Media ban, governance breakdown, and elections postponed - #542

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• More scrutiny over a councillor’s suspension last year
• A council bans a local media outlet over reporting concerns
• Frustration builds over illegal dumping in Greater Geelong
• North Sydney’s controversial rates decision survives a move to rescind
• A councillor’s comments condemned after a tragic road accident
• A frank assessment of a troubled infrastructure project in Townsville
• and a critical breakdown in governance laid bare at the City of Perth in a leaked report

Also today, the UK government reveals its list of postponed council elections, as well as those that are still going ahead this year.

Chapters

• 1:53 Victorian Report
• 9:26 NSW Report
• 14:20 Queensland Report
• 18:01 TAS/WA Report
• 20:40 Global Report

Transcript

Victorian Report

Kingston City Council is under new scrutiny after revelations that a councillor charged with criminal offences was allowed to remain in her position for nearly three months, despite state laws requiring her immediate suspension.

Councillor Jane Agirtan was charged on New Year's Day 2025 with breaching a personal safety intervention order.

Under Victorian law, any councillor charged with an offence carrying at least two years' imprisonment must be stood down immediately.

But The Age reports this week that despite awareness of the charges as early as February, Cr Agirtan wasn't suspended until almost three months later.

During that time, she continued to vote on council matters, participating in at least 24 votes across three meetings, including several close decisions. The Age report suggests the status of those decisions is unclear as a result.

The Council’s CEO Peter Bean said all required steps were taken, once duly informed, noting that Cr Agirtan was legally obligated to notify the Council herself – which she did not do until April 8th.

Cr Agirtan avoided conviction in June after donating two thousand dollars to the Royal Children's Hospital, and was reinstated.

Local Government Minister Nick Staikos recently extended the tenure of municipal monitors at Kingston Council until the end of June, citing concerns about governance deficiencies.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council says it will no longer engage with the publisher of the Somerville Times & Peninsula Local due to concerns about reporting practices.

In a statement, the Shire said that while it supports press freedom and accountability, it expects ethical conduct, accurate reporting, and respectful behaviour from media organisations.

The Roundup understands that an article published earlier this week about the reasons for the appointment of Municipal Monitors to the council may have led to the imposition of the ban.

Steve Holland, a media relations consultant and former mayor of the shire, told the Roundup that he finds the statement troubling, and unprecedented.

He said the said the action taken by the Shire doesn’t live up to governance and public transparency principles, and questions whether it has formal council authorisation.

Former Greater Geelong mayor and current councillor Trent Sullivan has confirmed his bid for Liberal Party preselection in the Western Victoria upper house region ahead of the November state election, joining what party insiders predict will be a highly contested preselection battle, according to the Geelong Advertiser.

He is the second Geelong councillor to confirm a parliamentary election bid, after deputy mayor Ron Nelson, who plans to contest the lower house seat of South Barwon.

Frustration over illegal dumping is building in the City of Greater Geelong, with clean-up crews working overtime and ratepayers bearing the financial burden.

City Works officers are spending nearly half their workday cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish—a dramatic increase from just a few years ago.

Last financial year saw over 6,600 requests to remove dumped rubbish, and this year is tracking even higher with more than 3,000 requests already lodged. The problem is costing ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

The Victorian Government has allocated 8.5 million dollars to assist councils with clean-up costs, but the council points out that community vigilance remains crucial.

Northern Grampians Shire Council says it is addressing community concerns about Pleasant Creek Cemetery in Stawell, clarifying that recent storm damage and debris are being cleaned up according to priority schedules.

Mayor Karen Hyslop said some of the concerns are outside the Council’s scope of responsibility, noting that families are responsible for maintaining individual gravesites and monuments under state regulations.

She said the council has allocated $400,000 to expand cemetery capacity for the next 40 years, with the lifespan at the moment estimated at one to two years based on current interment rates.

Latrobe City Council has welcomed Keppel's proposed $10 billion data centre in Morwell, which would be Australia's largest.

It will leverage existing infrastructure from the former Hazelwood Power Station site to create significant employment opportunities.

Mayor Sharon Gibson said the project is critical for the region's economic transition as coal-fired power stations close, positioning Latrobe City as a key hub for renewable energy and emerging industries requiring large-scale power supply.

Murrindindi Shire Council has temporarily suspended its Road Management Plan for three months due to the Longwood Fire Event, allowing resources to be redirected to emergency response efforts.

