Funding for local roads set to double to $1b

Australia’s local government association has welcomed a major increase in funding for council-maintained roads.

20 November, 2023

Infrastructure plan leaves councils in the cold as projects slashed

Councils are bitterly disappointed with the government’s infrastructure policy statement, which prioritises projects that are beyond the reach of local government.

16 November, 2023

Councils dig in for battle over Western Sydney flight paths

The infrastructure minister says it’s up to councils to protect buffer zones around the Western Sydney Airport.

28 June, 2023

Australia renews transport MOU with Michigan

Australia has renewed and extended its transport MOU with the US state of Michigan, with a sharpened focus on cutting transport emissions.

17 May, 2023

Govt sharpens axe for infrastructure review

The government has announced a review of hundreds of items in its infrastructure pipeline.

1 May, 2023

Local government ministers sworn in

Catherine King is the new cabinet minister for local government, with former Bega Mayor Kristy McBain appointed to the outer ministry.

2 June, 2022

Cities set to struggle amidst population boom: audit

A major audit is calling for a new wave of reform and investment in the nation’s infrastructure.

13 August, 2019

Pulling kids dental scheme a kick in the teeth: Dentists

Mistake of a generation.

11 April, 2016

Medicare outsourcing skunkworks explodes into confusion

Accusations fly as stealth project outed in Estimates.

11 February, 2016

Payments outsourcing stuck in Medicare waiting room

Industry, public service still waiting for answers.

27 April, 2015

Training councillors to become better leaders

The Centre for Local Government at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) has lessons to offer on how elected representatives can stay well on course. The role of a councillor has always been a challenging one – balancing council rules, policies and procedures with the expectations of constituents who expect high quality service at a […]

20 January, 2014

Local governments could be 60,000 workers short

By Paul Hemsley Councils across Australia are facing an unprecedented shortfall in replacements for retiring baby boomers with the local government sector cautioning it could soon be up to 60,000 staff short unless new talent is recruited to backfill anticipated departures. Around one third of the nation’s 200,000 local government employees are now estimated to […]

5 August, 2013

Referendum teeters as Rudd makes King latest Local Government Minister

By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley Australia’s 565 councils and shires have been handed their third federal minister for Local Government in as many months on the back of an inevitable reshuffle following the second incarnation of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. Member for Ballarat, Catherine King has been elevated into Cabinet under a simplified […]

2 July, 2013

Albo returns to Local Government

By Julian Bajkowski Prime Minister Julia Gillard has rewarded Anthony Albanese, one of the key protagonists in the attempt to unseat her, with the Local Government and Regional Development portfolio as fresh uncertainty over the prospect of a referendum to guarantee federal funding for councils grows. In an announcement on Monday, Ms Gillard said that […]

26 March, 2013