Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• The latest mayoral election results from Victoria
• Councils react to a government reversal on the sale of defence land
• A surprise CEO departure
• Sutherland Shire quashes speculation about its iconic Captain Cook logo
• Gold Coast staff set to rally against the council’s latest wage offer today
• South Australian councils to lose the power to issue ticketless parking fines
• and a mayor speaks out about escalating threats to elected member safety

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Listen now wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 – simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development – smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

In this episode:

Victoria

Greater Bendigo mayoral election – Cr Abhishek Awasthi is the new mayor; Cr Andrea Metcalf is deputy mayor for the forthcoming term – a reversal of roles from the 2024/25 term. Cr Aswathi succeeds Cr Thomas Prince in the mayoralty, while Cr Metcalf succeeds Cr Karen Corr.

At Stonnington, the Council has elected Steve Stefanopoulos OAM as its new mayor, with former mayor Kate Hely to serve alongside as deputy. Both were elected unopposed to their new positions.

Ballarat City Council has elected Cr Jim Rinaldi as Mayor for 2026-27, with Cr Jay Morrison as Deputy Mayor.

Cr Rinaldi, who served as a councillor from 2014 to 2020 and again since 2024, takes the chains for the first time. Cr Morrison also begins his first term as Deputy.

Cr Rinaldi said Ballarat must protect its heritage while making the most of growth and long-term liveability.

With eleven elections conducted to date, we’ve seen seven women elected as mayors, and four men.

Next elections to be conducted – 10 November – Ararat, Banyule, Bayside, Golden Plains, Hepburn, Monash, Northern Grampians, Strathbogie, Yarra Ranges.

Good news and bad news, from the perspective of Wyndham City Council this week.

Wyndham City Council has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that RAAF Williams will no longer be considered for sale, praising the historic site’s national aviation heritage.

Mayor Cr Mia Shaw thanked local community members and advocates whose tireless efforts helped secure the decision to protect the land.

Wyndham Mayor Cr Mia Shaw has issued a statement expressing deep concern about an announcement from the Victorian Liberals on the future of the East Werribee Employment Precinct.

Cr Shaw said Wyndham’s population is estimated at three hundred and sixty-three thousand and forecast to reach half a million by twenty forty. Only thirty-nine per cent of working residents are employed locally.

She called on all parties contesting the state election to commit to a clear plan for delivery, and said, “Once you sell a site like this the opportunity is lost forever.” She noted that both major parties have previously recognised the site’s potential.

Council will hold a special meeting on November the tenth at six-thirty p-m.

A multi-agency response is under way off Melbourne’s Port Phillip coast after the dredger Kirra became partially submerged at anchor. The Kirra was supporting Port Phillip City Council’s Middle Park Beach renourishment project.

The vessel was unmanned, no one was hurt, and a small amount of diesel has been released and is being contained. The cause is not yet known.

Council has closed South Melbourne Beach between the surf life saving club and Kerferd Road Pier. The E-P-A has issued water quality advice, and Parks Victoria is coordinating the response.

Darebin City Council has concluded that buying Preston Market is beyond its financial reach.

An independent feasibility study, funded with $30,000 in the 2025-26 Budget, found Council has no compulsory acquisition powers, so any purchase would need a willing seller. The land would be valued on its redevelopment potential, and Council would inherit ageing assets and take on market operations it does not currently manage.

The study itself stays confidential for commercial reasons, but a public summary paper has been released with the minutes of the 27 October meeting. Council says it will keep supporting the market and its traders through advocacy and the planning process.

Darebin City Council says a fire has destroyed the clubhouse at Bundoora Park Golf Course.

The fire happened on the evening of Saturday, November the seventh. No one was injured.

Council is awaiting information on the cause and is working with the relevant authorities. The course is closed until further notice, and until the site can be made safe.

Darebin City Council has started a refund scheme for planning infringement notices issued between September twenty sixteen and June twenty twenty-six.

Council identified in June an error in how officers were authorised under the Planning and Environment Act. A review found the notices were invalidly issued.

Council will contact recipients directly, withdraw unpaid notices and run a three-month public appeal. C-E-O Anne Howard said council accepts responsibility and “regrets the inconvenience this historical governance error may have caused”.

