Today we are joined by Andrew Clarke, a senior lecturer in sociology and social policy at the University of New South Wales, to discuss a timely and critical new study examining how Australian local governments are navigating the escalating homelessness crisis.

While homelessness has traditionally been viewed as a state or federal responsibility, Andrew’s research reveals that councils are increasingly finding themselves on the front lines as de facto service coordinators.

We explore the findings from a national survey of over 160 councils, which shows that two-thirds of local governments now report homelessness as a significant issue in their communities—a massive jump from just 10% a decade ago.

From the role of librarians and park rangers as early "surveillance" points to the political pressures of managing public spaces, we unpack the "wicked problem" facing local leaders today.

Links:

UNSW Newsroom Release: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/05/australian-councils-stretched-by-homelessness-crisis-new-unsw-study-finds

Access the full report: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.70114

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today: 

• A mixed bag for councils in the Federal Budget
• ICAC probes a Pink Ops clique at Parramatta Council
• A Queensland mayor goes on medical leave
• An urgent call for funding reform from a rural council
• A new study reveals the pressures on councils to respond to a homelessness crisis
• Domestic violence charges dropped against a local mayor
• And another South Australian CEO set to resign

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• ICAC Parramatta Council inquiry opens today
• Yarra Council reportedly set to drop a controversial bike plan
• A seismic shift in local politics in England
• A local mayor rejects police snub claims
• Murrumbidgee expands consultation on its four day work plan
• New housing infrastructure funding welcomed
• A cyclist loses a damages case against Brisbane City Council

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Hawkesbury Council’s controversial media ban
• The latest South Australian Council CEO resignation
• Kingborough’s Deputy Mayor elected to the Tasmanian Parliament
• Councils react to the Victorian Budget
• Regional fallout from a shock inland rail decision
• Knox apologises for a double rates deduction error
• A major new tourism attraction for Tasmania
• Another mayor to step aside
• and confirmation the Shire of Carnarvon will get a commissioner

and much more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

On the Local Government News Roundup today:

• Resignations trigger a quorum crisis in WA
• A Council CEO’s surprise career move
• Chapel Street Traders drop their legal challenge against Stonnington Council
• Peak groups call the Victorian state budget a missed opportunity
• Newcastle’s new Lord Mayor confirmed
• Industrial action to hit the Western Downs
• A mayor targeted by a nasty graffiti attack
• and a councillor’s viral spray against his own council

Plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today:

• Marsh wins Nepean, triggering a by-election on the Mornington Peninsula
• Wyndham’s leadership crisis deepens, with councillor boycotts, and now a resignation
• A troubled Sydney pool development is heading to court
• Tempers flare in North Queensland, as the local government minister resists calls to step in
• A funding gap leaving country towns high and dry
• Cessnock announces its new General Manager
• A Tasmanian deputy mayor in the hunt for a seat in state Parliament

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Plus the Roundup flashback machine takes us back to this week in 2021.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today: 

• A councillor’s dramatic mid-meeting resignation goes viral
• A monitor appointed after a troubling psychosocial investigation report
• Bass Coast picks a new mayoral team
• A funding feud erupts between a Council and a local MP
• Sydney considering a ban on short-stay rentals
• Mudgee stadium lands a naming rights deal
• A mayor blasts water buyback profiteering
• Inside Launceston’s failed four day work week plan
• Plus a new CEO appointment and much more

On Australia's #1 podcast for local government news and information.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today:

• Wyndham’s mayor digs in, as the council passes a no-confidence motion
• A Tasmanian mayor drops a political bombshell
• Gold Coast claims success with its homelessness crackdown
• Victorian councils challenge the state on roads funding and planning rules
• Major projects under review as costs sky-rocket
• A trip to Dublin draws criticism for a Sydney council
• The full cost of Broken Hill’s legal troubles revealed
• And resignation threats in Tasmania over the use of Acknowledgements of Country

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• A shock Council CEO resignation
• A two month suspension for a Hobart councillor
• A mayor calls out disrespect after a disrupted council meeting
• A council’s special business levy challenged at VCAT
• More councils reveal the impact of fuel costs on service delivery
• The cost of a crackdown on homelessness
• E-scooters and e-bikes pose challenges for more councils
• Plus acting CEO appointments and election results

