Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• A council on the brink – a stark warning for Kingston Council
• Victorian council workers set to strike for a second time
• More concerning revelations as the Parramatta ICAC Inquiry continues
• A call for clarity over the NSW meeting code debacle
• Redland Council to fold its investment arm into its internal structure
• A finding of bias against a South Australian council after it cut its mayor’s term short
• and the councillor hit with thousands of dollars in fines

plus Balranald Shire Council CEO Terry Dodds sounds the alarm on the financial sustainability of rural and regional councils.

And much more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, with support from Symphony 3, and Rath Engineering Development.

Listen to this episode now:

Transcript for Episode #589:

Victorian Report

There are reports that Kingston Council is on the brink of being put into administration following a dramatic meeting walk-out and escalating bullying claims.

According to the Herald Sun, last Monday night’s meeting was abruptly abandoned after councillors walked out over a disputed social media policy.

The disruption prompted a stark warning from state-appointed municipal monitor John Tanner, who cautioned that the municipality faces imminent dismissal if the infighting continues.

The chaos follows newly leaked correspondence from mid-2025 detailing deep-seated cultural dysfunction, including toxic public feuds and a Fair Work Commission bullying application.

As monitors observe the council’s behaviour, at an estimated $300K cost, the Local Government Minister is reported to be watching closely.

A private prosecution against two Hepburn Shire figures has been called a “nightmare” in a Ballarat court.

Daylesford businessman David Penman — who is self-represented — is pursuing Councillor Don Henderson and CEO Bradley Thomas over allegations council money was used to fund private legal work, including defamation cases benefiting the pair personally.

ABC News reported that a magistrate last week said the case was “just not ready,” with subpoenas still contested and evidence yet to be handed over.

The matter returns for a two-day hearing in August.

More than 1,500 Victorian council workers are preparing to strike for a second time as enterprise bargaining negotiations stall across eight inner-city municipalities.

The Herald Sun reported that the Australian Services Union has scheduled a 24-hour stop-work action for June 17.

It’s expected to impact bin collections, library services, and road maintenance across the eight council areas of Melbourne, Darebin, Hume, Merri-bek, Yarra, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Greater Dandenong.

A new mayor will be elected at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council this week. The position was vacated by former councillor Anthony Marsh, who was recently elected to State Parliament.

Deputy Paul Pingiaro has been acting mayor over recent weeks.

A meeting to elect a mayor, and if required, a deputy mayor, will be held on Tuesday evening at 5.30pm.

Wyndham City Council has issued more than twenty thousand dollars in fines after anti-dumping CCTV cameras caught two commercial vehicles dumping soil in Melbourne’s west.

Councils across the country are reporting sharp increases in illegal dumping due to rising landfill fees and tightening budgets.

As Yahoo News Australia reported, the issue has already cost the Wyndham community over two and a half million dollars this financial year alone.

Regional councils across western Victoria are stepping up pressure on the State Government ahead of November’s election.

The Greater Ballarat Alliance of Councils has launched its advocacy platform, demanding the urgent reinstatement of the Country Roads and Bridges Program.

Alliance leaders warn that ballooning maintenance costs and restricted infrastructure—such as the load-limited Bridge 5 in Pyrenees Shire—are forcing heavy freight into costly detours and placing an unsustainable financial strain on local government budgets.

Monash Council has announced it will cease providing direct, in-home aged care services by the end of June 2027.

The decision follows major national aged care reforms designed to give older residents greater choice through specialist providers.

Monash Mayor Stuart James said the council is not best placed to deliver the scaling services required under the new framework.

While direct service delivery will phase out, the council says it remains committed to supporting older residents through ongoing advocacy, information services, and community programming.

Fuel and supply pressures are set to push up household waste charges in Loddon Shire.

The Council says the kerbside collection contract has been hit by rising costs, with an extra 192-thousand dollars allowed in next year’s budget to cover higher fuel prices.

The waste service charge is expected to rise 15 per cent. Mayor Dan Straub said the fee sits outside the rate cap and is a necessary “cost recovery” measure.

Victorian Briefs

Also making news:

Greater Shepparton City Council has voted to delay the consolidation of its Nancy Vibert Children’s Centre — pushing the timeline back to the end of 2027.

