New leadership era, medical emergency, and a sudden resignation - #541

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The dawn of a new era for Hobsons Bay as a new leadership team takes the reins
• Moyne Shire Council acknowledges community frustration over the closure of a local pool
• The split-second decision that saved a councillor’s life
• Newcastle’s Lord Mayor back at work after medical leave
• A popular tourist attraction closed - the council says visitors are making it unsafe
• and a sudden councillor resignation in South Australia, and a leadership update at Onkaparinga

Transcript

Hobsons Bay City Council has welcomed a new leadership team as it begins 2026.

Phu Nguyen officially started as chief executive officer this week, bringing over 20 years of local government experience from roles including CEO of the City of Onkaparinga in South Australia, and senior positions at the City of Melbourne and Campbelltown City Council.

Also joining the team is Hector Gaston as sustainable communities director, who brings 25 years of experience from Moonee Valley and Hume councils.

The appointments come after a period of significant change for the organisation, with interim CEO Kerry Thompson stepping down after guiding Council through the transition.

Two additional senior appointments have been confirmed, with Chris Sutton starting as chief people officer this month, and Olivia Barry set to begin as corporate services director in late February.

Moyne Shire Council has provided an update on the status of the Belfast Aquatics facility in Port Fairy, which it has taken over following the end of the committee's lease on 16 January.

Mayor Jordan Lockett said the council had heard the community’s concerns about the future of the facility, including the frustration and sense of hurt that many are feeling.

He said the council is now considering all available options for the facility's future, and will soon open its Aquatic Facilities Strategy for public feedback to guide future investment and service provision for community pools.

Melbourne residents have overwhelmingly rejected the City of Melbourne's expanded CCTV camera program, according to the Herald Sun, with 79% opposing its use for monitoring activities like busking and property damage.

86% expressed little to no confidence in the council's responsible use of footage.

In response, the council has strengthened privacy measures in its updated policy, limiting footage access to authorised staff only in specific circumstances.

Cardinia Shire Council is calling on residents to help shape the future of the region's thriving food and agriculture sector.

The shire contributes an estimated $500 million to the economy each year, supplying fresh produce to markets across Australia and beyond.

Following extensive consultation with over 330 farmers, food businesses, and community leaders, Council has released a Draft Agribusiness Audit Report. Mayor Brett Owen says the report highlights both the region's strengths and future opportunities.

One key initiative is the establishment of a Food and Agribusiness Advisory Committee. Council is seeking up to 10 community representatives with backgrounds in farming, food production, manufacturing, or related industries to join the committee.

A new report has revealed that home-based businesses are the driving force behind Nillumbik Shire’s local economy, supporting jobs, local spending, and community resilience.

The council’s Home-Based Business Economy 2025 Report provides insights into the experiences of local entrepreneurs working from home. The findings show that 62 per cent of operators rely on their business as their primary source of income, while 48 per cent expect profit growth over the next year.

Perhaps most tellingly, 58 per cent of those planning to relocate want to stay in Nillumbik, citing the lifestyle, community ties and loyal local customers as key reasons.

Mayor Cr Naomi Joiner says the research highlights an important but often under-recognised part of the local economy, and the council would use the insights to strengthen support programs, including an upcoming Home-Based Business Forum designed to connect and educate local business owners.

Victorian Briefs

Mount Alexander Shire Council is delaying the next rates bills by one month and extending the due date from 28 February to 31 March to support residents affected by the January bushfires.

The council encourages those experiencing financial hardship or whose properties were destroyed to contact them directly to discuss individual circumstances and available support.

A $200,000 court-ordered penalty against SBI Landfill Pty Ltd will fund a major environmental restoration project in Cranbourne.

30,000 indigenous plants will be planted to create habitat for the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot, in a project to managed by Casey City Council, with wildlife monitoring beginning mid-year.

Yarra City Council is seeking to commission a two-dimensional public artwork for the Yambla Pavilion redevelopment project at Quarries Park in Clifton Hill.

The artwork will be an integrated component of a new modular pavilion designed to improve access and increase inclusivity in sports participation for all ages, genders and abilities

NSW Report

A Shellharbour councillor is recovering in intensive care after a split-second decision by the city's mayor may have saved her life.

ABC News reported that Kellie Marsh, Shellharbour's deputy mayor, suffered two ruptured brain aneurysms at her home last Friday morning.

The emergency unfolded during a phone call with Mayor Chris Homer, who was on holidays on the South Coast. He was about to head into the surf and almost didn’t answer the call.