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Fair Work ruling set to hit Councils’ bottom lines
• a corruption inquiry announced
• a councillor censured and facing disqualification
• while another is under investigation over a violent social media post
• industrial action escalates across Melbourne
• Hawkesbury Council standing up to bullies
• a multi-million dollar headache for a Sydney council
• an extension for the City of Perth’s monitor
• a council unveils its pitch for a new name
• a call for an urgent police surge in Townsville
• Police investigating a serious incident involving a New Zealand councillor

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• a landslide win for Newcastle’s new Lord Mayor
• councillors plan a motion of no-confidence in Wyndham’s mayor
• a $3B election call from a group of regional councils
• a mayor calls for a lowering of the temperature after a family car is firebombed
• a councillor sensationally resigns, branding her colleagues as dysfunctional
• a last minute settlement of an unfair dismissal claim at a Tasmanian council, and
• a first of its kind deepfake detection pilot launched in England ahead of local elections

Plus the Roundup Flashback machine takes us back 12 months to see what was making news this time last year

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A string of CEO resignations, affecting four states
• A $15M court decision with sector-wide implications
• Industrial action at some Melbourne councils escalates
• Police are called, as Liverpool’s by-election descends into chaos
• The council pausing green waste collections to save on fuel
• A Councillor steps down after months of controversy
• A costly cleanup after a run of vandalism in Kiama
• Queensland councils staring into a financial black hole
• And scrutiny on a Council’s interstate fact finding trip

plus much more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The shock suspension of a municipal building surveyor
• Police called after hidden cameras found in a town hall
• The half million dollar cost of democracy in Liverpool
• Death threats reported in the case against a Councillor and CEO
• A political stoush over safety and police numbers in Western Sydney
• Another councillor resignation, this time from WA
• A vaccination program under scrutiny in Tasmania

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A local government minister in hot water over a throwaway comment
• More councillor resignations
• The state government accused of rushing through planning changes in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs
• A Queensland Mayor under investigation over a CEO recruitment process
• The personal toll on a Council CEO as budget cuts loom
• The price tag on staff departures in Parramatta
• and new moves to protect council officers from abuse

And the Roundup Flashback Machine takes us back to this week in 2022.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Protests and a petition as Kiama Council considers budget cuts
• A former Council CEO loses a dispute over his exit package
• A Council fight over workplace safety spills into public view
• A council renaming proposal slammed as “chasing snob value”
• A new lever to turn planning approvals into homes in Hobart
• Greater Bendigo’s new councillor revealed
• A rural council mayor appointed to the board of the VLGA
• A court finds WALGA is subject to FOI laws

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Pressure mounts on a city mayor to resign
• A NSW council floats a plan for a four day work week
• A mayor’s off mic moment becomes public
• Industrial action set to disrupt services across eight Melbourne councils
• A council ‘s $10M legal bill successfully challenged in court
• Residents set to protest a NSW council’s planned budget cuts
• Controversial changes to committee appointments on the Gold Coast
• and council meeting lunches get the chop in Auckland

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Also today, we flash back to what was making news three years ago this week.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Pressure builds on a newly elected mayor to step down
• A South Australian Council CEO resigns after one year in the job
• Hobart City’s new plan to tackle anti-social behaviour
• A resignation triggers a by-election for another Victorian council
• Victorian councillors report growing pressures in their role
• Sydney’s Lord Mayor issues a new housing challenge to the state government
• and the curious case of the blurry councillors

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Criminal proceedings against a CEO and Councillor hit court in Ballarat
• Two councillor resignations in one week at a Tasmanian Council
• The Federal Court orders the reinstatement of a sacked Council CEO in the NT
• A new Deputy Mayor, and a new CEO announced, for Merri-Bek Council
• Councils monitoring services as fuel prices continue to climb
• High level meetings to tackle rising crime in a rural NSW community
• More details of a CEO recruitment process leaked at Redland Council
• and two new mayors elected in WA

Plus the Roundup Flashback takes us back to 2024.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The Palestinian flag is coming down in Darebin
• A leadership crisis at the City of Ryde stretches into a second week
• Legal advice sought over a councillor’s claims at the City of Perth
• Repeated attempts to elect a deputy mayor at Merri-bek Council fail to deliver a result
• A so called ‘playground style’ spat earns a stern rebuke for two Moonee Valley councillors
• The sector pays tribute to a former Mayor of Lismore
• and a Councillor under fire for playing a computer game during a Council meeting