Mayor Shane Sali says while the facility is no longer fit for purpose, the twelve-month extension will give families greater clarity during the transition.

In Melbourne’s south-east, a major milestone for the Revitalising Central Dandenong project — with stage one of Capital Alliance’s six-hundred-million-dollar precinct development receiving planning approval. The Thomas Street site will deliver new apartments, childcare facilities, and retail spaces.

Greater Dandenong Council says the broader project is expected to support up to five-thousand ongoing jobs, with demolition works set to begin shortly.

And Colac Otway Shire Council has endorsed a new public art project after a competitive twelve-week Expression of Interest process attracted twenty submissions — ranging from murals to sculptures. A preferred artist will now work with council to finalise a design, with delivery expected before year’s end.

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NSW Report

NSW corruption watchdog ICAC has heard City of Parramatta Council CEO Gail Connolly helped a friend polish their resume, sent interview questions in advance via a “Pink Ladies” group chat, and then sat on the interview panel.

The friend was later hired as a senior executive.

Claims that recruitment processes were subverted to benefit friends and associates are among the allegations under investigation by ICAC’s Operation Navarra.

The Sydney Morning Herald has continued reporting daily as the inquiry continues.

Local Government NSW is urging the State Government to issue clear, workable guidance on council meeting rules after the Legislative Council disallowed the new Model Code.

Sector leaders say the code’s bans on private briefings and audio-visual attendance created major problems, especially for remote councillors.

They’re calling for fast, consultative changes to restore certainty for councils statewide.

Yass Valley was one council to move swiftly to rescind its resolution adopting the 2025 Model Meeting Code, reinstating Council’s previously adopted code of meeting practice at its meeting last week.

Bayside Council has unanimously backed a proposal from its mayor to create three memorials for local victims of the December 2025 Bondi massacre.

The tributes would honour Peter “Marzo” Meagher, Matilda Britvan and Dan Elkayam, with options including memorial benches, plaques and naming a playground.

Mayor Edward McDougall said the tragedy has deeply impacted the community, and renewed the call to stand up for multicultural Australia, and against the ‘hijacking of our shared humanity’.

Glen Innes Severn Council is awaiting an imminent decision on its Special Rate Variation application as it moves to tackle long-term structural deficits.

Mayor Margot Davis has warned that despite recent improvements to financial reporting, the authority’s unrestricted cash trajectory continues to decline.

As the New England Times reported earlier this month, the council’s draft operational budget relies on the approval of the rate hike to bridge its funding gap.

Mayor Davis says further decisive action is required to balance service delivery costs ahead of a critical budget meeting this month.

Parkes Shire Council has intensified its campaign against a proposed local Energy from Waste facility.

At its latest meeting, the council formally endorsed an Opposition Action Plan to coordinate advocacy and communication alongside neighbouring local authorities.

Furthermore, a new community working party is being established under the Local Government Act to ensure resident voices directly inform council strategy.

Expressions of interest for community representatives will open in the coming weeks.

The appointment of a new General Manager at Gwydir Shire Council appears imminent.

The Council will hold an extraordinary meeting in Bingara today (Monday) to finalise the recruitment and appointment of the council’s new General Manager.

The final discussions and candidate reviews will be held behind closed doors in a confidential committee session.

The Western Councils Water Alliance has welcomed new NSW Government funding to boost regional water and sewer services.

A $450,000 commitment will support pilot programs testing new ways councils can work together on reliability, drought resilience, and long-term infrastructure planning.

Brad Cam, General Manager of host council Mid Western, says the funding is a positive step for collaboration across regional NSW.

Heavy swells have severely eroded Byron Shire beaches, with New Brighton and Suffolk Park hardest hit.

Council crews are closing damaged, steep access paths and clearing old car tyres washed out of the dunes.

Beachgoers are urged to avoid walking near unstable dune faces.

Narrabri Shire Council has welcomed the reinstatement of three vital regional mastheads. Following an acquisition by the Times News Group, the Narrabri Courier, Wee Waa News, and Gunnedah Times will return to print.

Mayor Darrell Tiemens praised the move, noting that independent on-the-ground journalism is essential for keeping regional communities engaged and connected to local government initiatives.

NSW Briefs:

Electric vehicle ownership is surging across Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The Council says nearly 3,000 new battery and plug‑in hybrid vehicles were registered locally in the past 12 months — a 68 percent jump.

