On the latest edition of the Local Government News Roundup:
- The mayor of one of Victoria’s largest councils suspended for one month
- Wangaratta Council appoints its new CEO
- A proposal to merge two NSW councils fails to get off the ground,
- As a dire warning is issued about the future of the state’s smaller councils
- Tensions rise in Wollongong during a cat curfew debate
- Plans for Australia’s tallest building on the Gold Coast
- A Hobart councillor’s fuel card mistake
Also today – why are an increasing number of local governments funding GPs?
On Roundup Extra, Robert Hicks from Curtin Medical School reveals that WA councils are now spending millions to fill a ‘market failure’ in medical services – and its a growing crisis across the country.
Plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.
The Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 – simple, connected customer experiences.
Listen to the episode here.
Read along with all the news, and find story links from this episode:
Victorian Report
Wyndham Council Mayor Josh Gilligan has been suspended from office for one month, effective from last night’s Council meeting, after an independent arbiter found he breached the councillor code of conduct.
The ruling stems from a Facebook post last September in which Cr Gilligan called former mayor Kim McAliney a “raging lunatic” and accused her of spreading anti-government propaganda.
Arbiter Simon Heath found the comments were belittling and abusive, and that they risked diminishing public trust in local government.
Cr Gilligan has been ordered to publish a written apology within 72 hours and says he’ll respect the decision, though he has expressed disappointment in the outcome, citing what he calls years of unacceptable treatment in the role.
Last last night, Cr Gilligan published an apology to his Facebook page, saying he takes responsibility for his words and the offence and hurt caused to Ms McAliney.
Under the Local Government Act, a new Mayor must be elected when the office become vacant. Deputy Mayor Preet Singh will assume mayoral duties until that election takes place.
Details of the arbiter’s ruling were confidential until tabled at the meeting last night, and the Council says a report will now be published on its website.
The Rural City of Wangaratta has appointed Matt Nelson as its new Chief Executive Officer, starting April 13th.
Matt brings over 25 years of government experience, most recently serving as Acting Land Coordinator General of Victoria. He’s worked extensively in the region, including on projects like Ride High Country and Prosecco Road.
Mayor Irene Grant says Mr Nelson’s experience across all levels of government makes him an outstanding appointment.
City of Greater Geelong Ron Nelson has resigned as deputy mayor but will continue serving as a councillor.
The Geelong Times reported that Cr Nelson, who is reportedly seeking Liberal preselection for the state seat of South Barwon, announced his decision at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
A special meeting is scheduled for March 3rd to elect a new deputy mayor.
The move coincides with new council guidelines being introduced for councillors running in state or federal elections, aimed at maintaining separation between council duties and campaign activities.
Plans for an 11-storey commercial office tower in Geelong’s civic precinct have been scrapped, dealing a blow to the City of Greater Geelong‘s debt reduction strategy, according to the Geelong Advertiser.
Developer Quintessential Equity walked away from the project last year after failing to secure a key tenant.
The abandoned development at 20 Gheringhap Street was part of a 2019 agreement that saw Quintessential build council’s new Wurriki Nyal headquarters. The site is now being used for community events.
Frankston City Council is rolling out the welcome mat for developers with a new fast-track planning program.
The Priority Development Program promises decisions within 16 weeks for major housing and commercial projects that meet the city’s standards.
Mayor Sue Baker says it’s about cutting red tape while maintaining quality.
Rural Councils Victoria has launched its 2026 Election Platform, calling for a major investment boost to support communities outside Melbourne.
The flagship recommendation is a 1 Billion Dollar Rural and Regional Victoria Productivity and Growth Fund.
RCV Chair, Councillor Robert Amos from Campaspe Shire, says rural Victoria is facing significant challenges including infrastructure decay, population decline, and council funding pressures.
The proposed fund would have four streams, and at least 25 percent would be guaranteed for rural Victoria.
Glenelg Shire Council is preparing to submit its concerns about regional aviation to a federal Senate inquiry. The Council, which operates Portland Airport, says it’s facing unsustainable costs to keep the facility running without government support.
Council officers have highlighted that while the airport must meet the same strict standards as major facilities, it operates at an annual financial loss.
A draft submission to be considered at this week’s Council meeting emphasises the airport’s critical role in emergency response and medical transport, as well as its importance to the local economy.
