Council planning goes from ICAC to accolades

The secret to successful planning is to focus on steering growth rather than responding to it, according to an award-winning council.

29 July, 2021

Public requests for government information increase

Requests for government information from the public have more than doubled over the last ten years.

28 July, 2021

Councils frustrated as covid delays local govt elections – again

Local government elections in NSW have been delayed as the state struggles to contain an outbreak of the Delta variant of covid-19.

26 July, 2021

Council mining alliance banks on strength in numbers

Mining cities say the nation’s riding on the back of a haul truck but they’re not sharing the benefits.

25 July, 2021

Victorian education chief jailed over ‘banker schools’ rort

A former senior Victorian education department bureaucrat has been sent to jail for his role in the ‘banker schools’ scam.

21 July, 2021

Minister vows to press ahead with infrastructure contribution changes

The NSW planning minister has indicated he will press ahead with controversial changes to developer levies saying he is “impatient for reform” despite pushback from councils.

19 July, 2021

Legal dispute leads to misconduct finding against former deputy mayor

A former Qld deputy mayor is challenging a CCT finding of misconduct.

18 July, 2021

Building Commissioner audits high risk apartments

The NSW government is auditing high risk apartment blocks as it attempts to clean up the building industry.

15 July, 2021

Town’s brush with covid a wake up call for regional centres

Contract workers and illegal day trippers present the biggest covid threat to regional communities, Goulburn’s mayor says.

14 July, 2021

Cyber security failures at TfNSW, Sydney Trains

Transport for NSW and Sydney Trains are failing to manage ‘significant’ cyber security risks, the NSW Auditor General says.

14 July, 2021

Councils get $350k in trial to cut planning assessment times

13 NSW councils have been given $350,000 each to speed up planning assessment times.

12 July, 2021

Smart bike technology to inform better cycling infrastructure

Victoria is launching the world’s largest trial of smart bike technology to improve cycling infrastructure.

12 July, 2021

Study finds urban parks a hot spot for bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been found lurking in urban parks and greenspaces.

12 July, 2021

WA wetlands trial targets plastic in waterways

WA will trial floating rubbish bins at an urban wetland in Perth to reduce plastic waste in the state’s waterways.

8 July, 2021