Protests and petitions, and non-lethal nudging - #572

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Protests and a petition as Kiama Council considers budget cuts
• A former Council CEO loses a dispute over his exit package
• A Council fight over workplace safety spills into public view
• A council renaming proposal slammed as “chasing snob value”
• A new lever to turn planning approvals into homes in Hobart
• Greater Bendigo’s new councillor revealed
• A rural council mayor appointed to the board of the VLGA
• A court finds WALGA is subject to FOI laws

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Transcript

Today’s Top Three

Kiama Council has narrowly approved a controversial budget framework that could see thirty jobs axed and the total removal of local Youth and Community services.

Meeting on Tuesday night, with Mayor Cameron McDonald absent due to a family holiday, councillors voted four-to-three to include the cuts in a draft budget, which will also include reduced library hours and the potential commercial lease of the historic Pilots Cottage.

While councillors have agreed to a pay freeze to share the financial burden, local residents and state MPs have slammed the plan as 'short-term' and 'unfair.'

The member for Kiama, Katelin McInerney announced that she has launched a petition, calling for a budget that addresses structural problems without cuts to frontline services.

The draft budget will go to the next Council meeting on 21st April, and will then be on public exhibition for four weeks of community feedback.

A dispute over a former council executive’s exit package ... has ended with a tribunal refusing to step in, according to the Courier Mail.

Scott Owen, who was chief executive of Mackay Regional Council until February last year ... argued a 23-thousand-dollar motor vehicle allowance should have been counted in his final payout ... and says he was underpaid more than 17-thousand dollars.

But the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission dismissed the claim ... saying Owen signed a deed of release when he left ... and that kind of contract dispute belongs in another court.

At the City of South Perth ... an internal fight over workplace safety is now spilling into public view, according to PerthNow.

Acting chief executive Anita Amprimo says she will go ahead with a psychosocial risk assessment ... even after councillors voted to block it.

Mayor Greg Milner argued the review could duplicate work by the State-appointed monitor ... but several councillors said the decision risked interfering with the CEO’s duties.

Ms Amprimo says the Work Health and Safety Act leaves no choice ... and she is now seeking quotes from multiple providers.

The state’s Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley says there’s no room for politics ... when staff mental wellbeing is at stake.

Victorian Report

The results of the Greater Bendigo by-election are in.

A tight race for the position on the council vacated by John McIlwrath last November has been won by Donna Nicholas.

Ms Nicholas took 22.7 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of Colin Carrington and Ajay Mishra, each on 18 per cent.

After distribution of preferences, Ms Nicholas came away with 63.84 per cent of the vote.

The results were revealed on Thursday afternoon, and are yet to be officially declared.

Victoria’s latest council audits have delivered a mixed message, according to the state’s auditor general... reliable books, but too many late reports.

The Auditor-General says users can rely on councils’ 2024–25 financial reports and performance statements ... and clear opinions were issued across the sector, with a handful of related-entity audits still underway.

But more than half of councils missed draft submission timeframes ... and 14 didn’t meet annual report deadlines.

The report also flags more errors in draft statements ... and says councils need stronger quality assurance and clearer oversight ... especially in relation to capital budgeting and project delivery.

The Victorian Local Governance Association has appointed Cr Damien Gallagher, Mayor of Murrindindi Shire Council, to fill a vacant board position.

The appointment is effective immediately ... and runs until 30 June 2028 ... when Cr Gallagher can stand for election.

VLGA President Dr Josh Fergeus has welcomed the appointment ... and Cr Gallagher says he’s looking forward to making a valuable and sustained contribution to the board.

Murrindindi Shire Council has returned to standard road inspections, and maintenance and repair schedules, with the reinstatement of its Road Management Plan.

The plan was suspended after the Longwood fire event, and the reinstatement does not apply to roads directly impacted by the fire.

About 450km of fire-impacted roads remain under restricted suspension for a further six months.

A quick word on the mayoral standoff at Wyndham City Council.

