Special Edition: Jim's View, ft. Jim Magee - #539

In this special edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A councillor resignation at Whittlesea to trigger a by-election
• Strathbogie Council launches a petition to improve power reliability, after days of outages during bushfire emergencies
• Debate over the future of the Bondi Park bridge at the centre of a recent terror attack
• and a monitor appointed after relations breakdown at the City of Perth
• Plus former Glen Eira mayor Jim Magee OAM drops by for a chat on all things local government, including a controversial new survey that found some people want to do away with councils altogether.

Chapters

• 7:06 Interview: Jim Magee OAM

Transcript

Cr Nic Brooks has resigned from his position on Whittlesea City Council for personal reasons. The resignation is effective immediately.

A by-election will be conducted by the Victorian Electoral Commission to fill the vacancy, with dates to be confirmed.

Mr Brooks told The Age that the councillor workload, combined with running his business, was too much to manage.

Strathbogie Shire Council is urging residents to sign a petition supporting AusNet's proposal to install an Express Feeder, which would improve power reliability for approximately 5000 customers served by the longest and most vulnerable single-line feeder in Victoria's network.

The Australian Energy Regulator previously rejected the project based on cost-benefit analysis, but the council argues that reliable power is essential for community safety, business attraction, and quality of life, especially given recent multi-day outages during bushfire emergencies.

A Council Support Fund will provide almost $12 million to bushfire-affected councils to restore community assets like parks, sports facilities and community centres.

The fund, part of a range of recovery measures announced by the Commonwealth and Victorian governments, will be active for two years.

Councils will receive between $450,000 and $750,000 depending on the scale of impacts to support their recovery efforts and rebuild local infrastructure.

The Geelong Advertiser reports that over 1,000 fire prevention notices have been issued to residents across the Geelong region in just over two months, requiring them to clear grass, debris, and combustible materials or face fines of approximately $2,035.

The notices come as Victoria faces a state of disaster with multiple fires, and authorities aim to protect communities by ensuring properties are maintained to reduce bushfire risk.

The City of Stonnington has introduced scaled fees for resident parking permits, aligning with neighbouring councils like Yarra, Port Phillip and Bayside. Discounted rates are available for concession card holders.

The change follows consultation last July.

Alpine Shire Council is expanding its public electric vehicle charging network and inviting community members to suggest suitable locations in Council-owned carparks and parking bays.

The feedback will be combined with commercial interest assessments to inform an Expression of Interest process for qualified parties to install, operate, and maintain new EV chargers in the Shire.

Moyne Shire Council has installed communication boards at five playgrounds to support non-verbal communication and make play spaces more inclusive for people of all abilities, including those with speech difficulties or language barriers.

The boards use symbols and words that users can point to, helping remove barriers to inclusion and ensuring everyone can participate in community spaces.

Waverley Council will hold an extraordinary council meeting tonight to decide on a range of matters stemming from the December Bondi terror attack.

The council is expected to commend the Australian Government for establishing a Royal Commission, and flag future discussions about a permanent memorial that may include replacement of the northern pedestrian bridge in Bondi Park.

While the bridge is heritage-listed, it is nearing the end of its useful life - and some, including the NSW Premier, don’t want it to remain as a ghoulish reminder of the senseless violence of 14 December 2025.

It is also proposed that the Council invite public obituaries at its February meeting for each of the 15 victims of the attack.

Georges River Council is enforcing pool safety laws to reduce drowning risks, urging residents to ensure their pool barriers are compliant with legislation, especially after a 27% increase in drowning deaths.

Non-compliant pool owners face prosecution, fines, and potential criminal records.

Narromine Shire Council has extended Level 2 Moderate Water Restrictions until mid-February.

It has thanked residents for their cooperation in managing water demand, which has stabilised, but ongoing high temperatures and dry conditions mean continued pressure on the water treatment system.

Bega Valley Shire Council is seeking architects and designers to help shape the redevelopment of Bega War Memorial Pool, which will include a 10-lane 25m pool.

The project is supported by Federal Government funding - the design tender closes on 20 February.

Canberra's light rail fleet is being upgraded with on-board energy storage systems (OESS) to enable wire-free travel.

Five vehicles have already been retrofitted and fourteen more being upgraded gradually.

The wire-free technology, which charges on wired track sections and uses regenerative braking, will allow vehicles to operate without overhead wires between Alinga Street and Commonwealth Park.

Somerset Regional Council is seeking artists from Somerset and South East Queensland to create a mural on a water tank at Twin Bridges Reserve in Fernvale.

The project will celebrate aquatic habitat and threatened species like the Mary River Cod as part of the Somerset Fish Habitat Revitalisation Project.

It will be funded through the SEQ City Deal which will inject $40 million into Resilient Rivers SEQ.

Carol Adams, former Kwinana mayor and Perth Racing chair, has been appointed to monitor the City of Perth following a breakdown in relations between council members and city administration.

WA Today reported that Ms Adams has been appointed by new Local Government Inspector Tony Brown, who with powers to observe meetings and inspect documents.

The appointment comes after Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds requested a state government investigation into workplace culture at the city, amid an ongoing rift with chief executive Michelle Reynolds revealed in confidential documents.

Dropping by for a chat today is Jim Magee OAM, former mayor of Glen Eira City Council, and a keen observer and commentator of local government. We get Jim’s thoughts on a survey published by The Age this week that found a surprising number of people believe councils are not necessary, and that the local level of government could be abolished.