Cardinia Shire Council has issued a statement from Mayor Cr Brett Owen responding to community concern over Ku Klux Klan costumes worn by a small number of people while trick-or-treating at Halloween.

Council said it is uncommon for local igovernment to comment on this kind of issue, but the level of distress in the community prompted it to act. It said it was appalled, and that the costumes do not reflect the shire’s values of respect, inclusion, diversity and dignity.

Council understands the matter has been reported to Victoria Police and is being investigated.

East Gippsland Shire Council is proposing to sell council-owned land it has identified as surplus to operational requirements.

GM Assets and Environment Stuart McConnell said councils have a responsibility to regularly review their property portfolios, and that proceeds could be reinvested in services, infrastructure and priority projects.

No decision has been made. A report identifying properties that could be offered for sale is expected at a future council meeting.

Mitchell Shire Council has welcomed a Labor election commitment of fifty million dollars for a new TAFE campus near Kalkallo.

It is one of two campuses promised for Melbourne’s outer north and west, alongside Wyndham, within a one hundred and seventy million dollar TAFE package. The commitment is not yet funded or confirmed.

Mayor Cr John Dougall said “education facilities need to be in place when families move in”, and called on all parties to back tertiary education, a hospital and public transport in the northern growth corridor.

The City of Greater Geelong has welcomed a state government commitment to expand public transport services between Geelong and Bannockburn.

Mayor Stretch Kontelj said it is a positive step toward improving regional connectivity, though he noted that long term solutions will still require passenger rail investment.

The announcement addresses part of the council’s broader transport advocacy leading into the state election.

Whittlesea City Council has resolved to advocate for the abolition of the Victorian Government’s Development Facilitation Program in its current form.

The resolution came at an unscheduled council meeting last week, where the Council said the fast-tracking pathway bypasses meaningful community consultation and strips local authorities of planning powers.

It was noted that several major local developments, including proposed data centres and town centre plans, have been lodged through the program without adequate review rights.

New South Wales

Campbelltown City Council, in Sydney’s south-west, is looking for a new C-E-O, after Lindy Deitz resigned, effective immediately, on Friday.

According to the South West Voice, Ms Deitz, who spent thirty-three years at the council, told associates it had been a privilege to serve the community.

Jai Rowell, a former New South Wales minister and currently an executive general manager at the council, has been appointed interim C-E-O while recruitment begins.

The council has not yet issued a public statement.

Nambucca Valley Council held an extraordinary general meeting yesterday, to consider interim leadership arrangements for its Executive Leadership Team.

Operations have been led by Acting GM David Moloney for about four months, with the executive team operating one member short. Council says recruitment for a permanent GM has not yet started and will take some time.

The item was to be discussed in closed session.

Sutherland Shire Council Carmelo Pesce has reassured the community that its iconic logo, featuring an image of Captain Cook, is not going anywhere.

It followed media speculation about the future of the logo after the introduction of a newer wave logo, and a councillor call for a review.

A brand strategy, which came before the council yesterday, recommended that the wave be used as a primary operational brand mark, with the Cook crest to remain on letterheads, email signatures and prominent council locations.

Cr Pesce said Captain Cook has been an iconic part of the Shire’s history and that will continue to be reflected in Council’s visual identity for generations to come.

HMAS Penguin will remain in public ownership, following an announcement by the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister.

The site stays with Defence, and the Angophora forest will be transferred to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.

Mosman Mayor Cr Ann Marie Kimber welcomed the decision, saying the voices of the community had been heard. She thanked fellow councillors, the federal member and community groups for their advocacy.

Council is awaiting further details on next steps.

Cumberland City Council Mayor Cr Joseph Rahme is encouraging civic organisations to recognise Australian Defence Force service and sacrifice at public events and meetings.

He has proposed an optional statement to follow the Acknowledgement of Country, without replacing or altering it. It would honour Australians who served, including those who died in service.

Mayor Rahme said, “Respect and remembrance should unite us.” He first delivered the statement at a citizenship ceremony on Monday the nineteenth of October, and hopes other councils will follow.

The Hills Shire Council has criticised proposed N-S-W Government reforms to developer infrastructure contributions.

The proposals would delay when developers pay councils, and may allow the State Government to redirect council-earmarked funds to state projects.