News Briefs
South Gippsland Shire Council Mayor Nathan Hersey has been reappointed as as Chair of One Gippsland, the regional advocacy body representing local government, industry and community organisations across Gippsland.
The council welcomed the reappointment as a reflection of Mayor Hersey’s strong leadership and commitment to regional collaboration in advocating for Gippsland’s interests at state and federal levels.
The Australian Local Government Association has raised concerns about new aged care rules, in a submission to a Senate Committee review.
ALGA is warning that regulatory inconsistencies and funding transitions could disrupt services in regional and remote areas where councils are key providers.
While supporting stronger accountability standards, ALGA is calling for clearer legislative guidance and transitional flexibility to ensure vulnerable communities don’t lose access to essential care.
NSW Report
Upper Hunter Shire Council has rejected a proposal to explore merging with neighbouring Muswellbrook Shire Council, voting down the motion 8 to 1.
Councillor Troy Stolz proposed exploration of a so-called “super council” as a solution to Upper Hunter’s financial difficulties, but the idea was met with fierce opposition from fellow councillors.
The Newcastle Herald reported that there were questions about the financial benefits, with some councillors suggesting Muswellbrook itself faces revenue challenges as local mines prepare to close by 2030.
Muswellbrook Mayor Jeff Drayton hit back at the criticism, defending his council’s strong financial position and questioning why Upper Hunter councillors would reject help while facing mounting debt.
A leading economist says up to half of NSW councils could face intervention within 12 months due to financial crisis.
Professor Joseph Drew estimates a third of councils aren’t financially sustainable, with small rate bases unable to cover massive infrastructure costs. Central Darling Shire Council was in administration for 12 years after nearly going bankrupt in 2013.
The NSW Auditor-General has identified 11 councils facing severe financial risk, including Cobar and Walgett shires.
Remote councils are caught in a funding squeeze, forced to maintain state-sized road networks with village-sized budgets, according to ABC News.
An independent report has confirmed that last year’s New Lambton landslip was the largest residential landslip in Australian history, according to the City of Newcastle.
The site remains unstable, moving up to 14 millimetres per day, with 16 homes evacuated and repair costs estimated at over 130 million dollars.
The Council says it lacks the financial capacity and legislative authority to fix the problem and is calling on the NSW Reconstruction Authority to step in.
The Authority has rated the disaster’s impact as ‘low severity’ despite homes collapsing and none being safe to return to without major engineering works.
A heated debate erupted at a Wollongong Council meeting this week over a proposed cat curfew.
According to the Illawarra Mercury, the deputy lord mayor told another councillor to “sit down” as tension rose over the issue.
Greens councillors moved a motion supporting state legislation to control roaming cats, citing their impact on native wildlife.
Opponents questioned whether a state parliamentary matter should be debated at council level. The motion was ultimately replaced with a watered-down version calling for a report on the council’s cat management capability.
A casual vacancy has opened on Wagga Council following the resignation of Councillor Tim Koschel at the end of January.
The NSW Electoral Commission will conduct a countback using original ballot papers from the 2024 election to fill the position.
Candidate applications close on March 5th, with the countback to be conducted on March 10th.
Narrandera Shire Council is cracking down on illegal timber collection from the local Flora and Fauna Reserve.
The practice is causing serious environmental damage and threatening native wildlife habitats.
Authorised officers are patrolling the area and surveillance is in place, with offenders facing significant fines and legal action.
Sutherland Shire Mayor Jack Boyd and 10 council lifeguards will tackle a 24-hour swim-run-swim challenge at Clovelly Beach this weekend.
The Lifeguards for Life Challenge aims to raise funds for Lifeline Sydney and Sutherland’s suicide prevention services.
Politicians and lifeguards from three councils will push their limits to support the 24-7 crisis counselling services.
More News Briefs:
More than 5,700 rugby league fans packed Glen Willow Stadium to watch South Sydney defeat Manly in a trial match that Midwestern Council estimates generated 1.1 million dollars for the local economy.
The NRL will return to the stadium on August 1st.
The City of Newcastle will host its first International Careers Day next month at City Hall.
The expo will connect skilled migrants, refugees and international students with potential employers.
250 students and 35 businesses are expected to participate across sectors including health, technology and manufacturing.
Bathurst Regional Council is installing 38 Return and Earn bin baskets on public bins across the region.
The baskets allow people to leave their drink containers for others to collect and recycle for a 10 cent refund.
