On the Local Government News Roundup for Wednesday 3rd June 2026:

• A dramatic adjournment after a split mayoral vote on the Mornington Peninsula
• Ararat’s CEO announces his departure after eight years
• NSW councils get the green light for massive rate hikes of up to 58 per cent
• Snowy Monaro Councillor Andrew Thaler faces a tense hearing over bullying allegations
• Sydney councils crack down on illegal tree poisonings
• Mayoral races heat up in Tasmania’s north-west
• New Zealand moves to strip unelected iwi representatives of committee voting power,
• LA’s incumbent mayor faces a fierce three-way battle as voters head to the polls

Plus much more news from the world of local government in 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 #590:

Victorian Report

A meeting to elect a new mayor of Mornington Peninsula Shire was adjourned last night, after no candidate for the position achieved an absolute majority.

Current acting mayor Paul Pingiaro and Stephen Batty were both nominated for the role, with each attracting five votes from the ten councillors present.

A 20 minute adjournment to seek a solution was unsuccessful, with a second vote returning the same result.

Another attempt will be made on 16th June, with Cr Pingiaro to continue as acting mayor until then.

Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison has resigned after more than eight years leading the organisation.

Dr Harrison will finish up on the 30th of November.

Mayor Bob Sanders praised his legacy, highlighting record capital works investment and a strong financial turnaround.

Council says operations will continue without disruption while a replacement is recruited.

Mary Picard has been elected as a councillor for Glenelg Shire Council, after the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) conducted a countback of votes from the October 2024 general election.

The result was declared on Monday afternoon, and the new councillor was officially sworn in yesterday afternoon.

Mayor Karen Stephens welcomed Cr Picard, saying her strong ties to the community, experience and passion would be a valuable addition to the council.

The vacancy on the Council occurred after the resignation of Councillor Mike Noske, in dramatic fashion during budget deliberations at a council meeting in April.

Northern Grampians Shire Council says Victoria’s newly declared Western Renewable Energy Zone is smaller than first proposed, but still not what council wants.

The zone combines two earlier REZ proposals and is split into eastern and western sections, with the eastern section entirely in the shire.

Council says some culturally significant and high-biodiversity areas have been removed, but prime agricultural land remains included.

VicGrid engagement sessions are set for June 15 and 16 in Stawell.

The City of Casey is facing pressure to urgently restructure its advocacy strategy following a sharp rise in family violence.

A formal submission to council by support service Wellsprings for Women highlights a ten percent year-on-year increase in local incidents, making it the highest recorded in Victoria.

The Dandenong Star Journal reported that advocates are urging council to bypass standard action plans and partner with the state government to implement a localised prevention model.

Mansfield Shire Council has joined Australia’s first Snow Resorts Summit in Thredbo, with new figures showing regional communities can capture up to half the economic benefit generated by snow resorts.

The national snow industry is worth an estimated 5-point-7 billion dollars in output and supports around 22,000 regional jobs.

Council CEO Kirsten Alexander says more investment in snowmaking could extend Australia’s 121-day season, boosting local jobs and revenue.

The summit also highlighted calls for better roads and public transport access to Mt Buller to ease traffic and reduce environmental impact.

Strathbogie Shire Council has partnered with recovery provider Windermere to conduct winter welfare checks for fire-affected residents.

Under a newly signed information-sharing agreement, team members will reach out via telephone over the coming weeks to connect isolated or vulnerable community members with free, confidential support services.

The Council says the initiative will also assist in assessing and planning long-term recovery resources over the next two years.

Mornington Peninsula Shire has announced a new three-year partnership with Wildlife Victoria to tackle a surge in road trauma.

Local wildlife-vehicle collisions have risen by about 135 per cent over the past four years, placing the municipality sixteenth highest for such incidents across the state.

Council will utilise collision data and hotspot mapping to inform its upcoming Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy, which is expected to go on public exhibition for community feedback later this year.

Victorian Briefs

A postal by-election has been set for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s Briars Ward, following the resignation of former mayor, now state parliamentarian, Anthony Marsh.

The close of roll is 4pm Wednesday 22 July, and election day is officially Saturday October 3.

Moonee Valley City Council is calling on residents to have their say on a new draft Fraud and Corruption Control Policy. The policy aims to strengthen transparency and protect public funds across all council operations.

Feedback is open until Tuesday, June 23rd.

and Maribyrnong City Council mayor Mohamed Semra has been profiled by the ABC’s Australian Story – documenting his journey from Sudanese refugee, overcoming a debilitating stutter, to becoming a city mayor at the age of 27.

Sponsor Announcement:

The VLGA is partnering with the Australian Institute of Company Directors to deliver the first in a series of webinars focused on the local government sector. Your Role, Your Impact – Essentials for local government councillors will be held on Wednesday, 10 June from 12pm to 1pm.

I’ll be hosting this a free webinar, joined by VLGA President and Monash Councillor Dr Josh Fergeus, Deputy Victorian Ombudsman and former Council CEO Kerryn Ellis, and Isaac Regional Council Mayor Cr Kelly Vea Vea.