There’s little new to report as of the time of recording. Cr Preet Singh has so far not responded to calls for his resignation, both as mayor and from the Council.

A second community protest was held on the Easter weekend, and we await details of the appointment of a municipal monitor.

The next meeting of the council is not due until the last week of April, at which a draft budget is expected to be adopted; and a planning committee meeting scheduled for next week has been cancelled.

In Cardinia Shire ... a spate of vandalism on the Easter weekend forced a major community sports precinct offline.

The Council says a substation at Toomuc Recreation Reserve was damaged on Monday ... with offenders cutting power and trying to steal copper cables.

The outage shut the reserve ... including Cardinia Life ... until AusNet could safely restore electricity.

A generator was brought in to keep critical sewer services running ... and security was deployed. Victoria Police are believed to be investigating similar attacks at other local reserves.

Campaspe Shire Council has greenlit a major expansion for a local pig farm, despite a staggering four-thousand, three-hundred objections.

The Cobram Courier reported that the Midland Bacon facility at Carag Carag was granted approval for three new sheds at a recent council meeting. While the volume of opposition was high, a significant detail was noted: out of over four-thousand objectors, only one was actually from the local area.

That sole local objector has since withdrawn their concerns after amendments to the proposal.

The Council voted eight-to-one in favour, citing the project’s role in bringing the site up to modern environmental standards and boosting local economic investment.

A Corangamite Shire Council submission to Victoria’s 2026 summer fires inquiry is pushing for a tougher, more local approach to preparedness and recovery.

Mayor Kate Makin says January’s fires exposed gaps in emergency management ... from ageing CFA fleets and falling volunteer numbers ... to fragile power and phone networks that can leave communities without warnings.

The submission calls for more flexible fuel management ... faster grassfire alerts ... backup power and communications at local hubs ... and recovery grants that let rural communities lead.

The Council is sending a clear message that resilience isn’t enough without resources.

Yarriambiack Shire Council has tightened its position on mining, renewable energy and transmission lines ... setting clearer rules for power infrastructure on road reserves and council land.

Councillors unanimously endorsed a revised position statement last week ... noting private connection lines on public land must be assessed under safety laws ... and are restricted unless the applicant is properly licensed.

Mayor Andrew McLean says the update provides clarity for proponents and the community ... and helps council focus limited resources on proposals within a clear legal framework.

Victorian Briefs

Ten artists and community groups have won funding through Baw Baw Council’s Arts and Culture Fund ... now in its second year.

Mayor Councillor Kate Wilson said the program drew 27 applications ... nearly double last year ... with projects ranging from ceramics and mosaics to photography and digital art.

Surf Coast Shire has earned ECO Destination Certification from Ecotourism Australia ... meeting global standards for sustainable tourism and environmental management.

Mayor Cr Libby Stapleton says the Surf Coast’s world‑class environment draws 2.6 million visitors a year ... and the aim now is slow, regenerative tourism that protects nature ... and delivers benefits year‑round.

And Bass Coast Shire Council is letting residents know that from this month they can no longer place cardboard in their green-lid FOGO bin.

Mayor Rochelle Halstead said it’s about keeping contamination out of the compost stream - and that all cardboard should go in the yellow lid recycling bin, or dropped off free at council waste and recycling sites.

It’s 30 years since Victoria brought back elected local councils ... a moment the VLGA says strengthened local democracy.

The association was formed in 1994 ... after forced council amalgamations under the Kennett Government.

Chief executive Kathryn Arndt says for three decades the VLGA has backed councillors and council staff ... with training, skills development and policy guidance.

Ms Arndt says the aim is practical support that improves culture and conduct ... and helps elected representatives make inclusive, ethical decisions for their communities.

This week on VLGA Connect, I’m joined by VLGA president Dr Josh Fergeus; the association’s first President, Liana Thompson; and Governance Patron and the very first paid officer of the VLGA, Hayden Raysmith - for a discussion about the association’s beginnings back in the 1990s.

You can watch that episode on YouTube now, or add VLGA Connect to your podcast playlist.

