Today on the Local Government News Roundup:
- Bayside sues for planning transparency
- Kingston re-signs CEO Peter Bean
- A suspended councillor responds with a legal threat
- News from the National General Assembly in Canberra
- North Sydney winds back its park user fee plan
- The latest Murray Darling water buyback slammed by RAMJO
- The sector reacts to the Queensland budget
- Waratah-Wynyard names its interim CEO
- and council travel plans remain contentious in Perth
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 25 activity centres across nine Melbourne council areas.
The council says freedom-of-information requests have been refused.
According to The Age, Mayor Debbie Taylor-Haynes says the action is about transparency, and the community’s right to understand how decisions reshaping their neighbourhoods were made.
The state government says it will challenge the application.
The City of Kingston is calling on the Victorian Government to reconsider the planned design for the Aspendale Level Crossing Removal Project.
Council is advocating for a rail-over-road solution, rather than the rail-under-road trench announced in 2022.
A council consultation attracted more than 540 submissions, with 76 per cent of respondents backing the elevated option.
Mayor Georgina Oxley says the project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the community, and Council has submitted its advocacy position to the State Government.
In more Kingston news, the council has extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Peter Bean for a further four years, with an additional one-year option.
Mr Bean has served as CEO since 2021.
Mayor Georgina Oxley praised his leadership, citing his steady hand through significant financial pressures and his commitment to the community.
Council endorsed the extension at its meeting on Monday night.
Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll says there will be no public school closures, but Mansfield Shire Council says the future of the Mansfield Secondary College Annex at Mt Buller suggests otherwise.
In a letter to the editor, Mayor Steve Rabie says the Annex — operating since 1996 — is being shut down, with the council claiming repeated requests for updates from the Department of Education have gone unanswered.
Council argues the Annex is a vital community link between Mansfield and Mt Buller, supporting athlete pathways and local jobs — and warns closure could create safety risks, forcing families to travel icy mountain roads and rely on limited transport options.
The council says it’s ready to assist, and wants ministerial approval sought to keep the Annex operating in 2026 and beyond.
Suspended Melton City Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg has hit back at a misconduct ruling, labelling the internal arbiter’s report “false and defamatory”.
Speaking to ABC News, Councillor Vandenberg announced intentions to launch legal action and refer the independent arbiter, Diana Price, to the Law Commission of Victoria.
Vandenberg claims the two-month suspension for code of conduct breaches is politically motivated, stemming from a separate privacy dispute between her partner and the council currently before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
While she will forgo her councillor allowance during the suspension period, she has vowed to continue performing her civic duties and has confirmed a state election bid against the Labor party for the seat of Sydenham.
Yarra Ranges Council has voted unanimously to push for a full Environment Effects Statement regarding the proposed expansion of the Yarra Valley Quarry in Launching Place.
The Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader reported the council is advocating to the state government for rigorous scrutiny over plans to clear 26 hectares of native forest.
Councillors hold significant concerns for the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum habitat and local heavy vehicle traffic.
The application currently remains before Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny.
South Gippsland Shire Council will remove community sharps bins from July first, shifting disposal responsibilities to the health sector.
Chief Executive Allison Jones said the sharps disposal services are generally delivered by the health sector, noting that compliance upgrades following recent vandalism would cost ten-thousand dollars per bin.
Harm-reduction advocates have warned of potential public safety risks during the transition, according to the Sentinel-Times.
Geelong has secured a multi-year agreement to host the AUSX Open Supercross at GMHBA Stadium.
The Geelong Advertiser reported yesterday that the premier motorsport event will move from Melbourne this November, bringing an estimated eighteen-million-dollar economic boost to the region.
Deputy Mayor Eddy Kontelj welcomed the announcement, labelling it an exciting moment that reflects “the new Geelong.”
From Knox City Council, an announcement that recycling bin lids are changing soon.
Starting Monday July 20, blue-lid recycling bins in the city will be switched to yellow due to new state government rules requiring consistency of household bin lid colours across the state.
National General Assembly News
The Australian Local Government Association has launched a new national guide aimed at boosting disability inclusion at councils across the country.
Released ahead of the National General Assembly in Canberra this week, the guide provides practical frameworks to help local governments make infrastructure and public services more accessible, while tapping into an under-utilised talent pool of over five million Australians living with disability.
According to ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett, the resource will also assist councils in addressing ongoing regional workforce shortages by fostering more inclusive and diverse workplaces.
Federal Local Government Minister Kristy McBain has reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to regional councils, addressing delegates at an Australian Local Government Association forum in Canberra.