Plus more news from around the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Deadlock broken - Wyndham finally elects a new mayor
• Controversial policy updates go through at Hobsons Bay
• Kingston Council moves ahead with plans to tighten Notice of Motion rules
• The death of a long-serving NSW councillor
• Peak bodies call for certainty on fuel supplies for the regions
• Clamping down on rogue drivers on beaches
• and we go inside the MAV’s new sector wide campaign ahead of the Victorian state election

Plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The number of councillors to be cut in Tasmania, as the government unveils new sector reforms
• A man fined for throwing coffee at a Victorian Council CEO
• Geelong council under fire for considering the closure of leisure centre creches
• A new report places council’s insurance claims processes under the microscope
• A Council cyber attack heads to court, but will the perpetrators face justice?
• A community gift turns into a legal investigation for a NSW Council
• Councils unite to push for high speed rail
• A new councillor for Cessnock, and a new deputy mayor in the Whitsundays
• and calls for a Tasmanian council to placed under administration

Plus as we mark five years of the Local Government News Roundup, I’m joined by some special guests to talk about how we got here, and where we’re going next.

And we introduce a new Roundup Flashback segment - highlighting some of the stories making local government news in years gone by.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A mayoral deadlock in Wyndham
• Yarra’s mayor makes wild admissions while trying to get an assault charge dropped
• A leadership crisis at the City of Ryde, with three top executives sidelined
• A deputy mayor facing conduct questions over a local health dispute
• A long serving NSW General Manager is stepping down
• Mayors react to a backflip on a planned expansion for SBS in western Sydney
• Evacuations at a Queensland council after a threat to public buildings
• and a WA council calls for a monitor to help with culture and governance issues

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A resignation triggers a by-election for Latrobe City Council
• An inquest postponed over potential criminal charges against a former council employee
• A first term Albury councillor preselected for the Liberals in Farrer
• A tense debate at Federation Council, as it votes to remove Indigenous flags from its chambers
• A woman charged over alleged threats against a Queensland councillor
• and an indoor arena is a step closer on the Gold Coast after a major announcement.

Plus, Regional Cities NSW Chair, and Mayor of Lismore, Steve Krieg is here to talk about the economic impacts and a hidden safety crisis in the state’s flailing freight system - but he has a solution. 

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Council worker convicted of fraud appeals his jail sentence
• An apology to artists whose work was damaged in a Council chamber
• A council calls for a shake up to the rate cap system in Victoria
• A new general manager for Dubbo Council means a vacancy in Alice Springs
• A tourism push to recapture “that Bondi feeling”
• A long serving WA councillor steps down
• and a NZ Council CEO speaks out after public debate turns personal

Also today, world leading civility campaigner Diane Kalen-Sukra with an update on preparations for the second Global Civility Summit, which is just one month away.

And more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A councillor and a CEO served with alleged criminal charges
• New CEOs appointed at Berrigan and Junee Councils
• A CEO’s performance review exposes divisions within a NSW council
• New land valuations raise concerns about potential rate rises in SE Queensland
• Council mergers back on the table in Western Australia, along with calls for compulsory voting in local government elections
• And a four day work week introduced by a major international city

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils react to new visitor fees for an international tourism icon
• CEO contract renewals in Victoria
• Hawkesbury Council speaking out after online activity involving two of its councillors
• Sutherland Shire considering on-street long term parking restrictions
• A new consultation agreement between councils and the Tasmanian government
• Local government reforms take effect in Queensland
• Gold Coast Council takes control of overseas travel approvals, and greenlights a new Olympic arena
• A legal win for a sacked Council worker in South Australia
• and dysfunction plays out publicly at South Perth council, in front of the monitor
• Also today - planning for leadership succession in Councils, with Fabian Dattner from the Dattner Group - The Leadership Bottleneck - Tuesday 24th March, 12 - 1.30pm Book tickets here

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Two more Victorian councillors to be suspended
• Mayors speak out - Local distress over international conflict, and senseless violence on our streets
• A council advised to plan the closure of a local aerodrome
• A landmark legal ruling on human rights goes against Moreton Bay council
• A string of arson attacks rocks a local community
• The 4 day week might not be dead and buried in Tasmania
• Plus a Council CEO sacked, and a warning issued over online abuse

plus much more local government news from around Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Predictions of a messy industrial standoff across eight Melbourne councils
• A super merger of councils not favoured in Melbourne’s southeast
• A regional council’s major budget blackhole
• A long serving Council CEO announces he’s stepping down
• A controversial plan to charge visitors for parking at Sydney beaches
• Pressure to overhaul a CEO performance review process in Queensland
• Councillor resignations in NSW and Western Australia
• A Canadian mayor apologises for false claims about a colleague