NSW Report

The NSW Government says it wants to make planning consultations easier to follow ... and more consistent from one council area to the next.

A draft statewide Community Participation Plan is now on exhibition ... aiming to replace more than a hundred local plans that can differ on timeframes and thresholds.

Planning Minister Paul Scully says residents should be able to tell ... clearly ... how and when to have their say on proposals that affect their neighbourhood.

The draft would extend consultation on major strategic plans from 45 to 60 days ... while reducing exhibition requirements for some lower impact developments.

In Sydney’s inner west ... Strathfield Council is proposing a boundary change that would see parts of Homebush and Homebush West south of the rail line renamed as Strathfield.

Deputy Mayor Jean‑Paul Baladi says supporters want less confusion about what “Homebush” refers to ... and he concedes some residents are drawn to Strathfield’s higher property values.

But locals interviewed by ABC Radio say the plan feels like chasing “snob value” ... and they don’t want Homebush to lose its identity.

The final decision sits with the NSW Geographical Names Board ... if council proceeds.

The Hawkesbury River is a lifeline for much of Western Sydney ... but eight councils and more than a dozen government agencies are sharing the job of looking after it ... and nobody is really in charge.

The Hills Shire Mayor, Dr Michelle Byrne, says the system is “all care and no responsibility” ... with no public water-quality targets and no single body coordinating flood response.

The Council is urging the NSW Government to restore a dedicated Hawkesbury authority ... to align planning, monitor health and protect drinking water, farms, ecosystems and recreation ... as the catchment grows toward 10 million people.

In Sydney’s east ... Randwick Council wants to put the brakes on new for profit student housing ... saying one corridor near UNSW has tipped too far.

According to an ABC News report more than five thousand student rooms have been approved in six years along Anzac Parade ... but fewer than five hundred homes.

Mayor Dylan Parker says the mix is perverse ... and has asked Planning Minister Paul Scully for a carve out from rules that allow extra floor space and smaller rooms.

The minister says blanket exemptions are not being considered ... while student housing provider Scape argues limits would just push more students into an already tight rental market.

In Sydney’s south ... a plan to loosen rules on waterfront development is setting up a packed council meeting, according to The Leader.

Sutherland Shire Council is considering rezoning parts of Port Hacking and Botany Bay from W1 Natural Waterways to W2 Recreational Waterways ... where they sit beside residential land.

Environmental groups say it risks shorebird habitat and seagrass ... and puts commercial and private interests first.

The state planning department has already raised concerns ... including impacts on sensitive areas like Deeban Spit ... and wants changes before it will support the proposal.

A Council decision is now deferred until April 28.

In the Central West ... Oberon Council says O’Connell’s Avenue of Trees ... planted between 1925 and 1927 to honour World War One service ... has been added to the local heritage schedule in the Oberon Local Environmental Plan.

Because the avenue sits in a classified road reserve ... council worked with Transport for NSW and Heritage NSW ... balancing safety with the health of the trees.

Mayor Andrew McKibbin says the listing gives a clear framework to protect the avenue ... and the story it carries.

Shellharbour Council is putting a new housing idea in front of the public ... a two-year pilot that could let some mobile tiny homes be rented out without a full development application.

The trial is aimed at renters ... but would still require basic planning and safety rules ... including setbacks ... service connections ... and fire measures.

Mayor Chris Homer says the goal is to ease local housing pressure ... while making sure the changes are carefully managed.

The NSW Government has issued a Gateway Determination ... meaning the proposal can be exhibited ... but it is not approved yet.

NSW Briefs:

In Lismore, the council has begun a long-term pavement restoration program to rebuild flood-damaged roads across 49 rural routes, treating more than 100 sites through to early 2028.

The works will use stabilisation methods like foamed bitumen to reuse existing materials and improve resilience, backed by joint funding to keep the region connected.

Parkes Shire Council is weighing a ban on dogs at three busy sports grounds ... after repeated complaints about uncollected dog waste.