The session is designed for councillors just starting out in their career or community members who are considering putting their hand up to be a councillor in the future.

Register now at the AICD website.

NSW Report

The state’s independent pricing umpire, IPART, has handed down its highly anticipated decisions on special rate hike applications for NSW Councils.

Nine local councils have been given the green light to increase their general income above the standard state rate peg. The approved councils include Blacktown, Central Coast, Hawkesbury, Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney, Ballina, Glen Innes Severn, Muswellbrook, and Uralla.

In percentage terms, the biggest approved increases as 58 per cent over two years at Uralla; 52.66 per cent at North Sydney; and 48.3 per cent over three years at Glen Innes Severn.

However, it wasn’t a total clean sweep. IPART knocked back the application from Cessnock City Council, rejecting their request for an above-peg increase of 39.9 per cent over one year.

IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly stated the decisions followed a thorough review of community feedback and strict criteria.

Donnelly noted that elected councillors now hold the ultimate power on how and when to roll out the changes, with the flexibility to phase them in or even defer them for up to ten years.

For the full list of council decisions, head to the IPART website.

Albury Council is facing a deep political divide over a proposed Special Rate Variation to fix a twenty-million-dollar debt black hole.

The Border Mail reported an interim report warns that avoiding the forty-two percent rate hike would force eighteen million dollars in cuts to essential community services.

While some councillors back an aggressive payback strategy, Deputy Mayor Jess Kellahan is strongly opposing the move, calling it a “bailout for generational choices.”

A final decision on whether to take the proposal to public consultation will be made on June 15.

Gwydir Shire Council has announced the appointment of Leeah Daley as its new permanent General Manager.

Following an extensive recruitment process in partnership with LGNSW Recruitment, the final interviews were concluded in Bingara.

Mayor Tiffany Galvin welcomed the appointment, highlighting Ms Daley’s strong local connections and community involvement as key assets for the region’s long-term stability.

Ms Daley has been acting in the position since the retirement of Max Eastcott in July last year.

Liverpool councillor Peter Ristevski — who promotes himself online as the “1 Per Cent Accountant” — has been penalised by the Tax Practitioners Board for allegedly providing and advertising tax agent services while unregistered.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the watchdog says Ristevski lodged returns through another business and was involved in sophisticated creditor-defeating and “phoenix-like” schemes to help clients avoid tax debts.

Cr Ristevski denies the allegations, calling the board a “kangaroo court”, and says he’ll appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

He’s also facing mounting legal costs after losing a Supreme Court case against his own council.

Mr Ristevski was seeking to block the publication of a report into his conduct, but Justice François Kunc struck out the matter with costs after the councillor fell into non-compliance with pre-trial directions.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the court ruled there is a clear public interest in dealing with reports concerning public officials openly.

Snowy Monaro Regional Councillor Andrew Thaler has faced a tense three-hour hearing before the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission over bullying allegations made by the council’s chief executive, Noreen Vu.

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported on Ms Vu’s application for a stop-bullying order, saying Thaler’s conduct has harmed her health and wellbeing.

The commission heard Thaler has repeatedly attacked Vu in social media videos and messages, using abusive and derogatory language and demanding access to her medical information.

Under questioning, Thaler denied his remarks amounted to bullying, arguing they were expressions of opinion and “free speech”, though he later conceded he may have gone “a bit far”.

Council representatives told the hearing the situation is “beyond the pale”, saying past disciplinary processes have failed to curb Thaler’s behaviour. The commissioner is expected to deliver findings in the coming weeks.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports on how councils are cracking down on a spike in illegal tree poisoning and vandalism, often driven by residents chasing better harbour views.

In Mosman, a homeowner says vandals drilled more than a dozen holes into the roots of a 50-year-old conifer and likely injected herbicide — and now the council is budgeting for a full-time tree compliance officer, dubbed a “tree cop”, from 2026–27.

Councils say fines can be outweighed by property value gains, and some are considering CCTV in high-risk areas, while arborists warn the damage is getting so serious it may warrant jail time.

The rollout of the New South Wales government’s Low to Medium Housing Policy has drawn sharp criticism from local councils, despite the state government standing firm on the initiative.

According to a report by the Wentworth Courier, Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson has labelled the policy a “farce,” claiming it has driven up property prices and lacks supporting infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Mosman Council is pushing back with its own localised masterplan to manage growth.

Planning Minister Paul Scully confirmed there will be no exemptions, noting that over 660 development applications have already been lodged under the scheme.

Bourke Shire Council is launching a formal bid to secure New South Wales-based television broadcasting for its region.

Residents currently receive regional programming from Victoria and Alice Springs.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the council will make formal representations to commercial networks to align Bourke’s free-to-air content with services broadcast into nearby Dubbo, ensuring remote communities gain access to state-specific emergency information and local news.

Queensland Report

Fraser Coast Regional Council has expressed deep concern following news that the Fraser Coast Hospice is moving towards voluntary administration.

In a statement, Mayor George Seymour confirmed he has written to both state and federal health ministers, urging them to secure the future of the vital community facility.

The hospice, which operates on council-provided land, has supported more than 800 local families since opening in 2021.