Mayor Cr Michelle Byrne says the changes will not speed up infrastructure without significant extra funding. She said the government was blaming councils for issues not of its making.

She has called on the government to consult councils before making changes.

Bayside Council has welcomed the decision to abandon plans for a controversial data centre on the Cooks River in Arncliffe following strong community opposition and environmental concerns.

Mayor Dr Christine Curry praised the outcome, highlighting that the site will instead make way for the new 14-hectare Pemulwuy Park to protect local green space.

Albury City Council is set to consider new planning controls for restricted premises, a category covering adult stores and strip clubs. Brothels and sex services premises are excluded from that definition.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the proposed amendment to the Development Control Plan would set where such businesses can operate. The council report points to fifteen other New South Wales councils using similar controls, including Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and Tweed.

Mayor Cr Kylie King said the aim is clarity and community input, following an earlier application for a venue in the CBD.

Lachlan Shire Council and Penrith City Council have marked twenty years of their friendship agreement, re-signing it at a civic reception in Penrith.

The agreement was first signed in August two thousand and six. It has supported exchanges between schools, sporting clubs and council staff. In two thousand and eighteen, Penrith councillors and staff raised eight thousand four hundred dollars for drought-affected Lachlan residents.

Lachlan Shire Mayor Cr John Medcalf said the agreement “is about people supporting one another”.

Tweed Shire Council has condemned repeated graffiti at Norries Head and around Cabarita Beach, where the words “locals only” have been spray-painted on rocks, a roadside and an electricity box.

Council says the repeated removal is costing the community thousands of dollars. Director Sustainable Communities and Environment Naomi Searle said Norries Head “is a place the community values and takes pride in”.

Council is asking anyone with information to contact Police. It says it will take the same proactive approach it has used against illegal dumping, where CCTV has led to fines.

The Canberra Region Joint Organisation has elected its leadership for the next two-year term.

At its board meeting in Young on October the thirtieth, the C-R-J-O elected Cr Kenrick Winchester, Mayor of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, as Chairperson. Cr Julia Ham, Mayor of Snowy Valleys Council, was re-elected Deputy Chairperson.

The board also considered the twenty twenty-five to twenty twenty-six general purpose financial statements, and held an induction for new members. Hilltops Council hosted the two-day program.

The Australian Local Government Association has announced its new executive leadership team.

Gladstone Mayor Cr Matt Burnett continues as A-L-G-A President. Break O’Day Mayor Cr Mick Tucker has been named one of two Vice-Presidents, joining Cr Darriea Turley AM.

Queensland

According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Gold Coast City Council employees plan protected industrial action on Tuesday, including a rally during the full council meeting.

The Services Union says council’s offer would freeze wages for almost one thousand staff moving to a nine-day fortnight. It is seeking a thirteen per cent increase over two point eight years.

The City says it has made four offers, with rises of up to fourteen point seven two per cent for some lower-classified roles. It says affected staff would work fewer hours on the same pay.

Redland City Council’s Acting Mayor, Cr Julie Talty, has inspected damage to the Cleveland cenotaph in Anzac Memorial Park, days before Remembrance Day.

Cr Talty called it a “senseless act of destruction and disrespect”. The 1920 memorial carries twenty-nine names from the two world wars, including a relative of hers.

Council crews will make the site safe and keep the larger stone pieces while restoration is assessed. Queensland Police inquiries are continuing.

Ipswich City Council has voted to support a regional push to restore passenger rail services along the Brisbane to Toowoomba corridor.

However, Mayor Teresa Harding said the decision could potentially threaten the city’s already established advocacy priority for the Springfield Central to Ipswich rail link.

The move followed a motion put forward by Councillor Jacob Madsen to join forces with Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley councils.

Tasmania

Former television journalist Charles Wooley has been officially sworn in as lord mayor of Hobart, wearing a kilt in tribute to his Scottish heritage.

Cr Wooley told the Council that residents elected the new administration to fix things rather than engage in internal conflict.

According to Pulse, the newly sworn mayor urged councillors to put aside partisan divisions to better serve the local community.

Eight councillors were sworn in alongside him at the ceremony.