The council says the mess is creating a health risk for people using Harrison Park, Woodward Oval and Keast Park ... for sport and recreation. Rangers will step up patrols ... and if a full ban is adopted, breaches could attract fines of up to eleven hundred dollars.

Weddin Shire Council is seeking community feedback on a draft Artificial Intelligence Governance Policy, now on public exhibition until next week.

The council says AI could improve productivity and help address staffing shortages, but only with clear rules to manage privacy, and risk.

Queensland Report

There’s been a change of deputy mayor at the Shire of Cloncurry.

Cr Vicky Campbell has taken on the role from this week, succeeding Cr Sam Daniels whose two year term has ended. Cr Daniels has been the deputy since 2020.

Cr Campbell will serve as deputy until the end of current term in 2028.

In the Queensland town of Inglewood ... the local council is trying to shift a flying‑fox roost ... so Memorial Park is ready for Anzac Day.

Goondiwindi Regional Council says a colony has moved into the park ... and has swelled to about three times its usual size.

From next week ... crews will start five mornings of non‑lethal “nudging” ... using air blowers, smoke from green waste, sprinklers and scarecrows ... to encourage the bats back toward vegetation along the Macintyre Brook.

Mayor Councillor Lawrence Springborg AM, says the aim is balance ... reducing noise, smell and mess ... while staying within state wildlife rules.

Tasmania

In Hobart ... the council is trying a new lever to turn planning approvals into actual homes.

The City of Hobart has adopted an Inner City Housing Supply Incentive ... aimed at projects that are approved, but stuck on the sidelines.

Eligible developments of five or more dwellings ... or upper-floor conversions ... can apply for a five-year, 100 per cent rates remission ... and may be reimbursed development application fees once construction begins.

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds says approvals aren’t the problem ... getting projects built is ... with around 900 approved dwellings still undelivered.

Launceston Council has released its draft Annual Plan and Budget for 2026–27 ... alongside a Four‑Year Delivery Plan.

The papers include a proposed 4.9 per cent rates rise ... and a record 66‑million‑dollar capital works program ... covering roads, sporting facilities, community halls and major projects like the Princess Theatre redevelopment.

Mayor Matthew Garwood says the budget is about keeping essential upgrades moving ... while steering back to a balanced budget within two years.

And Launceston community groups leasing council buildings can start fixing and maintaining them again, after a months-long council freeze due to ad-hoc approvals and inconsistent policy settings.

The Examiner reported that the council has now provided an online portal for leaseholders to seek landowner consent before works begin.

South Australia

In Port Adelaide Enfield ... a new council building is being held up as a national benchmark for sustainability.

The Yitpi Yartapuultiku precinct has received a 6 Star Green Star rating ... the Green Building Council’s top “world leadership” certification ... and it’s only the second building in Australia to reach that mark.

The all‑electric site runs on 100 per cent renewable power ... cuts operational energy by 61 per cent ... and slashes potable water use by 99 per cent.

It also includes a “living shoreline” to protect the riverbank ... and a Healthy Country Plan to guide long‑term care of Country.

In Renmark ... a big piece of behind the scenes infrastructure is moving ahead ... and it could open the door to more than five hundred new homes.

Renmark Paringa Council has awarded the contract for the Renmark West Community Wastewater Management System expansion ... after a competitive tender.

Construction is expected to start in coming months ... with completion forecast for early twenty twenty seven.

Mayor Peter Hunter says demand for housing is strong ... and the project will unlock land supply while meeting public health and environmental standards.

It’s expected that costs will be recovered over time through developer contributions ... not from general ratepayers.

Western Australia

In Western Australia ... a Supreme Court decision has confirmed the Western Australian Local Government Association ... WALGA ... is an “agency” under the Freedom of Information Act.

The appeal was brought by the Local Government Elected Members Association.

Justice Solomon found WALGA was created under state law ... its voting members are local governments ... and its core job is to represent and support the sector.

Integrity Management Solutions says the practical effect is that WALGA’s documents can now be requested under FOI ... alongside state and local authorities ... a shift that could sharpen scrutiny of lobbying and policy work.

