Western Australia has appointed its first local government inspector tasked with ensuring the state’s 139 councils comply with regulations and codes of conduct.
Tony Brown has been appointed by the Governor in an inaugural role created by the WA government as part of local government reform designed to improve accountability and transparency of the sector.
“With the appointment of WA’s first Local Government Inspector, local governments are not only supported, but also on notice,” Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley said. “The inspector will have the power to launch an inquiry and recommend a council member – or an entire council – be dismissed if they are found to be dysfunctional.”
Mr Brown has more than 20 years’ experience within local government holding senior roles including chief executive officer at the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley.
In 2006, Mr Brown joined the newly formed Western Australian Local Government Association as manager of governance. Mr Brown has remained at WALGA since then, holding various titles over almost 20 years of service – including head of the organisation’s training and development program for elected members and council officers.
“WALGA, on behalf of its member local governments, congratulates Mr Brown on his appointment as the Local Government Inspector,” WALGA President Karen Chappel said. “This appointment is what the local government sector has been looking for and provides legitimacy, certainty and confidence around the inspectorate.”
Mr Brown’s knowledge and understanding of local government in WA “is unparalleled”, Chappel said, adding: “while his expertise and counsel will be deeply missed at WALGA, we look forward to continuing to work with him in the future”.
Compliance powers
As Local Government Inspector, Mr Brown will:
- monitor the conduct of a local government’s operations and affairs
- provide education and information to assist in compliance and conduct
- receive and deal with complaints
- conduct investigations, including those initiated by the inspector
- if necessary, conduct an inspector’s inquiry.
The inspector will have various powers to investigate complaints that exist under the Local Government Act. These include an ability to:
- require a person to produce information about the local government’s affairs
- require a person to appear before the inspector and give evidence
- require a person to produce a document, information or property to the inspector in the person’s possession and allow the inspector access to it
- gain entry onto local government property without a warrant and obtain a warrant to enter private property
- obtain the recording of council meetings – including meetings held behind closed doors.
New powers for the inspector include the ability to:
- obtain business records and data access orders under the Criminal Investigations Act
- require a local government to compile information for the inspector
- extend secrecy to some of their notices and directions
- recommend, through an inspector’s inquiry, the dismissal of a council or council member.
The inspector will also appoint monitors “to proactively assist local governments to find resolutions to problems before they escalate”, Ms Beazley said. The monitors will have specific experience or expertise relevant to the potential problem they are being assigned to resolve. Monitors may include:
- former mayors, presidents, and councillors
- former local government CEOs or experienced public sector administrators
- independent governance and legal professionals
- experts in organisational and interpersonal fields
- financial and accounting professionals
- other experienced professionals in fields that may relate to local government.
The Office of the Local Government Inspector will also have a team of investigators, compliance specialists, complaint handlers, and other support staff.
Mr Brown’s appointment is for five years commencing on 20 October 2025; the Office of the Local Government Inspector is scheduled to formally start operations from 1 January 2026.
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