While high-risk roads and urgent repairs remain a priority, normal road services will be gradually reinstated as the situation stabilises and Council assesses capacity.

Brimbank Council has written to the Department of Transport, expressing concern about the state of grassed areas along arterial roads in the municipality.

It follows a growing number of complaints from residents expressing safety concerns, according to the Star Weekly.

A Wodonga Council ride-on lawn mower caught fire on Gateway Island near the Lincoln Causeway on Thursday morning, becoming fully engulfed in flames around 8.55am.

The Border Mail reported that Fire Rescue Victoria crews responded within six minutes and extinguished the blaze in five minutes, though the machine was completely destroyed.

Melton City Council has successfully launched phase one of its OneCouncil SaaS+ platform with TechnologyOne, bringing over 1,000 staff onto the system with core modules for finance, HR, payroll, and content management.

The digital transformation positions the rapidly growing council to deliver more efficient, transparent services to its 200,000+ residents in Melbourne's west while future-proofing operations.

The City of Boroondara has selected Datacom's cloud-based Datascape platform to replace legacy systems and modernise its Property, Rates and Permits functions as part of the "Transforming Boroondara" program.

The platform will streamline council operations across multiple areas including planning, building, land management, rates, and permits, while also incorporating AI-driven automation and custom functionality.

Victorian Briefs

Yarra City Council is purchasing a 1,524 m² parcel of land on Wangaratta Street, Richmond for $3.4 million from VicTrack to preserve as public open space in response to the suburb's growing population. Mayor Stephen Jolly said the acquisition is vital for the area, which currently has only 12% open space.

The City of Casey has launched a nationally scalable guide to improve road safety around schools, providing councils with evidence-based strategies, practical tools, and case studies to reduce child pedestrian and cyclist injuries.

The initiative was developed with $250,000 in federal funding.

Whitehorse City Council has laid claim to the number one position among metropolitan Melbourne councils for street tree planting.

It says it planted 3,654 new street trees in 2025. It’s unclear how far that puts it ahead of other councils.

NSW Report

North Sydney Council has resolved to apply to IPART for a 52.66% cumulative rates increase over three years to ensure financial sustainability and infrastructure management.

A snap Council meeting was called for Wednesday morning, after Councillor Jessica Keen sought to have the decision overturned through a rescission motion.

The North Sydney Sun reported that the motion was defeated along the same voting lines - 7 to 3 - as the initial decision on Monday.

Cr Keen claims she was prevented from exercising a right of reply, when the Mayor put the matter to a vote after two speakers debated for and against the rescission motion.

The application must be submitted by Monday 2 February, after which IPART will conduct public consultation.

Oberon Council has expressed profound sorrow and shock over the loss of two young lives in a tragic road accident near Black Springs this week, extending deepest sympathy to affected families and community members.

Mayor Andrew McKibbon referred to inappropriate social media comments made by a Councillor regarding the accident.

He said the comments fell well short of the expectation that elected representatives act with compassion, restraint and respect, and that the Council unequivocally disassociates itself from the comments.

Mayor McKibbon said they were inappropriate, insensitive, and not reflective of the values, views or standards of the council.

Wagga Wagga City Council is pushing for Federal Government action, as regional communities across the Riverina face a banking crisis.

At Monday night's council meeting, councillors voted to pressure Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers to establish government-run banking services in regional post offices.

Region Riverina reported that the motion, introduced by Councillor Richard Foley, follows a Senate inquiry into regional bank closures that recommended a Regional Community Banking Branch Program to help underwrite banking services in rural areas.

Since 1975, the Riverina has lost more than two-thirds of its bank branches, dropping from 78 to fewer than 25 today.

The council will now write to federal ministers urging them to implement the inquiry's recommendations and restore banking access to regional communities.

Blacktown City Council has launched DAISY, an AI-powered digital planning assistant that provides 24/7 access to planning information and helps residents prepare development applications by understanding requirements and checking submission readiness.

The tool was developed with NSW Government support to improve application quality and reduce delays, particularly for the 80% of applications from individual residents seeking to build, renovate, or subdivide properties.

NSW Briefs:

Yass Valley Council has voted to retain the Parkwood housing precinct within its local government area.

CEO Gayleen Burley said the decision was based on financial modelling showing it will deliver net benefits to the council and region once the development accommodates approximately 13,100 residents across 5,620 homes.

