An ego-bruising loss, and a bizarre public health warning - #534

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Another extension of municipal monitors in Victoria,
• As WA’s new local government inspector gets sweeping new powers
• Victorian councils stand with Waverley against hate and anti-semitism
• Geelong region VCAT numbers revealed
• A political shift at Sydney’s largest council
• Court losses for former councillors in Queensland and South Australia
• Illegal camping prompts serious safety concerns at a Queensland aerodrome
• and the most bizarre public health warning of the year from a Tasmanian mayor

Chapters

• 1:42 Victorian Report
• 5:19 NSW Report
• 7:10 Queensland Report
• 9:31 TAS/SA/WA Report
• 12:28 Global Report

Transcript

The Victorian Government’s decision to extend the appointments of two municipal monitors at Kingston City Council has drawn criticism from the state opposition.

Shadow Local Government Minister Bev McArthur said the six month extension represents political interference in local democracy, given there have been no publicly substantiated governance failures.

Ms McArthur said the government should pay the bill for the monitors themselves, rather than imposing the cost of monitors’ fees on ratepayers.

Meanwhile at Hobsons Bay City Council, the minister has extended the appointment of John Tanner as Municipal Monitor, and appointed Rebecca McKenzie to join him from this month through the end of June.

The Local Government Victoria website cites ongoing governance concerns at the Council as the reason for the extension and the appointment of a second monitor.

Ms McKenzie has also been appointed as a municipal monitor at Mornington Peninsula Shire, alongside Prue Digby. Their 12 month appointment commences on the 19th of this month.

And at Wyndham City Council, there are calls for a monitor to be appointed after what Wyndham TV describes as a series of governance flashpoints.

Some current and former councillors are said to be in support of a monitor, over the option of dismissing the council.

Just prior to Christmas, the mayors of the cities of Glen Eira and Port Phillip headed to Sydney to hand over Victoria’s Statement of Solidarity against anti-semitism and all forms of hate.

The statement was signed by most Victorian mayors and endorsed by councils across the state.

Glen Eira Mayor Simone Zmood and Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin met with Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh to deliver the statement, demonstrating that Victorian communities stand along side the Waverley community which was deeply impacted by the Bondi attack.

Before the Christmas break, Macedon Ranges Shire Council said it was investigating reports of nature strip grass dying due to an apparent misapplication of herbicide during their street sweeping process.

The Council moved to assure residents that the glyphosate-based product pose no risk to people, pets, or the environment, and asked anyone experiencing impacts to report issues online.

Golden Plains Shire Council was revealed to have spent the most on VCAT legal fees among Geelong-region councils over the past two financial years, with its costs exceeding $150,000, according to analysis by the Geelong Advertiser.

The City of Greater Geelong saw only a small fraction of its planning decisions referred to the tribunal, while Surf Coast Shire had the highest number of VCAT referrals in 2023-24 with 20 cases.

The data reveals that across the region, councils generally have low rates of planning decisions being challenged at VCAT, with most decisions either upheld or modified rather than completely set aside.

The Labor party has lost majority control of Sydney's largest council after two Blacktown City councillors quit the party over a controversial rate hike, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Deputy Mayor Carol Israel and Councillor Bob Fitzgerald have resigned from the party, after bitter disputes over a proposed rate increase and the controversial sale of council land to a major developer.

The rate increase was narrowly voted through in a chaotic pre-Christmas meeting where two Liberal councillors couldn't attend.

Mayor Brad Bunting says the increase is needed to fund essential services as the council's population surges from 400,000 to 600,000 over the next 20 years.

The resignations mean Labor no longer has the numbers to guarantee its agenda in one of Sydney's most significant growth corridors.

The popular swan pedal boats at Lake Parramatta will soon be gone, as the Sydney Morning Herald reports that Parramatta Council has terminated the operator's licence over safety concerns.

The Council has ended its contract with Parramatta Rowboats, which has operated boat hire services at Lake Parramatta for eight years. The company's fleet includes rowboats, kayaks, canoes, and the distinctive swan pedal boats – imported from Michigan at $10,000 each.

Council cited "ongoing safety concerns" including inconsistent use of safety vests and inadequate staff training. Lifeguards have also needed to assist people on hired watercraft away from designated swimming areas.

Parramatta Rowboats will continue operating until the end of January, and the Council will begin seeking a new watercraft operator soon.

Wollongong City Council cancelled the 9pm New Year's Eve fireworks display due to dangerous ocean swells at Wollongong Harbour that made it unsafe to launch fireworks from their planned positions.

The Townsville Bulletin reported that the city’s former Mayor Troy Thompson has lost his bid to reopen a discrimination lawsuit against Townsville City Council.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has rejected his request, having previously dismissed the case when he failed to appear twice without explanation.

The decision has been described as another ‘ego-bruising loss in court’ for the embattled former mayor.

The federal government has reportedly remained silent on a plea from the Queensland government plea to help councils pay for real time weather data, estimated to cost up to $600,000.

It follows a decision from the Bureau of Meteorology to stop providing it for free from mid-2026.

The Courier Mail reported that some councils have claimed they were blindsided by the decision to shift costs on to them, and that the plea for help from the federal government has been thus far ignored.

The issue is now being highlighted by flooding in north-west Queensland, where councils have also raised concerns about non-operational river monitoring equipment and delays in major flood warnings for affected rivers like the Leichhardt and Nicholson.