Manjimup Shire Council has gone against an officer recommendation to send a delegation to the National General Assembly in Canberra in June.

It was proposed that the Shire President and Deputy Shire President would attend, but those plans have now been dropped in recognition of the current fuel security crisis.

The Council also resolved that no staff members would attend this year’s conference either.

Is your council reconsidering attendance this year due to the fuel crisis? Let us know by voting in our new poll on our website - lgnewsroundup.com

In Perth’s inner south ... the Town of Victoria Park is pushing back on proposals to change how local elections work.

At a recent special council meeting, they chose the current model of half‑spill elections every two years as its preference ... instead of moving to a full spill every four years.

Mayor Karen Vernon says the staggered model helps keep corporate knowledge on councils as new members come in.

PerthNow reported that the council also voted seven to two against compulsory voting ... warning it could bring unintended consequences and distort genuine engagement.

Global Report

UK:

In Cambridgeshire ... a council facing an £800 million road maintenance backlog is turning to artificial intelligence to spot potholes faster ... and to capture a clearer picture of what’s failing, and where.

BBC News reported that cameras fitted to inspection vehicles will record the network ... and software will flag defects like potholes for officers to review.

The council says weekly defect reports peaked at nearly 2,900 in February ... and have since fallen.

Leaders say rebuilding every road to a good standard is “pretty much impossible” ... so the focus is on finding problems early and targeting repairs.

ITALY: In the Adriatic beach town of Riccione, Italy ... the local council has bought the villa where Benito Mussolini once spent summer holidays ... to stop it becoming a shrine for fascist nostalgics.

Mayor Daniela Angelini calls the purchase an act of love and vision, according to The Guardian ... saying the name will stay, but the story won’t be sanitised.

The plan is to keep the building in public hands ... as a community space for exhibitions and events ... including displays that confront the good, the bad and the ugly of twentieth century history.

Riccione formally revoked Mussolini’s honorary citizenship last year.

USA:

In Palm Springs, California ... city leaders are weighing a simple question with big consequences ... should residents choose the mayor directly at the ballot box?

Right now the mayor is selected by councillors from among themselves. Supporters say a public vote could strengthen accountability ... and give the role a clearer mandate to set priorities, according to National Today dot com.

Critics warn it could harden factional politics ... and make it harder for councillors to work together.

The council is expected to debate whether to put the change to voters at a meeting on April 26 ... with a possible referendum at the November 2026 election.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico ... the Mayor Tim Keller has signed a new ordinance meant to limit where immigration arrests can happen ... as federal enforcement ramps up nationwide.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that the “Safer Community Spaces” law restricts action in places like schools, churches and hospitals ... echoing a “protected areas” approach used under President Biden.

Keller says the city will enforce the rule ... and is ready to go to court if federal agents test it.

Supporters say it means parents can take children to school without fear ... critics argue it risks public safety and invites retaliation from Washington.

CANADA:

In Mississauga ... city hall is pulling back on flag-raisings after they became a flashpoint.

Mayor Carolyn Parrish pushed a motion to ban raising national flags other than Canada’s at Celebration Square ... and to stop lighting the civic centre tower in other national colours.

Mayor Parrish says the requests have brought controversy and division ... and cost the city staff time and legal advice.

CTV News reports that the change takes effect immediately ... including for events already approved.

Mississauga will still allow community recognition events for registered charities and non-profits ... and national flags can still appear at community-led events. Toronto has voted for a similar policy ... but with a later start date.

NZ:

Christchurch City Council is preparing for a change at the top ... with Chief Executive Mary Richardson set to leave on the first of May.

Mayor Phil Mauger says Richardson was brought in for a fixed term to steady the organisation ... and to lift resident satisfaction, service delivery, and staff wellbeing ... with the council claiming measurable gains across all three.

Ms Richardson says the timing suits the next cycle of annual planning ... and the long-term plan for 2027 to 2037. Recruitment is underway ... with an acting chief executive to be appointed to bridge the transition.