An interim report from the Auditor-General has handed Scenic Rim Regional Council poor marks for its internal financial controls, according to the Beaudesert Times.

The report, tabled at a recent council meeting, highlights a lack of compliance with procurement policies and unapproved purchasing card transactions, mirroring deficiencies identified in previous years.

Council management has responded by introducing new technology and stricter oversight, warning staff that unauthorised expenditures will have to be paid back out of their own pocket.

Meanwhile, the council has voted to divert funding—including money originally earmarked for drainage works—to cover a 1.08 million dollar budget blowout on the Hinchcliffe Bridge replacement project at Kooralbyn.

The total cost of the project has now climbed past 9.5 million dollars.. with Council’s infrastructure department blaming poor sub-grade road materials, recent wet weather, and inadequate contingency planning for the escalation.

The City of Moreton Bay has partnered with the University of the Sunshine Coast to launch an extensive koala population study across local reserves.

The project uses thermal-imaging drones and ground-based detection dogs to analyse koala demographics and health.

The Council says the data will directly guide future conservation infrastructure and habitat protection strategies.

Tasmania

A mayoral race is shaping up in Tasmania’s North-West.

Waratah-Wynyard councillors Dillon Roberts, Leanne Raw, and Michael Johnstone have all announced they will contest the top job in October’s election.

Incumbent mayor Mary Duniam is still considering whether she will run again, while long-serving councillor Gary Bramich has confirmed he will step down after twenty-eight years of service.

More on that story from The Advocate.

Meanwhile, the Examiner reports today that George Town mayor Greg Kieser has announced he won’t be contesting October’s elections either. He’s stepping aside to make room for new blood.

The City of Hobart is transitioning its micromobility network following confirmation that operator Beam will end its service on June 30.

The decision follows council’s move toward an e-bike-only model.

Hobart is currently progressing a public tender for a new provider, with shared e-bike services expected to hit the streets by mid-August.

South Australia

An independent investigation has found Mount Barker Mayor David Leach breached council behavioural standards during a dispute over a “Survival Day” event.

According to reports from The Advertiser, the investigator ruled the mayor was “not respectful” in his interactions with former councillor Rebecca Hewett.

Mayor Leach issued an unreserved public apology at Monday night’s council meeting following a formal vote by councillors.

Western Australia

WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has rejected claims that current governance problems at the City of Perth stem from his time as lord mayor.

Perth MP John Carey labelled the situation “Basil’s legacy,” linking it to ongoing complaints against the council’s chief executive — currently under investigation by the state’s local government inspector.

As The Greek Herald reported, Zempilas is instead calling on Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley to act.

A monitoring report on the council is due on the nineteenth of June.

Global Report

NZ:

NZ Local Government Minister Simon Watts says the government will change the law so only elected councillors can vote on council committees.

RNZ reported that the move would stop councils appointing iwi representatives as full voting members, while still allowing non-elected advisers to contribute without voting rights or counting toward a quorum.

The amendment to the Local Government Act is expected to be added to the bill currently before Parliament.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum has strongly criticised the proposal.

The NZ Herald reported her concerns that stripping unelected iwi and independent financial experts of their committee voting rights would cause councils to lose vital specialised advice and undermine scrutiny of billions in community assets.

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has signalled strong support for council amalgamation ahead of a central government deadline, according to a report today from RNZ News.

Speaking about the ultimatum for local authorities to submit reorganisation plans by August 9th, Mayor Little outlined six guiding principles for the city, emphasising that any ultimate decision must rest with the public through a referendum.

He argues that combining the region’s four metropolitan councils would provide the scale and coordination currently lacking in local governance.

USA:

Voters in Los Angeles are heading to the polls today for a high-stakes mayoral primary that is shaping up to be a tight three-way race.

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is fighting to hold her seat against thirteen challengers, facing intense pressure over housing affordability and the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis.

According to the Daily Bruin, recent polling shows progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman running just a single percentage point behind Bass, while reality television personality Spencer Pratt sits closely in third with backing from the right.

If no single candidate secures a clear majority this week, the top two vote-getters will advance to a definitive runoff in November.

Young basketball fans in New York have the ultimate excuse to stay up late tonight.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signed a fun executive order officially ‘repealing’ bedtimes for kids while the Knicks chase a championship in the NBA Finals.

The order is a nod to the team’s historic playoff run, according to ESPN.

But parents have warned that the order doesn’t excuse kids from school the next day.

UK:

A political row is brewing in Worcestershire, where Deputy Council Leader Adam Kent is threatening legal action against Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake.

Councillor Kent was suspended by the Tories after forming a coalition with the Greens to oust a minority Reform UK administration.

While the party calls the suspension a neutral precaution, Kent claims public remarks made about him are defamatory, according to LocalGov.

Lincolnshire County Council says artificial intelligence is driving a sharp rise in Freedom of Information requests, up 18% to nearly 2,000 in the past financial year.

BBC News reports the council is now missing its response target, with 83% answered within the 20-day deadline.

Officials say some requests appear to be AI-written — and they’re exploring using AI themselves to help draft replies, with staff still checking accuracy.