Five local government areas are receiving Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements support for emergency response and infrastructure repairs.

The NorthWest Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils [said councils are prioritising community safety](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nwqroc_north-west-queensland-councils-are-actively-activity-7412022852847214592-B0od](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nwqroc_north-west-queensland-councils-are-actively-activity-7412022852847214592-B0od?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAAjrA-kBpSWaGINj4azvb-h1-pELuP-tGuQ)), road restoration, and essential services while warning residents and visitors to stay out of floodwaters and await full damage assessments as conditions improve.

Illegal camping at Caloundra Aerodrome has sparked serious safety concerns, with businesses and Sunshine Coast Council working to address the growing crisis.

The Council has confirmed it's engaging support services after mounting complaints about illegal camping and rubbish dumping at the Caloundra Aerodrome.

Councillor Terry Landsberg told the Sunshine Coast News that the issue goes beyond homelessness, posing genuine safety risks to aerodrome employees and staff.

The aerodrome, which handles about 40,000 aircraft movements annually and employs over 120 people, has seen conditions deteriorate with residents describing the area as increasingly problematic.

Council says it's committed to balancing compassion with community safety and is working with partner services to find solutions.

In one of the more bizarre stories of the holiday break, the Mayor of Derwent Valley has issued what might be the most unusual public health warning of the year.

Mayor Michelle Dracoulis took to social media this week with a simple message: "Please don't eat toilet seats."

The warning came after she discovered what appeared to be bite marks on a toilet seat n a councl facility. While the Mayor later clarified she doesn't actually believe people are snacking on toilet seats, she used the absurdist humour to draw attention to a serious issue - ongoing vandalism at public amenities.

In a follow-up post, Mayor Dracoulis explained the damage was likely caused by vandalism, but said the toilet seat "looked like it'd been attacked by the Cookie Monster." She said the facilities face regular problems including graffiti, vandalism, and theft.

Mayor Dracoulis defended her humourous approach, saying that sometimes Australians can use a bit of levity to make a serious point - and in this case, it certainly got people talking.

Two former City of Salisbury councillors have lost a Supreme Court battle to overturn their controversial removal from the council, according to Adelaide Now dot com.

Severina Burner and Grace Bawden were unanimously voted out in June 2023 after missing three consecutive meetings without approved leave - triggering the Local Government Act's three-strike rule.

The pair had faced intense scrutiny after posting inflammatory social media content comparing the council's smart-city technology to Nazi concentration camps and "Big Brother".

In her ruling, Justice Sandi McDonald described their explanations for missing meetings as "entirely unreasonable" and "highly contradictory" - noting that while they claimed to be medically unfit, Ms Bawden was working extra shifts elsewhere and Ms Burner continued posting on Facebook as a councillor.

Ms Burner said she will appeal the decision.

Western Australia's new Local Government Inspector has been granted sweeping powers to tackle dysfunction in the state's 139 councils. Tony Brown, who took up the role in October, can now intervene early when problems emerge – before they spiral out of control.

It follows a turbulent year for WA local government, with two councils – Nedlands and Port Hedland – sacked and replaced by commissioners, while Coolgardie narrowly avoided suspension after financial troubles.

Mr Brown's expanded powers allow him to send in monitors and experts, investigate complaints, and recommend the suspension or dismissal of entire councils or individual members. He can also issue fines of up to one thousand dollars for certain offences.

ABC News reported that the City of Perth is first on his list. The council referred itself last month after weeks of turmoil, including a controversial workplace review and the resignation of its acting CEO.

Global Report:

Taranaki Regional Council has defended its record of 50 vehicle incidents and 17 speeding tickets over three years, which is significantly more than other councils in the region, according to the Post.

While the Taxpayers' Union attributes the statistics to poor driving standards, the council noted that staff drive extensively across challenging terrain including highways, country roads, and farms, making their situation incomparable to district councils.

Equal pay settlements for female council workers in the UK have exceeded £1bn, according to a report from The Guardian.

The GMB union has secured approximately 30,000 settlements averaging £30,000 each across six local councils for workers in female-dominated roles who were denied equal pay and benefits compared to male-dominated positions.

The union expects thousands more claims this year with 40,000 outstanding claims across 26 authorities potentially worth hundreds of millions more.

Over 80 employees of London, Kentucky are suing the city council after it passed budget-cutting ordinances that could eliminate up to 72 positions across police, fire, and public works departments.

The Lexington Herald leader reported that a judge has granted a temporary restraining order to prevent implementation.

The lawsuit claims the ordinances are retaliatory and would cause irreparable harm to public safety.

Community members in Colorado Springs are attempting to recall City Council member Tom Bailey, claiming he ignores their concerns about local developments and has a voting record that doesn't represent their interests.

The recall group Integrity Matters says it has gathered the required signatures, and the process will now move forward to signature validation before being presented to City Council,

Council member Bailey has defended his actions as proper and well-documented, according to Fox21 News.

In New York City, where a new mayor has officially taken office, a new Council law is also now in effect requiring the NYPD to publish information online about identity theft and how to report it.

And its police force is required to train its officers in how to respond to and investigate identity theft as part of Council efforts to protect older people from scams.

And in Canada, the City of Toronto has appointed its new "traffic czar" (Chief Congestion Officer) to lead the city's efforts in reducing traffic congestion.

Andrew Posluns’ key priorities initially include presenting a Congestion Management Plan in April and overseeing transportation for the FIFA World Cup, according to CTV News.