Government News reported that Minister McBain acknowledged intense cost-of-living pressures, workforce shortages, and aging infrastructure facing the sector. While pointing to a 30 per cent increase in Financial Assistance Grants since taking office, the Minister stopped short of meeting local government calls to permanently restore the grants to one per cent of Commonwealth tax revenue.
The Minister also flagged upcoming disaster recovery funding reforms that she said will make emergency assistance faster and fairer for regional communities.
NSW
North Sydney Council has scaled back a contentious proposal to charge permit fees for commercial park users following strong community pushback.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald this morning, the revised framework will see proposed fees for weddings, personal trainers, and large private gatherings significantly reduced, though fees for commercial dog walkers and private schools will remain.
The council says the revised fees will directly fund park maintenance. Councillors are expected to vote on the updated policy next week.
Regional Cities NSW has [welcomed a $5.56 million investment](https://www.https://www.linkedin.com/posts/regional-cities-nsw_regional-cities-nsw-welcomes-the-announcement-activity-7474944367120683008-1KWk.com/posts/regional-cities-nsw_regional-cities-nsw-welcomes-the-announcement-activity-7474944367120683008-1KWk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAAjrA-kBpSWaGINj4azvb-h1-pELuP-tGuQ) in Griffith City Council, aimed at unlocking housing and critical infrastructure in one of the state’s fastest-growing regional economies.
The funding is expected to help open up around 1,660 residential lots for development, while supporting local jobs and growth.
Regional Cities NSW says targeted infrastructure spending like this is key to easing housing pressure and building stronger, more resilient regional communities.
The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation has condemned the Federal Government’s latest Murray-Darling Basin water buyback, reportedly nearly 86 gigalitres for more than 430 million dollars.
Chair and Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae says the purchase will further hit farming communities across southern New South Wales, arguing the Basin Plan focuses on water recovery targets without properly addressing local and regional economic impacts.
RAMJO is calling for an immediate halt to further buybacks, and wants funding redirected to on-ground environmental works like wetland projects, fish passage and carp control.
The Sturt Highway Taskforce is calling for urgent state and federal funding after a deadly crash near Euroley claimed two lives and injured three others.
Chair and Murrumbidgee Mayor Ruth McRae says the tragedy follows another serious incident last week near Darlington Point, highlighting the ongoing toll on regional communities.
The taskforce is calling for long-term safety upgrades, requiring between six and eight hundred million dollars. The taskforce is urging Australians to contact their MPs to back immediate investment.
Georges River Council has formalised its opposition to elements of the New South Wales Government’s draft Community Participation Plan.
The council’s official submission warns that proposed blanket exemptions could significantly reduce transparency by skipping public notification for major developments, including residential flat buildings.
Mayor Elise Borg said that while uniform statewide planning standards are welcome, they must not come at the expense of genuine community engagement.
Meanwhile, the council has voted not to increase mayor and councillor fees for the forthcoming financial year – rejecting the standard 3.7 percent increase on offer.
Port Macquarie Hastings Council has welcomed cost-of-living relief and hospital funding in the new New South Wales Budget, but expressed disappointment over a lack of commitment to key regional infrastructure.
Mayor Adam Roberts says council will continue advocating for critical water, sewer, and road upgrades omitted from the state’s plan, while focusing on delivering its own record two-hundred-million-dollar capital works program.
Queensland
The Local Government Association of Queensland has given a mixed response to the Queensland state budget.
It has welcomed the doubling of the Residential Activation Fund but is disappointed that the government has continued to reduce the annual rebate paid to councils to offset the household waste levy.
LGAQ Chief Executive Alison Smith says the levy is projected to deliver the state government an additional five-hundred-and-seventy million dollars over four years — a cost she says will ultimately land on ratepayers’ bills.
LGAQ also flagged ongoing concern that Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme funding remains capped, and that no new water and wastewater infrastructure program was announced.
Brisbane City Council is set to vote on selling the historic Brisbane School of Arts building on Ann Street.
The Brisbane Times reports that the decision follows a failed expression of interest process to secure private sector restoration for the heritage-listed asset, which requires significant modernisation.
In more Brisbane news, the council has cancelled a planned expansion of pickleball courts at Joachim Park following community protests over green space and a lack of consultation.
The decision has sparked a political row, with the administration blaming opposition-aligned groups, while critics argue the council failed to properly consult residents.
The Brisbane Times has the details.
The City of Moreton Bay has received national recognition for its approach to housing insecurity and homelessness.
