Commissioners appointed to public inquiry into troubled council
The Victorian government has announced the commissioners and terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into the troubled South Gippsland Shire Council. Read More
councils
Firefighters recognised for bravery and service, and high risk of work-related cancer
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service recently heard the government had worked out how to pay for extra workers' compensation to firefighters who develop cancer, while it recognised 21 of its members and 11 units for bravery and exceptional service. Read More
Local government paralysed as Qld corruption watchdog’s council clean-up continues
Two thirds of Logan City Council face criminal charges over their decision to dump CEO Sharon Kelsey at the end of her probationary period. It's only latest twist in a tale that began soon after she moved north from Melbourne in mid-2017 to take up the role. Read More
No naming and shaming: corruption-resistant councils the goal of IBAC research
Victoria's corruption watchdog has released a new instalment in its series of reports on local government, which aims to show council administrators what a good integrity framework looks like. Read More
NSW councils applaud auditor-general’s first foray into their sector
New South Wales residents should be given more detailed information about how local councils spend their money and what they get out of it, the auditor-general recommends, and the peak body that represents them is all for it. Read More
Why local council elections are undemocratic
Through quirks of history that give votes for corporations and extra votes to property owners, local government elections in five Australian states are subject to unfair rules that have no place in Australia’s 21st-century democracy, argues Ryan Goss. Read More
Digital marketplace centralises ‘smart city’ procurement for councils
The Digital Transformation Agency has created a central space for local governments to seek the high-tech products and expertise they need to move ahead with smart city projects, on its Digital Marketplace. Councils can apply for federal funding before June 30. Read More
Cities are complex systems – let’s start looking at them that way
Paul Salmon and Nicholas Stevens from the University of the Sunshine Coast discuss city planning through the use of cognitive work analysis, which was developed to support the design of complex engineered systems. Read More
The Mandarin Jobwatch: last chance to be Qld’s council go-between
The Mandarin's Jobwatch is back. If you'd like to be a deputy departmental head in Queensland responsible for local government, that ship is set to sail this Friday. On the other side of that coin, Brisbane City needs a new CIO, and it's a big city. Victoria needs a new surveyor-general, and Sydney's new police watchdog needs a chief. Read More
NSW Nationals dump support for council mergers before leadership spill
Unpopular forced council mergers in NSW are now unfit for the future after rejection by The Nationals. Read More
Five-council, 17-year procurement tie-up rubbished by ACCC
The ACCC has blocked five Adelaide councils from getting all their garbage collectors through a single collaborative procurement process for the next 17 years. Three federal ministers even weighed in against the idea. Read More
Ransom, hysterics & soaring prices: NSW value capture policy in action
An overheated property market has state ministers, local councils and developers hot and bothered over who reaps the spoils. Read More
Corruption in Queensland: protect reputations or let the sunshine in?
Is it in the public interest to make allegations of corruption public? Sometimes, at least. Queensland's corruption watchdog is holding a two-day forum this week to nut it out. Read More
Barnett moves to put WA councils under auditor-general’s watch
WA Premier Colin Barnett is moving to bring councils under the watchful eye of the auditor-general, after 10 years of deliberations, just as Mike Baird is trying to do the same in NSW. Read More
National digital identity framework prototype only weeks away
A new federated national digital identity framework is coming in 2017. It will accommodate smaller agencies and won't be dominated by the big federal players, says the project's leader. Read More