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• An ex suburban Melbourne mayor facing sexual assault charges - but his identity cannot be revealed
• The election of a new deputy mayor at Greater Geelong delivers a brotherly leadership team
• Liverpool’s mayor at odds with the NSW Premier over the use of a council venue
• Waverley Council investigating after trees were vandalised by men claiming to be council workers
• Calls for Redland Council’s CEO recruitment process to be independently investigated
• Rate capping shapes up as an election battleground in South Australia
• A councillor resigns, new Council CEO appointments, and yet another monitor appointed in Western Australia

Also today: Stephen Yarwood joins me on Roundup Extra for a conversation about his journey from urban planner to city innovator, with a stint as Adelaide’s Lord Mayor on the way.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Concerns over council finances persist, as the Victorian government’s Big Build is blamed for a growing sector skills shortage
• A council closes the book on a misconduct investigation
• A call to rename wards with Indigenous names rejected
• Wollongong Council knocks back a debate on alleged police brutality
• Gold Coast Council’s wage offer criticised for being too low
• Mayoral contenders emerging in Tasmania
• A WA Council chief subject to investigation,
• A deputy shire president resigns, and
• in the UK, a four year planning dispute ends in disappointment for actor Martin Clunes.

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Inner Melbourne mayors float a potential merger, and get a smackdown from the Premier
• A metro Council wants to raise rates by 5 per cent, and a rural council sounds the alarm on a spiralling asset maintenance gap
• Mornington Peninsula’s mayor is running for state parliament;
• While a former Albury mayor considers a run at federal parliament
• Sydney overturns controversial new busking rules
• Eyebrows raised at a Queensland council’s spend on overseas travel
• A controversial parking fine system under review in Adelaide
• A WA council takes back its approval of its suspended CEO’s resignation, and
• Australia Day controversies in Perth and Alice Springs

Plus much more news from around the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The mayor of one of Victoria’s largest councils suspended for one month
• Wangaratta Council appoints its new CEO
• A proposal to merge two NSW councils fails to get off the ground,
• As a dire warning is issued about the future of the state’s smaller councils
• Tensions rise in Wollongong during a cat curfew debate
• Plans for Australia’s tallest building on the Gold Coast
• A Hobart councillor’s fuel card mistake

Also today - why are an increasing number of local governments funding GPs?

On Roundup Extra, Robert Hicks from Curtin Medical School reveals that WA councils are now spending millions to fill a ‘market failure’ in medical services - and its a growing crisis across the country.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Wyndham Council demands refund over an "improper land tax grab"
• Indigo Shire shuts down misinformation about a historic carriage collection
• Transparency questions over workshops at Wollongong
• Brisbane moves to sell eight homes over unpaid rates
• Financial sustainability warnings for more South Australian councils
• WA councils may finally get the power to make their own cat laws
• Alice Springs Mayor proposes moving Citizenship Ceremonies away from January 26
• A test of municipal agility in Canada ahead of the Olympic ice hockey final

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Excitement turns to disappointment as Bass Coast loses the MotoGP to South Australia
• A costly mistake for a rural Victorian council
• Mornington Peninsula’s Mayor confirms he wants to run for State Parliament
• A proposal to merger two Hunter region councils on the agenda
• Parkes takes a stand on a proposed energy from waste facility
• Questions raised about the appointment process for a Queensland Council CEO
• And Launceston Council drops plans for a 4 day work week

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Success for a community campaign to keep the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island
• Manningham Council defends its parking enforcement around an annual festival
• Maribyrnong’s controversial Footscray security trial to end
• 10 NSW Councils apply for increases above next year’s rate peg
• A Queensland council faces a huge fine over illegal dump fires
• A South Australian council loses its fifth CEO in two years
• Plus 200 short-stay properties converted to long term rentals, and counting. Noosa’s success story with Mayor Frank Wilkie on Roundup Extra

