Making news today across the world of local government (updates regularly):
Flood strategy funding for Launceston
New Deputy Mayor for Alexandrina Council
Shoalhaven coastal management program certified
Maribyrnong’s submission to early childhood inquiry
Peak bodies sound alarm over planning bill
Bass Coast re-elects mayor and deputy mayor
New General Manager appointed at Greater Hume Council
Fifth waste truck fire prompts battery warning
Interim erosion overlay proceeds at Mornington Peninsula
Swan Hill pleased with lifting of Lake Boga blue-green algae warning
Electoral review completed for District Council of Cleve
Wellington Shire Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected
WA Council warns of financial devastation
Newcastle on board for high-speed rail station
Toowoomba planner wins Emerging Planner award
Wakeboard park proposal back on Geelong agenda
New mayor for Banyule, status quo at Glen Eira
Queenscliffe appoints Tudball as acting CEO
PM and WA Premier visit Bunbury
TAS: The City of Launceston has secured $540,000 from the Australian Government’s Disaster Ready Fund to develop a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy.
The council will contribute the remaining funds to complete the $1.5 million project over three years.
Launceston has experienced more than 40 major floods since records began and currently manages over 12 kilometres of levees and 19 floodgates.
SA: Alexandrina Council has elected Councillor Michael Scott ASM OAM as Deputy Mayor for a one-year term until the 2026 Local Government Elections, replacing outgoing Deputy Mayor Peter Oliver whose term ends November 30.
Cr Scott is an 11-year veteran councillor, serving in his third term on the council.
NSW: The NSW Government has certified Shoalhaven Council‘s Coastal Management Program for St Georges Basin, Sussex Inlet, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek, following years of development and community consultation.
The program outlines 66 management actions to address key risks including foreshore erosion, ecological concerns, and sea-level rise over the next decade.
Council can now implement and monitor these actions to protect and preserve the popular estuaries for future generations.
VIC: Maribyrnong City Council is making a submission to Victoria’s Parliamentary Inquiry into Early Childhood Education and Care, calling for stronger oversight, better workforce standards, and improved transparency following child abuse allegations in the sector.
The Council, which owns eight long day care centres and 14 kindergartens managed by external providers, is pushing for tougher regulation, more frequent audits, and clearer accountability to restore family confidence in early childhood services.
VIC: Victoria’s peak housing and local government bodies are sounding the alarm over the state’s Planning Amendment Bill 2025, warning it’s a missed opportunity to address the housing crisis.
The Community Housing Industry Association Victoria and the Municipal Association of Victoria say the bill – the biggest planning overhaul in 40 years – talks about social housing but provides no real way to deliver it.
The numbers paint a stark picture: more than 146,000 Victorians lacked suitable housing in 2022, and the state has the lowest proportion of social housing in Australia at just 3.1 percent.
The groups are calling on Parliament to introduce an affordable housing contribution requirement – a mechanism that would see funds from new developments go toward building social housing in the same communities.
Without it, they say, the government is only paying lip-service to Victoria’s housing affordability crisis.
The bill is set to go before the Upper House in the coming days.
VIC: Bass Coast Shire Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead has been elected today for a second consecutive term in the role, along with Deputy Mayor Cr Brett Tessari.
NSW: Greater Hume Council has appointed Dena Vlekkert as its new General Manager, effective February 4th, 2026.
Ms Vlekkert brings nearly twenty years of leadership experience, most recently serving as Director Community and Corporate at Wodonga City Council.
Mayor Lea Parker says Ms Vlekkert’s proven leadership skills and regional knowledge will be invaluable to the continued success of Greater Hume Shire.
Colin Kane will continue as acting GM until her arrival in February.
VIC: Campaspe Shire Council is warning residents after five waste truck fires in 18 months were caused by batteries improperly disposed of in kerbside bins.
The fires pose serious risks to waste collection staff and the community, with smouldering loads sometimes needing to be dumped roadside to prevent total truck loss.
Mayor Daniel Mackrell says electronic waste is growing three times faster than standard waste and must be taken to Resource Recovery Centres, not placed in any kerbside bin.