Glen Innes Severn Council has secured $50,000 from NSW Rugby League, matched by Council funds, to add two full-size rugby league fields at Kerry Mead Park, doubling capacity to four fields for nearly 300 players.

The cost-effective project will repurpose soil from another site and is expected to begin shortly after the funding deed is signed this month.

Parkes Shire Council is implementing heat relief measures for an upcoming heatwave, including designating the library as a cool area, offering free pool entry from Sunday to Friday, and providing misting fans at Australia Day celebrations.

Support for the Roundup comes from Symphony3, which allows Councils to connect their systems securely, to automate their dataflows, and to monitor performance in real time.

Councils around the country are working hard to keep their communities safe and prepared, before, during and after emergencies, such as bushfires and floods.

In recent weeks, Symphony3 has been working with councils across Victoria, including Greater Bendigo, Mildura, Ararat and Golden Plains to create emergency dashboards - pulling together live data including weather, traffic, emergency incidents, unplanned and planned disruptions, news and social media feeds.

**Golden Plains Shire Council** has just launched its new Emergency Dashboard with real‑time data feeds to keep the community updated and safer in times of emergency.

By adopting the Symphony3 Emergency Dashboard, the council now has a single, real‑time source of truth during fast‑moving events.

An emergency dashboard is cost effective and can be deployed in just three days. Find out more at www.symphony3.com

Queensland Report

Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto has delivered a frank assessment of the troubled Haughton Pipeline project, revealing it will require hundreds of millions of dollars more to complete.

Mayor Dametto said the project was launched without a robust business case and was significantly underestimated from the beginning.

The pipeline, designed to secure long-term water security for Townsville's growing population of over 200,000, was initially budgeted at 274 million dollars in 2021, with the State Government contributing 195 million.

However, documents from early 2021 show costs were already forecast at 370 million dollars, with significant issues identified in the pump station's location and design.

Mayor Dametto says Council has now invested 85 million dollars total, with an additional 6 million allocated in the mid-year budget review. More than 60 kilometres of pipeline will be installed by early 2026.

The Mayor emphasized the project cannot be abandoned, stating the pipeline must be operational by 2032 to meet projected water demands, particularly for the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding is calling for tougher rules on who can run for local council, saying voters shouldn't have to rely on candidates being honest about their past.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that Mayor Harding wants the state government to introduce stricter eligibility requirements for council candidates, pointing to the case of former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson. He was found by the Crime and Corruption Commission to have misled voters about his military service, university degrees, and even fabricated a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Mayor Harding says the Local Government Act requirements fall well short of the vetting done for state and federal candidates.

She's proposing candidates be required to provide police history reports, traffic records, proof of qualifications, and evidence of Defence Force service. She also wants those with domestic violence orders in the past decade to be disqualified.

Gold Coast City Council has announced a major enforcement blitz targeting dangerous and unregistered dogs after elderly residents reported being too frightened to swim at local beaches.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that the issue came to light at a planning committee meeting this week, where councillors Gail O'Neill and Josh Martin raised concerns about off-leash dogs on unpatrolled beaches,

While the Gold Coast has nearly 71,000 registered dogs, council estimates another 70,000 dogs remain unregistered. Many young owners apparently believe that microchipping their pet means it's registered with council – but that's not the case.

Recent market research shows 30 percent of people cite cost as a reason for not registering, while 8 percent simply don't see the point.

Council is aiming to increase dog registration by five percent in the next six months, and they'll be focusing enforcement efforts on hotspot areas where complaints are highest.

Noosa Shire Council's efforts to regulate short-term accommodation have led to almost 200 properties transitioning back to long-term rental over the past two years, helping address local housing shortages for essential workers.

The council says its Short-Stay Local Law, introduced in 2022, has proven effective with 94% of complaints resolved within 30 minutes and 96% of properties operating without issues.

Mayor Frank Wilkie is encouraging more property owners to consider switching to long-term rental to support community needs.

Tasmania

A Northern Midlands councillor has publicly called for the termination of the council's general manager, posting his motion on Facebook ahead of this month's council meeting.

Councillor Andrew McCullagh has used social media to share a motion calling for the immediate termination of general manager Des Jennings, who has been on personal leave since mid-September last year.

That's approximately four months of absence, which McCullagh argues gives council the right to end his employment contract.