Luckily, he did. About five minutes into their conversation, Councillor Marsh became unresponsive.

The mayor immediately called her 23-year-old son Nathan, who found his mother collapsed on the bathroom floor.

From her hospital bed, Councillor Marsh says she remembers little of the incident, though she recalls her vision becoming strange - different from her usual migraines.

Mayor Homer says the outcome came down to about ten seconds - choosing to answer the phone instead of going for a surf. Councillor Marsh says she feels blessed and lucky to still be here.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge has returned to his duties after undergoing treatment for B-cell Lymphoma.

The Newcastle Weekly reported that Lord Mayor Kerridge’s workload will be managed to avoid fatigue.

He has been on leave since last October.

Blue Mountains City Council has announced the temporary closure of Lincoln's Rock, one of the region's most popular lookouts, effective Thursday, January 22nd.

The iconic clifftop site at Wentworth Falls will be closed for at least three months due to escalating safety and environmental concerns.

Mayor Mark Greenhill says the closure comes after too many visitors have ignored safety warnings at the unfenced cliff edge, putting themselves at serious risk.

The World Heritage-listed area has also suffered environmental damage, with visitors venturing into intact bushland and creating informal tracks that impact native vegetation and wildlife.

The surge in visitors has been largely driven by social media exposure in recent years.

Willoughby City Council has issued an Interim Heritage Order to temporarily protect a $5.16 million Chatswood home from demolition while heritage assessments are conducted, following the approval of a demolition certificate in January.

The council's preliminary assessment found the property likely meets multiple heritage criteria including historical significance, aesthetic value, and rarity.

The protection will last up to 12 months unless a local heritage listing is pursued.

Shoalhaven Mayor Patricia White has commended the NSW Government for closing over 50 illicit tobacco stores, including in Shoalhaven, and seizing illegal products since new laws were introduced in November.

In a statement, she has applauded the government's efforts while advocating for planning law reforms to give councils more authority to regulate these outlets, and urged residents to report suspicious tobacco sales to NSW Health.

Mayor White has also alerted residents to recent opportunistic thefts from unlocked properties and vehicles in coastal areas. She has urged vigilance and security measures during the holiday season, and the reporting of suspicious activity to Crime Stoppers

NSW Briefs:

Camden Council is reminding residents about responsible E-bike and E-scooter use on shared paths, emphasising key safety rules through its "See Something. Say Something." campaign.

Mayor Therese Fedeli said the campaign now includes reporting of irresponsible E-bike and E-scooter behaviour to help keep public spaces safe and accessible for everyone.

The City of Parramatta is consulting the community on 61 proposed kerbside EV charging locations across the LGA, funded through the NSW Government's Kerbside Charging Grant Program.

The telegraph pole-mounted 22 kW AC chargers will provide convenient charging options for residents and visitors without off-street parking.

Lismore Council will host a Community Safety Forum next month to address safety concerns in the CBD and Goonellabah.

It will bring together community members, police, health representatives, and stakeholders to discuss current issues and identify practical solutions, after a Council resolution last year. More from the Lismore App.

Queensland Report

The Insurance Council of Australia has rejected a proposal by six Queensland councils to create a self-insurance mutual fund, according to The Australian.

CEO Andrew Hall says that the underlying flood risk must be addressed through public-private partnerships with state governments instead.

While councils face soaring premiums—some rising nearly 500% in towns like Chinchilla—Hall maintains that without reducing the actual flood risk in high-risk catchments, insurance costs will remain high regardless of who provides the coverage.

Heritage Bank's decision to close its Goondiwindi agency outlet in March has disappointed Mayor Lawrence Springborg, who says it will impact vulnerable residents including the elderly and small businesses who rely on face-to-face banking services.

Mayor Springborg has written to the bank's CEO requesting reconsideration of the closure, noting it contradicts commitments made during Heritage Bank's merger with People's Choice that there would be no branch closures.

Ipswich City Council is partnering with Watergum Community to run the city's first Cane Toad Challenge from January 30 to February 8, encouraging residents to collect cane toads and submit their data for a chance to win prizes while helping control this invasive species.

Participants can collect all life stages of cane toads, including tadpoles using specialised traps, and dispose of them humanely using the fridge-freezer method, with collection points available for the frozen toads to be repurposed into tadpole lures.

Fraser Coast Regional Council has installed two new flood cameras, bringing the total to over 20 cameras accessible on its Disaster Dashboard to help residents and emergency services monitor flood conditions in real-time.