The council was announced the winner of the Affordable Housing category at the National Awards for Local Government in Canberra. Its Community Leasing for Social and Affordable Housing Project enables community housing providers to access council-owned land through low-cost, long-term leases.
To date, the initiative has accommodated dozens of residents, with the council also waiving more than 2.2 million dollars in development and infrastructure charges for eligible projects.
Tasmania
In Tasmania, Waratah-Wynyard Council has adopted its 2026-27 Annual Plan and Budget, setting a general rate increase of four-point-nine per cent — described as one of the lowest on the state’s north-west coast.
The council has also appointed Gary Arnold as Interim CEO, commencing late August. Mr Arnold previously served as CEO of Kingborough Council for a decade and is currently supporting Orange City Council in New South Wales in an interim capacity.
A ten-million-dollar park and ride facility in Rokeby has the green light after receiving unanimous approval from Clarence City Council.
Pulse Tasmania reported that the Department of State Growth project will feature nearly two hundred car spaces and secure bike storage to support eastern shore commuters.
Construction is slated to begin later this year.
South Australia
The District Council of Grant will officially modernise its identity, rebranding as the Southern Limestone Coast Council from July first.
Following a six-week community consultation period, elected members voted this month to approve the progressive rollout of the new name and visual identity.
Chief Executive Officer Gary Button said the update addresses long-standing brand inconsistencies across council facilities, with further implementation managed entirely in-house to remain cost-effective.
A budget of fifty-thousand dollars has been allocated for the project, according to the Mt Gambier Times.
Western Australia
A City of Perth committee has voted against a proposal to suspend all international and interstate council travel, according to PerthNow.
The travel freeze, initially proposed in April to deliver budget savings, was rejected by the policy, legislation, and governance committee in favour of existing engagement frameworks.
Planned travel for the remainder of this year includes the ALGA National General Assembly in Canberra, and an estimated $9,400 trip to Denpasar, Bali, later this year to review a sister-city arrangement.
Community advocates have criticised the decision, calling for greater transparency and measurable outcomes on all ratepayer-funded travel.
The City of Bunbury will resume processing food organics and garden organics—or FOGO—following a special council meeting decision.
The move ends more than a year of organic waste being directed to landfill following the closure of the Banksia Road facility in 2024. Processing is expected to commence in October this year.
While the service will cost an additional $695,000 annually compared to landfilling, the council says the decision is a long-term investment that protects against future state landfill levies.
Northern Territory
An enthusiastic response to the City of Darwin’s compost bin rebate program has seen more than 100 households divert organic waste from landfill this financial year.
The initiative offered up to 100 dollars for local purchases of compost bins, worm farms, and bokashi systems.
Lord Mayor Peter Styles said the strong community uptake demonstrates a local commitment to managing food waste at its source.
The program is expected to reopen in the 2026/27 financial year alongside community education workshops.
International
UK:
Stafford Borough Council in the UK has approved plans to ban face coverings in public spaces to combat anti-social behaviour.
The measure, part of an updated public spaces protection order set for implementation late this year, targets intimidation by groups of young adults. Exemptions will apply for religious and health reasons.
The BBC reported that breaches could attract a fixed penalty notice of up to one hundred pounds.
PHILIPPINES:
The Office of the Ombudsman in the Philippines has filed two graft charges against Borbon Vice Mayor Noel Dotillos.
The cases concern the alleged unauthorised release of municipal bonuses and a conflict-of-interest contract renewal.
According to Cebu Daily News, criminal prosecution will proceed despite a previous administrative clearance.
USA:
Fort Worth, Texas Mayor Mattie Parker and her husband have denied conflict of interest allegations regarding data centre lobbying, according to the Fort Worth Report.
Public filings linked the mayor’s husband to a prominent data centre coalition, prompting calls from local critics for her recusal ahead of an upcoming council vote on stricter development regulations.
CANADA:
Local governments in British Columbia are urging caution following a joint federal and provincial three-point-two-billion-dollar housing package.
While the initiative lowers developer charges, municipal leaders warn a lack of detail and a shift away from funding non-market housing leaves long-term infrastructure issues unresolved.
City of Langley mayor Nathan Pachal told CBC News that rumours abound about the subsidies, and clear guidance is needed soon.
NZ:
In New Zealand, Rangitīkei Mayor Andy Watson has heavily criticised central government council reforms, labelling the “Head Start” amalgamation initiative as “purely political,” according to The Post.
Speaking to community members, Mayor Watson warned that the proposed structural changes threaten local identity and could drastically reduce regional representation.
The reform gives councils until August 9 to submit a proactive plan or risk facing a forced amalgamation.