Pulse also reported that Council has secured an $8.25 million contract to accept nearly 50,000 tonnes of soil from the Macquarie Point stadium site at its McRobies Gully waste management centre.

Deliveries will average 1,325 tonnes a week and commence before Christmas under strict EPA oversight.

Lord Mayor Charles Wooley said the arrangement will generate approximately $5 million in revenue to fund future facility upgrades.

South Australia

In South Australia, City of Onkaparinga Mayor Moira Were says threats against elected members are escalating, and that the council has reviewed its security.

In a response to questions from The Advertiser, Mayor Were said she received death threats by email after a council meeting in January 2023 was disrupted and adjourned. She also reported to police an incident four years ago in which she was run off the road.

The council cites an 18 per cent rise in reported harassment of staff. It has reviewed its security measures following the attack on Dr Helen Haines, but won’t publicise the changes.

Meanwhile, the city has defended flexible working arrangements after questions were raised regarding the CEO working remotely from New Zealand.

The council said employees and executive staff are permitted to work from interstate or overseas for short periods, provided operational requirements and contactability are maintained.

An independent investigation has found that Robe Council Mayor Lisa Ruffell bullied and harassed six council employees on numerous occasions, resulting in a formal censure by the council.

The investigation followed more than 30 complaints received since October last year, and found that the mayor intentionally embarrassed staff by ridiculing them in public and sending rude, undermining, and disrespectful emails.

The report noted incidents where staff members were publicly described as lazy, told they talked too much, and disparaged regarding their appearance or compensation.

Robe Council voted to formally censure the mayor, remove her from a CEO review panel, and require her to issue a private apology to the affected staff.

Deputy Mayor Nick Brown said that the council has not yet received an apology, noting that the mayor has two remaining council meetings to comply with the directive. Adelaide Now has more on the story.

South Australian councils will be stripped of their power to issue ticketless parking fines under new state government regulations.

Under the changes, which mirror legislation previously introduced in New South Wales, council parking inspectors will be legally required to attend vehicles in person and either hand fines directly to drivers or leave a physical notice on the vehicle.

The regulatory overhaul directly targets drive-by detection technology, including the Adelaide City Council Park Safe vehicle fleet, which uses automated camera systems to monitor central business district parking hotspots.

Adelaide Now reported the intervention follows widespread criticism over the volume of contested expiations, with approximately one in four fines issued through the program since June 2024 ultimately challenged and withdrawn.

The Local Government Association has questioned the timing of the announcement, saying the sector was not consulted prior to the regulatory amendments and noting that councils should be given the opportunity to adapt existing compliance programs.

Western Australia

The City of Wanneroo has voted to stop reviewing development applications that will be decided by State development assessment panels, until it has a greater say in the process.

PerthNow reported that the decision follows the Metro Outer panel’s approval of a seven-storey apartment complex in Jindalee, despite a petition and strong community opposition.

Council wants local views given due regard on contentious applications, and the cumulative impact of multiple developments considered. City staff will still prepare reports for the panels.

The motion passed fourteen votes to one. Cr Vinh Nguyen, the sole objector, said it would leave residents without a voice.

The Town of Cottesloe has launched a statutory review into its future council representation, inviting community feedback on whether to maintain its current structure of nine elected members or reduce it to seven or five.

Mayor Melissa Harkins said the review is part of a legislated process designed to ensure local government representation remains effective, efficient, and reflective of community needs.

Submissions on the discussion paper will remain open for six weeks before the council considers a preferred model for the Local Government Advisory Board.

The Shire of Gingin has confirmed that Cr Jason Weeks has resigned from council, effective November the third.

Cr Weeks was elected in October twenty twenty-three. The shire thanked him for his service to council and the Gingin community.

The shire says it is confirming the statutory requirements for the resulting vacancy, and will provide further information once the process is confirmed.

City of Albany councillor Rebecca Stephens will take over as the new chair of the Great Southern Development Commission, replacing outgoing chair Ricky Burges PSM.

Cr Stephens is in her second stint as a councillor, having served as the state member for Albany between her two council terms.

Northern Territory

Councillor Yolanda Kanyai has resigned from the City of Palmerston Council due to health reasons.

Cr Kanyai served for the past 14 months after being named the 2025 Palmerston Young Citizen of the Year.

