Compensation for amalgamated councils ‘disappointing’: LGAQ

By Angela Dorizas The Queensland Government's commitment to compensate six councils for amalgamation costs has been described as “disappointing” by the state's local government association. Queensland Local Government Minister Desley Boyle has announced a funding boost of $18.3 million for six amalgamated councils following an independent review of amalgamation costs. The Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) assessment […]

15 April, 2010

WALGA welcomes new president

WALGA president Cr Troy Pickard. Image: City of Joondalup. The Western Australia Local Government Association (WALGA) has elected City of Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard as its new president. Cr Pickard was voted in as president at WALGA’s state council meeting last week to replace outgoing president Cr Bill Mitchell.  “It’s a great honour to have been elected, […]

13 April, 2010

LGSA rejects super council plan

By Rob O'Brien A plan to create 10 super councils in NSW won't address funding issues and infrastructure backlogs, the Local Government and Shires Association (LGSA) has said. The NSW Business Chamber launched its plan to replace 41 councils with 10 metropolitan super councils today as part of its 10 Big Ideas to Grow NSW, which also […]

10 March, 2010

WA council pulls out of merger

By Staff Writer A West Australian council which agreed to amalgamate under the State Government’s reform process has backed out of the deal. Last November, the Shire of Chapman Valley entered an agreement to amalgamate with the Shire of Mullewa and City of Geraldton Greenough by 2011. It was one of nine WA councils which agreed […]

23 February, 2010

Castrilli defends position on local government reform

By Angela Dorizas West Australian Local Government Minister John Castrilli today denied claims that the new local government reform transition process has disregarded submissions made by councils. The WA Local Government Association (WALGA) president Bill Mitchell said the new reform transition process had “little to no regard” for councils’ submissions.  Mr Castrilli said through the submission process, […]

21 January, 2010

WA councils ‘confused and angry’ over new reform process

By Angela Dorizas The West Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has demanded consultation with the Minister for Local Government over what it claims is a shift in the State Government’s approach to local government reform. WALGA president Bill Mitchell said the new reform transition process, announced by Local Government Minister John Castrilli, has little to […]

18 January, 2010

Amalgamated councils renew calls for state assistance

By Rob O’Brien Queensland’s councils amalgamated by the state government in March last year are still waiting for badly-needed government financial support, the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has said. LGAQ president, Cr Paul Bell, said Premier Anna Bligh had asked councils to make submissions for additional financial assistance to cope with the process […]

22 December, 2009

Amalgamations won’t fix resourcing, says LGSA

SYDNEY: Amalgamating Sydney’s councils won’t make the problem of resourcing go away, the Local Government and Shires Associations have (LGSA) said. In a response to suggestions made by the Sydney Business Chamber that the city’s councils could be reduced from 42 to 12, the President of the Local Government Association Cr Genia McCaffery said that amalgamations would […]

20 November, 2009

Ray of sunshine for merged council

By Angela Dorizas The governing body of one of Queensland’s most diverse local government areas has been applauded by the State Government for it’s post amalgamation achievements. Local Government Minister Desley Boyle lauded Sunshine Coast Council for its performance following the merger of Caloundra, Maroochy and Noosa Shire councils. Ms Boyle recently visited the Sunshine Coast […]

11 November, 2009

NSW councils reject mergers

By Angela Dorizas There is more to modernisation of local government than council amalgamations and the creation of state government super-agencies, according to the New South Wales Local Government Association (LGA). Standing orders were suspended on the first day of NSW LGA conference in Tamworth last week to allow the 600 delegates to discuss modernisation in […]

2 November, 2009

Survey of amalgamated councils delivers surprising results

By Angela Dorizas Local governments in Queensland have been long-time critics of forced council amalgamations, but a new report has shown that council mayors and chief executives are generally positive about the potential of reforms. An independent survey of amalgamated councils was conducted by Market Facts on behalf of the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), with 30 […]

7 October, 2009

WA councils have their say on amalgamations

By Staff Writer Western Australian councils have had their say on the future of local government in the state. More than 115 councils and shires have made submissions to the Department of Local Government by the September 30 deadline. Local Government Minister John Castrilli said he was encouraged by the response and anticipated that more submissions […]

2 October, 2009

LGAQ: Councils want answers

By Rob O’Brien The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is demanding answers as to why a deadline of March has not been met to address council concerns about amalgamations. LGAQ president Paul Bell said the State Government had had ample time to address the financial concerns facing recently amalgamated councils. "In April 2008, shortly after […]

30 September, 2009

Reform deadline looms for WA councils

By Staff Writer West Australian Local Government Minister John Castrilli has urged local governments to submit their reform submissions by September 30. Castrilli said reform would deliver a number of strategic benefits to Western Australia’s councils and their communities.   “There has been widespread public discussion about driving reform in local government with focus on […]

23 September, 2009