June 2026 Two regional Victorian councils have adopted their 2026–27 budgets this week, both landing on a 2.75 per cent rate rise after divided chamber votes that laid bare the tensions councils are navigating between financial sustainability and ratepayer affordability. At the City of Ballarat, the budget passed only on the casting vote […]
Continue ReadingDate: 25 June 2026 South Australia’s local government elections will be held in April 2027 rather than November this year, after urgent legislation passed both houses of state parliament today. The upper house passed the bill with ten members in favour and seven against. Labor and the Greens supported the delay; the Liberal Party and […]
Continue ReadingDate: 24 June 2026 Two councillors in Melbourne’s west have been suspended from their duties this week following separate internal arbitration processes — with both findings citing breaches of the Model Councillor Code of Conduct. Melton: Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg — two months Melton Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg has been suspended for two months and ordered to […]
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 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 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 […]
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