Her departure leaves a vacancy on the Council, which will be filled through a upcoming by-election.

Meanwhile, the city has announced Councillor Sarah Henderson as its next deputy mayor, succeeding Wayne Bayliss for a term running from November 2026 to June 2027. The city rotates the position every 207 days, providing all councillors with the opportunity to serve in the role during their term.

International

UK:

The leader of the Reform UK group on Hampshire County Council has resigned from his party, and a number of committee and external bodies, after being charged with a number of criminal offences.

Local Gov reported that Councillor George Madgwick faces thirty-five offences, including twelve counts of rape and false imprisonment, following a police investigation into historical allegations.

A statement from the council said that because criminal proceedings are underway, it is not appropriate for the council to comment further at this time.

It said Councillor Madgwick remains an elected member of the County Council under the rules of the Local Government Act, as being charged with a criminal offence does not in itself disqualify a councillor from office.

A proposed partnership between the BBC and Belfast City Council to include a new studio within the £100m Belfast Stories visitor attraction is moving forward despite opposition from Sinn Féin.

Council legal advice found no procedural fault with the decision after a challenge was lodged under the authority’s call in process.

The Council expects construction on the site to begin by the end of 2027.

The Belfast Region City Deal has launched a four point four million pound procurement initiative designed to help local authorities address complex public sector challenges.

Belfast City Council said the program would transform service delivery by partnering with businesses to test innovative solutions in real world environments.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is leading the first challenge, focusing on visitor management technologies at Castlewellan Forest Park.

Newcastle City Council has backed a city-wide push to tackle anti-social behaviour, following a motion from Reform UK highlighting severe safety concerns in Blakelaw and Cowgate.

The Green Party amended the motion to address widespread issues across the entire city, with local leaders calling for increased investments and youth services funding equivalent to millions of dollars.

SOUTH AFRICA:

Now to South Africa, where a councillor has been shot dead just days after the country’s local government elections.

According to The South African, United Democratic Movement Cr Luxolo Namette, a former deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, was killed in Motherwell, Gqeberha, on Saturday afternoon. Voting had been held on Wednesday, November the fourth.

The U-D-M has called for a thorough investigation and says it is concerned the killing may have been politically motivated, while stressing it does not want to prejudge the outcome.

USA:

The Chicago Board of Elections has commenced hearings on more than one hundred challenges to candidate nominating petitions for the upcoming municipal elections.

According to CBS News, objections have been lodged against several mayoral hopefuls, including incumbent Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Legal representatives are scheduled to reconvene this week as election officials work toward certifying the final ballot.

Baltimore City Council is scheduled to take a final vote today on legislation establishing a dedicated Department of Neighborhood Safety to manage nonviolent emergency calls.

Council President Zeke Cohen said the new municipal agency will improve crisis response infrastructure and provide greater oversight of existing safety programs.

CBS News reported that while supporters point to the need for specialised mental health intervention, some councillors have raised concerns regarding administrative costs and implementation issues.

California voters have rejected Proposition 43, a measure backed by taxpayer associations that would have raised the local tax approval threshold to a two-thirds majority.

San Francisco and other local jurisdictions will continue operating under the rule which allows citizen-proposed local special taxes to pass with a simple majority.

CANADA:

In Canada, the outgoing mayor of Windsor Drew Dilkens says a Democratic win in both houses of the US Congress could ease pressure on his border city’s auto sector.

Speaking to CTV News, Mr Dilkens said a threatened 50 per cent tariff on Canadian-made vehicles, due to start in January, would be catastrophic for the local economy. Stellantis’ Windsor plant has already halted production for four straight weeks.

A new Congress can scrutinise the White House, but it can’t automatically reverse existing tariffs.

Mr Dilkens, who lost his bid for a fourth term, leaves office on Saturday after almost 12 years.

In Ontario, a recount of the Pelham mayoral race will not go ahead after council declined to act on a request from the runner-up.

Mayor-elect Marvin Junkin won the contest by 15 votes. At its final meeting of the term, council received Frank Adamson’s letter for information but did not put a motion to vote, with Mr Junkin leaving the chamber during the discussion.

According to reporting by PelhamToday Mr Adamson will accept the official result and won’t seek a court order. Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act requires a recount only in the event of a tie.