Tea Tree Gully Councillor resigns
Banyule Council: oval closed due to sinkhole in Heidelberg
Canterbury Bankstown councillor steps down
Illegal plantings on sand dunes removed by Council
Narrogin to transition homecare services
Melbourne design competition to be dumped
Concept designs unveiled for Brewarrina multipurpose sports complex
Toronto’s Taylor Swift concert costs revealed
SA: Blake Lawrenson has resigned from his position as a City of Tea Tree Gully councillor, which he held since 2022.
A supplementary election will not be held as the vacancy occurs within 12 months of the November 2026 local government elections.
The Advertiser reported that the resignation came in a cloud of controversy following multiple stoushes during Council meetings including a shouting match with the mayor.
Mr Lawrenson became one of the state’s youngest councillors when first elected at the age of 21.
VIC: Banyule City Council says it is aware of a sinkhole that has opened at AJ Burkitt Reserve in Heidelberg, causing the oval to be closed indefinitely while the North East Link Project construction consortium, Spark, undertakes repairs and remediation.
The area has been secured and cordoned off, and the Council is working with authorities to assess the situation and support affected local sporting clubs in finding alternative venues.
NSW: Councillor Karl Saleh OAM has stepped down after over 20 years of service to the City of Canterbury Bankstown, including five terms as Councillor and four terms as Deputy Mayor.
While leaving elected office, he says he remains committed to serving the community and hopes his journey inspires young people from non-English speaking backgrounds to pursue leadership through political engagement.
A countback will be conducted to fill the vacated position on the Council.
QLD: Livingstone Shire Council has removed approximately 20 native tree saplings that were illegally planted on sand dunes at Shelly’s Beach in Emu Park.
ABC News reported that the move comes despite criticism from a local councillor and a Darumbal elder who argue the trees help stabilise coastlines and combat erosion.
The saplings are believed to have been planted by community members to replace dozens of mature trees that were mysteriously poisoned over the past year, with no one found responsible for either the poisonings or the unauthorised plantings.
Mayor Adam Belot defended the removal, stating the council has zero tolerance for any unauthorised activity in the sensitive dune area.
WA: The Shire of Narrogin Council has decided to transition homecare services to Silver Chain Group Limited by 30 June, following an Expression of Interest process that began last September.
Shire President Leigh Ballard said the decision aims to ensure long-term sustainability and high-quality care delivery, with all services continuing without interruption during the transition period.
VIC: Melbourne City Council is expected to abandon Lord Mayor Nick Reece’s promised design competition for renovating Southbank’s red stairs, according to the Herald Sun.
The competition was announced by Cr Reece in August 2024 with a $25,000 prize but it never materialised by the promised 2025 deadline.
Local residents and business associations, while unsurprised by the delay, are calling for a comprehensive redesign of the entire Southbank Boulevard area rather than piecemeal improvements to just the stairs.
NSW: Brewarrina Shire Council has unveiled concept designs for a landmark new Multipurpose Sports Complex, to feature indoor and outdoor courts, a gym, youth and community hubs, gymnastics hall, kiosk, playground and water park.
The facility, jointly funded by the Australian Government and Council, is positioned in the main street of Brewarrina to ensure accessibility and foster community engagement, with the development application now open for public submissions until February 2, 2026.
CANADA: A report prepared for the City of Toronto puts the host of hosting Taylor Swift’s six Eras Tour concerts in November 2024 at $3.6M.
CTV News reported that the major costs included $2.6 million for policing and $1.7 million for increased transportation services.
However, the concerts generated $152 million in direct spending and $39.7 million in government revenue, delivering significant economic value for the city, as well as valuable experience for hosting future major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.