Councils call out worsening financial burden

Cost shifting and inadequate federal grants are compromising public infrastructure and services, local governments say.

1 November, 2018

Councils offer aid to drought-stricken farmers

Councils in states worst affected by drought are providing support and aid to affected farmers and communities in the wake of one of the worst dry seasons in decades.

9 August, 2018

Councils swoop on solutions to flying-fox woes

Rapidly growing flying-fox colonies in urban areas are causing grief for councils across NSW but state support for long-term resettlement of habitats could offer a solution.

7 May, 2018

Baird crushes NSW council mergers resistance with iron fist

Nineteen new councils, more to follow.

13 May, 2016

Rates time bomb for NSW mega councils

Four-year rates freeze for merged councils.

26 April, 2016

NSW councils denied wriggle room on mergers

Fit for the Future toolkits out.

6 November, 2014

Push to bury power with NBN

By Julian Bajkowski and Paul Hemsley The local government sector is upping pressure on its state and federal peers to seize the rollout of the National Broadband Network as a once in a lifetime opportunity to also dig dangerous and ugly overhead power lines into the ground once and for all. Kur-ring-gai Municipal Council will this […]

30 October, 2012

NSW covers council infrastructure debt

By Paul Hemsley New South Wales local governments have been invited to apply for funding under a state government plan to subsidise interest payments for commercial loans intended to reduce a backlog of infrastructure projects that councils have difficulty raising capital for on their own. The state government is hoping to take the financial pressure […]

9 October, 2012