Latrobe City Council has a new mayor and deputy
Inaugural Mary Rogers Award winners announced
Strathbogie Shire urges rethink on power projects
Urgent motion after physical attack on Council CEO
Planter box contract criticised at City of Sydney
Joondalup councillor resigns afer strip club expense scandal
Queenscliffe and Nillumbik elect new mayors
VIC: Latrobe City Council has tonight elected Cr Sharon Gibson as Mayor for the forthcoming 12 months. Cr Gibson steps up from deputy mayor, and outgoing mayor Cr Dale Harriman takes on the deputy mayor role.
VIC: Councillor Kylie Spears from Maroondah City Council has won the inaugural Mary Rogers Award for women in local government.
The Victorian Local Governance Association presented the award at Parliament House yesterday, recognising Cr Spears’ visionary leadership and work championing gender equality.
Brimbank‘s Councillor Katharine Nikolic took out the Emerging Woman Leader Award, while Monash City Councilwas named Gender Equality Council Champion.
The awards, named after Victoria’s first elected woman councillor in 1920, aim to inspire more women to stand for local government.
The VLGA is targeting 50% women councillors and mayors by the 2028 election.
VIC: Strathbogie Shire Council is urging the Australian Energy Regulator to reverse its rejection of two critical power infrastructure projects.
The Council says the proposed express feeder from Benalla to Euroa and upgrades from Seymour to Nagambie were excluded from AusNet’s 2026-31 plan despite chronic outages affecting residents and businesses.
The AER cited insufficient demand and cost-benefit ratios, but Mayor Scott Jeffery says this contradicts community experience.
He said the council is advocating strongly to ensure the projects are reconsidered in the final determination, which is due in the new year.
VIC: Hepburn Shire Council has condemned an alleged physical attack on its Chief Executive Officer Bradley Thomas, who had coffee thrown at him outside a Daylesford cafe last week.
The Council passed an urgent motion this week reaffirming zero tolerance for abuse and demanding staff safety protections.
The Mayor, Cr Tony Clark, will seek urgent meetings with state ministers to improve legislation safeguarding councillors and officers.
Victoria Police are investigating the incident.
NSW: The City of Sydney is facing criticism after awarding a nearly $20 million five-year contract for planter boxes in the CBD.
9News reported that the beautification project, managed by Melbourne firm Citywide Service Solutions, covers supply, maintenance, and seasonal displays in high-traffic areas.
Greens councillor Matthew Thompson argues the funds could better support childcare, community services, and free summer pools.
But the council has defended the investment as part of a $96 million annual beautification budget and commitment to 40% urban greenery by 2050.
WA: City of Joondalup councillor Nige Jones has resigned, citing personal reasons, after being found to have breached conduct standards.
Jones claimed a beer he bought at Adelaide’s Crazy Horse Revue strip club on a city-funded trip, calling it a “genuine mistake” due to tiredness and unfamiliarity with the CBD.
He was censured and ordered to complete ethics training, according to ABC News.
WA Premier Roger Cook called the expense claim “completely unacceptable,” questioning how anyone would think using ratepayer funds for “strippers and booze” was appropriate.
The resignation takes effect in February next year. His term was set to expire in October 2027.
VIC: Two more mayoral election results from Wednesday.
At the Borough of Queenscliffe, there is a new mayor – Cr Donnie Grigau was elected unopposed to the position, taking over from Di Rule, who will be the deputy for the next 12 months.
And Nillumbik Shire Council has elected an all-female leadership team for the next year, choosing Cr Naomi Joiner as Mayor, and Cr Kate McKay as deputy.