Alcohol scrapped, by-elections set and another councillor suspension – #604

Today on the Local Government News Roundup: And much more local government news from around Australia. Listen to this episode now. Victoria Wyndham City councillor Josh Gilligan has been suspended for the second time in four months after an independent arbiter found he misrepresented the council’s position on the proposed redevelopment of RAAF Base Point […]

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Lower Eyre CEO Appointed

Lower Eyre Council has announced the appointment of Marnie Lock as its new Chief Executive Officer. Lock brings over 30 years of local government experience to the role, having most recently served as the General Manager of Community and Business and Acting CEO at the City of Holdfast Bay. Ms Lock will oversee key regional […]

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Suspended, resigned, and elected – and the mental health of elected members – #602

Today 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 […]

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Donation fail, misconduct finding, and an accidental release – #601

Today 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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Deadlock broken, budget showdown, and an affront to local democracy – #598

Today on the Local Government News Roundup: Listen to this episode now: Stories in this episode: Victorian Report A major disruption for Victorian local government today as an estimated 1,500 council workers march on State Parliament. The 24-hour strike, organised by the Australian Services Union, impacts eight Melbourne councils—including Darebin, Hume, and Greater Dandenong. Frontline […]

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South Australian Council Elections Deferred to April 2027

Date: 16 June 2026 Elections deferred by 5 months; Electoral Commissioner to resign The South Australian Government has announced it will introduce urgent legislation this week to defer the 2026 periodic local government elections by five months, following formal concerns raised by the Acting Electoral Commissioner about the Electoral Commission of South Australia’s (ECSA) capacity […]

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