VIC: Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has voted to introduce interim planning rules for land at high risk of landslides, following recommendations from the McCrae landslide inquiry.
The new Erosion Management Overlay will affect approximately 33,000 properties across seven percent of the Shire, requiring most property owners to obtain planning permits before development or vegetation removal.
Landowners will likely need geotechnical reports to demonstrate their developments will be safe from landslides.
The interim control will remain in place for at least two to four years while the Council completes a comprehensive review of landslide data across the peninsula.
VIC: Goulburn-Murray Water has lifted the blue-green algae warning at Lake Boga in time for summer, much to the delight of Swan Hill Rural City Council.
Mayor Cr Stuart King says the reopening is fantastic news for locals and visitors who’ll be able to enjoy boating, fishing and picnicking at one of the region’s most popular destinations.
The move is also expected to provide a welcome boost to local businesses as tourists return to the area over the holiday season.
SA: The District Council of Cleve has completed a review of its electoral representation arrangements, resulting in an increase of one area councillor.
The council will comprise a mayor and six area councillors, effective from the next council elections.
The council area will not be divided into wards.
The council currently comprises the mayor, Phil Cameron, and five council members.
VIC: Wellington Shire Council has elected Cr Cindy Madeley as its new mayor this week. Cr Madeley steps up from the deputy mayor position, which is now held by Cr Liz Foat.
WA: From ABC News: Western Australia’s lower house has passed legislation that would stop councils from charging rates on certain mining land, a move that could devastate the Shire of Mount Magnet by slashing its annual rates income from $3M to just $300K.
The reform follows a Supreme Court ruling in July that allowed the shire to levy rates on mining camps with miscellaneous licenses, but the mining industry warned it could cost the sector $55M a year.
Mount Magnet’s chief executive Tralee Cable says the swift legislation, which requires repayment of rates collected since 2017 within 28 days, shows “amazing disregard” for the impact on small regional communities and could make the shire economically unviable.
NSW: Newcastle City Council has voted unanimously to write to the High Speed Rail Australia Chief Executive and Federal Minister for Infrastructure encouraging them to progress the business case for a station at Broadmeadow to the next stage.
The Council will also engage with Newcastle Airport and Port Stephens Council on joint advocacy to the Federal and State Governments on a fast and direct public transport connection to the Airport.
QLD: Toowoomba Regional Council planner Katrina Christensen has been named Emerging Planner of the Year at the Planning Institute of Australia Queensland Awards for Planning Excellence.
Christensen, who joined Council’s Planning team in 2021, was recognised for her exceptional impact on regional planning through leadership, policy development and community engagement.
The award celebrates her dedication to delivering planning outcomes that enhance liveability and create meaningful opportunities for communities across the Toowoomba Region.
VIC: From the Geelong Advertiser: A revised $6.5M wakeboarding park proposal in Connewarre is back before Greater Geelong council after resolving safety concerns with the neighbouring Barwon Heads Airport.
The project, first lodged in 2020, was delayed when the airport raised objections last year, but applicant Travis Tait has now repositioned the park slightly south and added flashing beacons to address aviation safety.
If approved, the facility would create 60 full-time jobs and become Australia’s ninth full-size cable park, with the developers aiming to open by September 2027.
VIC: Banyule City Council has elected a new leadership team. Cr Alison Campion takes over the mayoralty, joined by Cr Rick Garotti as Deputy Mayor. Meanwhile at Glen Eira City Council, Cr Simone Zmood has been re-elected for a second consecutive term as mayor, while Cr Li Zhang takes on the deputy mayor position.
VIC: Michael Tudball has been appointed Acting CEO of the Borough of Queenscliffe for a minimum period of three months.
The appointment will take effect 1st December, after the departure of Martin Gill, who recently came to terms with the Council, ending his employment contract early.
WA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Cabinet, along with Premier Roger Cook, have visited the City of Bunbury for a meeting in the Council chambers, where they praised the city’s natural environment, vibrant community, and energy transition efforts.
The council has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to strengthen government relationships and engage in dialogue for the city’s betterment.