A recent trial found the bin baskets reduced drink containers going to landfill by up to 80 percent.
Queensland Report
On the Gold Coast, property developer Altus has signed a 1.5 billion dollar deal to build a Trump Tower in Surfers Paradise.
The company’s chief executive David Young says the agreement was signed earlier this month at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, according to ABC News.
At 340 metres and 91 stories, the tower would be Australia’s tallest building when completed. It will feature 270 luxury apartments starting at 5 million dollars each, plus a six-star resort with high-end retail and restaurants.
Construction is expected to begin this year, though the developer is yet to submit a development application to council. Acting Mayor Mark Hammel has welcomed the investment, saying it shows confidence in the city.
The City of Ipswich has scored an unexpected global spotlight, after Mayor Teresa Harding’s community push to bring Ed Sheeran to town culminated in a surprise visit to the CBD by the singer..
Sheeran signed a pink mural and shared the moment with millions online.
The council says the 10-month campaign delivered about three million dollars’ worth of earned media exposure and a boost for local businesses.
Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council has announced that Janelle Ling has been declared the winner of the 2026 by-election by the Electoral Commissioner.
Mayor Guivarra welcomed Councillor Ling and said they look forward to working together on issues and opportunities affecting Mapoon.
Mayors from Torres Shire Council and Torres Strait Island Regional Council have welcomed the official opening of the North Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce, led by the Australian Federal Police.
The new multi-agency unit will target serious and organised crime across Northern Australia, with local leaders saying it’s a significant step to strengthen border security and protect Torres Strait communities from threats including people smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal fishing.
Tasmania
Hobart councillor Will Coats has reimbursed the council two hundred and fifty-seven dollars after using his council fuel card at three interstate locations.
Cr Coats says he accidentally used the wrong card, as his partner also has a work fuel card.
The card was limited to local travel only, but purchases were made in Albury, Canberra, and Batemans Bay, according to a report from the Mercury.
Coats has questioned the timing of the issue being raised, suggesting it’s politically motivated in an election year.
Hobart City Council is consulting the community on whether to permanently ban dogs from South Hobart Oval.
The move would end a twenty-year arrangement allowing dogs to exercise on the sporting pitch.
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds says it’s been a difficult and divisive issue, and no final decision has been made.
Pulse Tasmania reported that the proposal would bring South Hobart Oval in line with most other sports grounds across Tasmania.
South Australia
The Local Government Association of South Australia is strongly opposing the Liberal Party’s election commitment to introduce rate capping.
The LGA warns the policy would undermine councils’ ability to deliver essential services and infrastructure.
It says evidence from New South Wales and Victoria shows rate capping has generated significant infrastructure backlogs and reduced financial flexibility.
The LGA says councils need more funding and financing tools, not revenue caps while costs continue to rise.
Coorong District Council has committed forty thousand dollars to recruit general practitioners for the Coorong Medical Centre.
The funding follows strong community concern about the loss of local health services in Meningie and Coonalpyn.
The Council is also forming a Health Advisory Committee to identify service gaps and explore solutions.
The move comes amid ongoing GP shortages across regional South Australia, as recruitment challenges and an ageing rural workforce continue to strain country health services.
Western Australia
The City of South Perth is entering a period of state-mandated oversight following a wave of high-level resignations and internal upheaval.
WA Today reported that local government veteran and Murdoch University Chancellor Gail McGowan has been appointed as a monitor to oversee council governance and decision-making for at least the next two months.
This move follows the recent departures of the City’s CEO and Director of Corporate Services, alongside two sudden councillor resignations.
Ms McGowan will have the authority to inspect confidential documents and observe closed-door meetings to ensure the administration remains stable during this leadership vacuum.
The intervention aims to mend professional relationships and provide guidance to a council currently navigating a “turbulent” transition period.
It is the third WA council to have a monitor appointed in recent months, following similar moves at Perth and Nedlands.
A South Guildford resident has been hit with a $5,000 fine after being convicted of multiple littering offences.
The individual was caught on camera dumping rubbish and abandoning shopping trolleys on three separate occasions.
The City of Swan deployed mobile security cameras following an increase in illegal dumping reports.
After failing to appear in court, the individual was also ordered to pay the City’s legal costs and clean-up fees, totalling over $9,000.
The Shire of Mundaring is backing the Owl Friendly campaign to protect native birds from toxic rat poisons.