The two have a contentious history - Mr Jennings previously brought a stayed defamation case against the councillor over emails and Facebook posts. A Supreme Court determination later found the complainants' use of ratepayer funds for related legal fees was "illegal and arguably corrupt".

The Council has confirmed that Mr Jennings remains general manager and is on personal leave, but won't comment further. Maree Bricknell has been acting in his place.

Hobart City Council has unanimously approved a $35 million mixed-use development on the long-vacant former WIN Television site in New Town.

Pulse Tasmania reported that the project will include 23 residential apartments, 38 short-stay accommodation units, and various commercial facilities.

The development is expected to address concerns about the eyesore site, though there were objections regarding parking, traffic, and neighbourhood impact during public consultation.

Western Australia

A leaked confidential report reveals the City of Perth is experiencing a critical breakdown in governance due to unresolved tensions between council and administration.

A WA Today report suggests that conditions are comparable to those that led to the council's suspension in 2018.

The leaked report identifies significant psychosocial hazards including verbal aggression, intimidation, and eroded trust, concluding that internal repair mechanisms have failed and the situation now requires external intervention.

ABC News has also seen the report, which claims inappropriate workplace behaviour is mostly directed at women. The report was based on interviews conducted with 14 members of staff and executive, and elected members.

Business News reported that a confidential meeting of the council’s audit and risk committee discussed the report this week, with recommendations to deal with psychosocial risk to be considered.

Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds said late yesterday that he accepted the report’s recommendations, which provide opportunities to address systemic workplace challenges.

Global Report

NZ:

Christchurch City Council has criticised the New Zealand Government's proposed rates cap of 2-4% as "unrealistic and unworkable," arguing the policy lacks proper consideration and evidence-based design.

The Press reported that the council's draft submission into the policy states the cap needs essential design changes to be feasible for local government operations.

The Council has also taken aim at the Government's Emergency Management Bill for imposing significant new costs and duties on local authorities without providing adequate resourcing or national support.

The Council wants a national implementation plan with clear guidance, proper resourcing, and realistic timeframes to make the new emergency management system workable.

UK:

The UK government has now formally announced the changes to local council elections as part of a major reorganisation of local government across England.

Twenty-nine local authorities will have their May elections postponed to allow them to focus on streamlining their operations. However, elections will still go ahead as planned for 34 other councils undergoing reorganisation.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed described this as a "once-in-a-generation reform" aimed at ending the outdated two-tier council system that currently affects one in three people in England.

The reform will cut around 5,000 councillor positions and eliminate a number of highly-paid senior roles.

Where elections are postponed, existing councillors will have their terms extended. Elections for the new unitary councils are expected in May 2027, with the new authorities becoming operational by April 2028.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council removed its Labour leader Chris Watkins through a vote of no confidence after he requested that local elections scheduled for May 5 be postponed.

Labour has retained control of the council by installing deputy Steve Hey as the new leader, who reversed course and committed to holding elections as planned - and that is reflected in the list released today by the government.

BBC News reports that the Green Party has won a Derbyshire County Council seat from Reform UK in the first gain of its kind in England.

Meanwhile, Reform UK won a separate Amber Valley Borough Council by-election by a significant margin.

A fake AI-generated video of Gloucester's Mayor Ashley Bowkett has reportedly been used in an online stunt, during a dispute over the city's finances.

Local Gov dot co dot uk reported that the video was created by a councillor, falsely depicting the mayor refusing to allow investigation into '£8m missing' funds.

Mayor Bowkett has condemned the stunt, clarifying that he never refused public debate. He said he remains open to honest disagreement but will not be influenced by threats or misinformation.

USA:

San Juan County, Washington, has permanently adopted a 32-hour workweek for most government employees after a successful two-year trial that saved an estimated $2 million.

The Seattle Times reported that the trial also increased job applications by over 200%, and reduced employee turnover by 28%.

The program, which maintains full pay while reducing hours, has improved recruitment and retention in the remote community, with employees reporting better work-life balance and the county maintaining service levels despite initial scheduling challenges.

CANADA:

Vancouver City Council has voted down a motion to reinstate the city's living wage policy, with only four of the city’s eleven councillors supporting it, according to CTV News.

The decision means hundreds or thousands of city workers will continue earning below the $27.85/hour living wage needed to cover basic expenses in Metro Vancouver.

The city currently uses a "fair wage" model of $25.04/hour based on a five-year rolling average, which critics argue prioritises budget predictability over workers' ability to afford living costs.