Rising fuel prices and lower running costs are driving the switch, with more charging options rolling out.

Walgett Shire Council is rolling out a new corporate logo across its materials, saying the design better reflects the region’s landscape, communities and local character.

The logo features elements representing sun, water, land and black opal. Council says the change will happen gradually, so the previous logo will still appear on some signage and documents for a time.

Still to come: the challenge or the problem of fixing them is a greater problem than kicking the can down the road because local government’s dying a death of a thousand cuts. It’s not driving off a cliff, it isn’t being hit by an avalanche, it hasn’t had a drone land on it and blown it blow it up blown it up. Because it’s incremental over a long period of time, the and the challenge to fix it is not going to be incremental, it’s going to have to be fixed

Terry Dodds (04:19.13) Pretty soon

Queensland Report

Redland City Council has voted to fold Redland Investment Corporation operations into the Council’s Major Projects Group, aiming to streamline delivery and cut overheads.

Acting Mayor Julie Talty says the move will improve efficiency and help ease pressure on rates amid cost-of-living concerns.

Council says planning is underway for the integration, with no expected disruptions to projects or stakeholders during the transition.

Logan City Council is seeking changes to how rare and extreme floods are mapped, following an independent review into the Logan and Albert Rivers Flood Study.

Mayor Jon Raven announced plans to meet with the state government to request the removal of worst-case scenarios, such as the Probable Maximum Flood, from public planning maps.

While the review confirmed the study met national standards, it noted that including these rare events in standard mapping has caused impractical community alarm, though they will remain vital for emergency planning.

Cooler weather in Townsville is paving the way for repairs at Burdell’s Northern Beaches Leisure Centre, after vandals damaged tiles in the 50-metre pool.

Council says works start today and will run about three weeks, with the pool drained and expansion joints also replaced. Other pools and facilities are expected to remain open where possible.

Moreton Bay City Council is considering moving its headquarters from Strathpine to the Moreton Bay Central precinct at Petrie.

A spokesperson says concept designs and site selection are underway, but no investment decision has been made.

The Strathpine chambers and administration buildings are expected to reach end-of-life by 2030.

Goondiwindi Regional Council has extended its residential building fee waiver for another year, covering eligible applications lodged until June 30, 2027.

The incentive waives building application fees and certain water, plumbing and drainage charges—worth around five thousand dollars for a standard home, and more for multi-dwelling projects.

The offer excludes short-term and temporary accommodation, according to Moree Online News.

Tasmania

Greens Hobart councillor Bill Harvey has announced he’ll run for Lord Mayor at Tasmania’s local government elections later this year, pledging to stamp out what he calls “toxic behaviour” on council.

Harvey says bickering is turning people away from public office and wants all candidates to back the Local Government Association’s “Lift the Tone” campaign.

The Mercury reported that the Greens have also unveiled candidates for mayor and deputy mayor positions across several other Tasmanian councils, including Clarence, Kingborough and Huon Valley councils.

South Australia

An independent legal review has found that a decision by Northern Areas Council to cut former mayor Sue Scarman’s term short was “biased” and “flawed.”

Adelaide Now reported that the investigation identified apprehended bias, noting the decision was made public before councillors or the community could view Ms Scarman’s written defence.

The report recommends the council vacate the mayoral office and call for fresh nominations. A special council meeting will be held on Tuesday to vote on the recommendations.

Mitcham councillor and solicitor Darren Kruse has been hit with fifteen-thousand dollars in fines following five separate findings of unsatisfactory professional conduct.

The Advertiser reported that the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner issued the penalties and ordered reprimands over a series of client management and documentation failures.

The disciplinary action comes alongside recommendations from South Australian Ombudsman Emily Strickland for the council to reprimand Councillor Kruse for repeatedly failing to respond to a separate local government watchdog investigation.

The financial watchdog has declared the Berri Barmera Council financially unsustainable.

Adelaide Now reported that ESCOSA regulators have criticised the local authority’s past financial performance and asset management.

To address operating deficits compounded by the 2022 River Murray floods, the council has proposed an 8.8 per cent rate increase this year, alongside overhauls to community rate rebates.