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides are poisoning owls and other birds of prey after they consume contaminated rodents.
The poisons are already banned or restricted in countries including the US, Canada and the UK.
Residents are being urged to make submissions calling for stronger regulations before March 16.
In the NT, extreme weather conditions have forced the MacDonnell Regional Council to postpone its February meeting this week.
Roads across the region have been closed, preventing councillors from attending the scheduled Friday gathering.
The meeting has been rescheduled for March 20. Officials expect the adverse weather and road closures to continue for some time.
The Northern Territory has introduced reforms to its local government code of conduct framework to better handle problem councillors without suspending entire councils.
The Local Government Amendment Bill creates a tiered approach involving an independent assessor and code of conduct panel, with sanctions including fines up to 50 penalty units and disqualifications for up to eight years.
Local Government Minister Steve Edgington says the changes will bring the NT in line with national best practice, according to the NT News.
Global Report
NZ:
Environment Southland is pushing back against the Government’s local government reform plans, calling for a delay until after the next election.
The regional council’s chair, Jeremy McPhail, says Southland’s four councils are already reviewing their future structure through the Local Government Commission – and that work needs to finish first.
McPhail is also concerned the Government’s proposal weakens democratic representation by removing elected regional councillors and replacing them with a Combined Territories Board made up of mayors.
The Government announced the changes in November, saying local government is “tangled in duplication and disagreements.” It expects the reforms to put downward pressure on rates.
Submissions on the proposal closed last week, with the Government now considering feedback, according to a report in the Southland Tribune.
UK:
A by-election has been called in Luton after a Liberal Democrat councillor failed to attend any council meetings for more than six months, according to BBC News.
Under local government law, councillors who miss meetings for six consecutive months automatically lose their seat. The council discovered Alan Skepelhorn had been absent between July last year and January this year.
The Liberal Democrat group leader said the six-month period was “miscalculated by the council” and only noticed after the fact. The council is now introducing a formal warning system to alert councillors approaching the six-month threshold.
Mr Skepelhorn, who has served as a councillor since 2003, previously received an extension during the pandemic after spending nearly six weeks on a life support machine with Covid-19.
A former Bolton Council worker has been jailed for four years and eight months after stealing nearly £900,000 from vulnerable benefit claimants.
Richard Shaw, who worked in the council’s Financial Protection Team, transferred money to nine personal accounts between 2015 and 2023.
He spent the stolen funds on a £100,000 holiday home in Lancashire, two BMW cars, and other luxury items.
Shaw initially denied the charges but pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position at Bolton Crown Court in December.
LocalGov reports that all affected individuals have now been refunded by the council.
The Welsh Government is rolling out 150 surveillance cameras across Wales in a major crackdown on fly-tipping.
More than 42,000 fly-tipping incidents were reported between April 2023 and March 2024, with 71% involving household waste.
The cameras will be distributed to local authorities to monitor hotspots and support enforcement action.
According to LocalGov, the government is also reviewing fixed penalty notice limits to ensure fines act as an effective deterrent.
USA:
In San Antonio, the city council was set to meet this week to discuss a possible public reprimand of its Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones. This follows a complaint filed by aCouncilwoman, who alleges the mayor shouted and cursed at her after a council meeting in early February.
The confrontation reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over fire safety requirements at the Bonham Exchange, a popular gay nightclub.
Five other councilwomen have backed the complaint. If the council moves forward with censure, Jones would be the first San Antonio mayor in modern history to face such a reprimand, though the action carries no penalty, according to Spectrum Local News.
CANADA:
In London, Ontario, city councillors have rejected a proposal that would have made it easier for the public to find out who owns rental properties in their neighbourhoods.
CBC News reported that some councillors wanted the city to post landlords’ names and contact information on the city website. Right now, that information has to be displayed inside rental units, but accessing it from outside means making a trip to City Hall.
Proponents said making the information available online would help neighbours communicate directly with property owners about any problems. But city staff warned against it, saying the municipality shouldn’t encourage residents to take enforcement of bylaws into their own hands.
The motion failed in a two-two tie vote at committee.
Roundup Extra:
Robert Hicks from Curtin Medical School addresses the “unjust burden” currently placed on local governments in rural and remote Western Australia. He highlights a significant “market failure” by state and federal governments, which has forced small local councils—traditionally responsible for “roads, rates, and rubbish”—to become the primary funders of essential medical services just to ensure their communities survive