The $287,800 project is aimed at enhancing the region's disaster preparedness following significant flooding events including record flooding in Hervey Bay in March last year.

Bundaberg Regional Council has received $43,000 from the Queensland Government to upgrade its CBD CCTV system, replacing 89 aging cameras with modern high-definition units and adding three new cameras near the Council Administration Building.

Maranoa Regional Council is developing a Cemeteries Master Plan to guide the long-term management and improvement of cemeteries across the region.

It is seeking community feedback through a survey closing February 8.

The plan aims to ensure cemeteries meet community needs while preserving their cultural significance and aligning with best practices in design, accessibility, and sustainability.

South Australia

Adelaide City Council has delayed approving a guerilla Writers' Week replacement event, citing unclear details and irresponsible financial commitment concerns from Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith. (per ABC Radio)

The council is seeking more specific information about the proposed event's structure before committing up to $250,000 in funding.

Holdfast Bay councillor Annette Bradshaw has resigned after 11 years representing the Seacliff ward. She announced her departure on Sunday, and it is effective immediately.

Adelaide Now reported that Cr Bradshaw was notably opposed to the timing of Glenelg's Jetty Road redevelopment last year.

There is no official announcement on the council’s website, but her ward position is now shown as vacant; and it’s understood it will remain vacant until the November 2026 local government elections.

Jani Baker, Director Community at the City of Onkaparinga, has stepped into the role of Interim Acting CEO until 16 February.

That’s when Sharon Mason will commence as the new permanent CEO - making the move from Selwyn District Council in New Zealand.

Western Australia

The City of Perth has welcomed the appointment of Carol Adams OAM as Local Government Monitor to review governance practices and strengthen accountability following a referral by Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds to the Local Government Inspector.

Deputy Lord Mayor David Goncalves said the City is committed to transparency and working with the Monitor to ensure it operates at the standard expected of Western Australia's capital city.

Global Report

NZ:

Jason Marris, the outgoing chief executive of Kaipara District Council, has been appointed to lead the $200 million Kaipara Moana Remediation project starting in April, according to the NZ Herald.

The project, New Zealand's largest government-funded catchment sediment reduction initiative, aims to halve sediment flows into Kaipara Harbour and has already achieved significant progress including fencing 1400km of waterways and planting three million plants since 2020.

EUROPE:

The number of municipalities in the Netherlands that charge a so-called "dog tax" has been dropping in recent years.

According to new figures reported by I Am Expat, only 102 of the country's 342 municipalities are collecting the annual levy this year, down from two-thirds of all municipalities just ten years ago.

Nine cities have abolished the tax this year, while one has bucked the trend by reinstating the fee after scrapping it years earlier.

The average cost sits at 76 euros per dog.

The City of Rome has introduced a 30 km/h speed limit in its historic centre to reduce accidents and pollution, following similar measures in other European capitals like London, Paris, and Brussels.

The move, which nearly halves the previous 50 km/h limit, is aiming at saving lives and reducing noise levels, according to CP24 dot com.

Bologna's similar 2024 initiative showing a 13% drop in accidents and 50% decline in fatalities.

UK:

Nottingham City Council says it has paid off £177m of debt over Christmas, reducing its total debt from a peak of £827m in 2020 to £292m - that’s a 64% reduction over six years.

BBC news reported that the the debt reduction will free up funds for front-line services without cutting services or raising taxes at the council that was declared effectively bankrupt in 2023.

Tower Hamlets Council in East London is facing increased government scrutiny and potential action due to deteriorating financial management and governance under elected mayor Lutfur Rahman, who was previously banned from office for corrupt practices until 2022.

The Standard reported that Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has announced multiple investigations into patronage, staffing, and decision-making processes at the council.

A local council in Hampshire has been ordered to pay £3,000 in compensation to a job applicant after a tribunal ruled against their hiring practices.

Twenty-nine-year-old James Sheehy applied for the position of town clerk at Lymington and Pennington Town Council in March 2024, but was rejected for not meeting all the requirements.

While Mr Sheehy had seven years of experience as a town clerk across multiple councils, he lacked the full 10 years of experience required and a relevant degree.

An employment tribunal judge found that while the shortlisted candidates were better suited for the role, the 10-year experience requirement unfairly disadvantaged applicants aged 31 or under, particularly when combined with the degree requirement.

The judge also noted the council produced no evidence showing why 10 years was reasonably necessary rather than, say, eight years.

Mr Sheehy was awarded £2,500 plus interest for injury to feelings, after the tribunal found he had been upset by the council's actions.