Regulators warn the trajectory carries significant affordability risks for the disadvantaged region.

Western Australia

The Town of Port Hedland says a council seat is now officially vacant after councillor-elect Adrian McRae failed to lodge a required Declaration of Office within the legal two‑month deadline.

The vacancy will now be offered to the first backfill candidate, Jemma Scott, with George Daccache next in line.

The Town said on Saturday that it is beginning the process of contacting the candidates to fill the role.

Roller shutters are now effectively banned in heritage-protected parts of three City of Stirling suburbs — Mt Lawley, Menora and Inglewood — after councillors voted 14 to 1 to tighten planning rules.

According to Perth Now, the council says shutters can detract from heritage character and damage original masonry.

Shutters not visible from the street may still be considered by development application… and existing approved shutters won’t need to be removed.

The City of Albany has bestowed its highest civic honour on former Mayor Dennis Wellington, naming him an Honorary Freeman of the City.

The title recognises Mr Wellington’s twenty-three years of council service, including twelve years as Mayor until 2023.

Current Mayor Greg Stocks praised his enduring legacy in regional advocacy, education, and economic development.

City of Cockburn Mayor, Logan Howlett, has been awarded the Order of ‘Red Hrvatskog Pletara‘ by the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr Zoran Milanović.

The prestigious honour recognises Mayor Howlett’s longstanding dedication to fostering cultural and civic ties with Croatia, including the city’s 28-year sister-city relationship with Split.

Global Report

UK:

Local government unions in England have firmly rejected the national employers’ 3.3% pay offer for council staff, calling instead for urgent, meaningful negotiations.

Unison, Unite and the GMB say the offer doesn’t make up for years of real-terms pay losses, and remains well below what workers need and deserve.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, led by Reform UK, says it will withdraw from the Local Government Association.

The council claims it could save up to seventeen thousand pounds a year in fees and costs.

Essex County Council’s new Reform UK leadership says it will scrap all “net zero” strategies, with leader Peter Harris calling climate policies “net stupid zero” and “nuts.”

Opposition Conservatives have urged an open-minded approach, according to BBC News, warning changes must still be practical and protect residents’ costs.

Lambeth Council in south London is considering scrapping its leader-and-cabinet system and returning to committee-style decision-making after the borough fell into no overall control at last month’s elections.

An extraordinary meeting on June 1 will discuss governance and appointments, though recent government legislation could make any switch harder.

A West Yorkshire MP has demanded action from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage over ‘deeply troubling’ social media posts by the newly elected leader of Bradford Council, Stephen Place.

Labour MP Anna Dixon claims the now-deleted posts contained sexually explicit material and religious discrimination. Councillor Place has declined to comment, according to BBC News.

USA:

New York City Council is moving to ban so-called surveillance pricing — the practice of using your personal data to charge you more at the checkout.

Two new bills introduced in recent weeks would prohibit retailers from setting individualised prices based on customer data, and stop grocery stores from changing prices more than once every twenty-four hours.

If passed, New York would become the first city in the US with such protections — part of a growing push at the state and federal level to rein in algorithm-driven pricing.

A major highway project in Charlotte, North Carolina is dead — at least for now, according to local NPR station WFAE.

Elected members have voted to pull support for a plan to add toll lanes to Interstate 77, ending years of planning on one of the city’s most congested corridors.

Council member Renee Johnson, who introduced the motion, said simply: the people have spoken.

The decision leaves Charlotte back at square one on how to address growing traffic pressure on the busy interstate.

CANADA:

Calgary City Council has voted to scrap its 2021 climate emergency declaration, saying it’s time to focus on practical action over symbolism.

The motion passed 10 to 5, with supporters calling the declaration “performative,” while opponents warn it sends the wrong message and carries reputational risk.

Council also backed creating a single online resource tracking city climate-related spending and revenue.

Animal lovers in Dawson Creek, B.C., are raising alarms after city council voted to end all animal control services.

CBC News says the city will terminate its contract with the South Peace SPCA on December 1st —ending stray animal pickup, noise complaint response, and dog licensing.

Officials cite roughly $300,000 in annual savings, while the SPCA warns of a major gap in services.

Interview: Terry Dodds, CEO, Balranald Shire Council

Read Terry’s discussion paper on Western NSW Local Government Sustainability here