And more news from the world of local government across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A one month suspension for a Southern Grampians councillor
• Predictions Mornington Peninsula Shire’s mayor will enter the race for a seat in State Parliament
• Victorian councils push back on state planning moves
• A Tamworth councillor cleared of vandalism charges
• Contenders emerging for Newcastle’s vacant Lord Mayor position
• A Queensland mayor calls for an investigation into cost overruns
• and Auckland’s mayor pours cold water on a merger proposal

plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Bendigo councillor ordered to apologise after a misconduct finding
• Queenscliffe’s new CEO announced
• A call for offshore wind farms to pay their fair share to local communities
• The NSW government set to oversee senior executive appointments at Shoalhaven
• Industrial action disrupts services at Blacktown
• Press scrutiny prompts a major change to Gold Coast Council’s travel policy
• Tasmanian councils keep a watching brief on the introduction of a 4 day work week
• A second WA council to be overseen by a monitor over governance concerns

Plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Controversial flag policies on the agenda for two Melbourne councils
• Wangaratta’s $5M parking decision
• A regional council’s “field of dreams” pitch to Costco
• Newcastle’s Lord Mayor steps down, over health and childish behaviour
• A councillor’s push for a merger of two NSW councils
• A WA Mayor to apologise over minor conduct breaches
• and new CEO and GM appointments from across the country

plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• An alleged complaint against the Victorian Local Government Minister
• North Sydney’s mayor disputes state government claims,
• While the Health Minister is accused of being dismissive and out of touch
• A sector leading four day week plan defended by Launceston Council’s CEO
• A council considering a name change
• A Council CEO reportedly suspended and under investigation
• plus a string of councillor resignations in WA

plus much more local government news from Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Stricter rules on Victorian councils for collection of unpaid rates
• Planning reforms pass the Victorian Parliament
• Push back on plans to sell an historic defence site in Melbourne’s west
• A mayor calls for fairer regional airfares after Qantas pulls out of a key route
• A council successfully prosecutes environmental offences
• Moreton Bay’s economy hits new heights
• Two troubled UK councils turn the corner towards recovery

plus much more news from across Australia and beyond on the nation's number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• An urgent call for action on data centres
• Legal threats over grant funding at a Melbourne council
• A disturbing increase in abuse of Council lifeguards
• Albury Council parts ways with its long serving CEO
• Urgent water supply issues for two NSW councils
• Tasmanian councils criticised for their handling of gifts and donations
• Adverse conduct findings for two South Australian councillors
• and a WA council CEO departs after less than two years

Also today:

The General Manager of Upper Hunter Shire sets the record straight after misleading media reporting of the council’s financial position.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Melbourne’s Lord Mayor flags a new approach to tackling the cost of vandalism
• A call from rural councils to pause major consultations during fire season
• A fierce campaign to retain the Phillip Island MotoGP
• A high profile resignation from a Sydney council
• A NSW council considers its options as it faces severe cash flow problems
• A surprise election announcement from the mayor of the Gold Coast
• A high profile Tasmanian mayor confirms a re-election bid
• and 40 WA councils take a stand on renewable energy

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils in a “game of chicken” with the state government
• Wyndham calls out a spate of online racism
• Concerning trends in local government finances across NSW
• A council chambers closed after an asbestos discovery
• Secret recordings lead to a governance crisis in Cairns
• An Australian first as Launceston gets set to introduce a four day working week
• and Perth’s Lord Mayor responds to the leaking of a damning internal report

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Also today - Jonathon Marsden, a former Mayor and two term councillor at Hobsons Bay, joins Chris for a chat as part of the Summer Series

Follow the Local Government News Roundup newsfeeds on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:iceigfwtgnrhmjzhw4xk47ba/lists/3m6uxv6nxko2q

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• An urgent call for action on bushfire support
• A NSW councillor under fire for controversial Australia Day comments
• A close-knot town in mourning, as the hunt continues for a council worker turned fugitive
• A warning for parents from a Queensland mayor
• Two Tasmanian councillors suspended for conduct breaches
• Hobart City Council under watch from the local government minister
• A council rejects a merger "ambush",
• and calls for the Mayor of Alice Springs to resign

Also today, strong representation from local government in this year’s Australia Day honours list.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• More scrutiny over a councillor’s suspension last year
• A council bans a local media outlet over reporting concerns
• Frustration builds over illegal dumping in Greater Geelong
• North Sydney’s controversial rates decision survives a move to rescind
• A councillor’s comments condemned after a tragic road accident
• A frank assessment of a troubled infrastructure project in Townsville
• and a critical breakdown in governance laid bare at the City of Perth in a leaked report

Also today, the UK government reveals its list of postponed council elections, as well as those that are still going ahead this year.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The dawn of a new era for Hobsons Bay as a new leadership team takes the reins
• Moyne Shire Council acknowledges community frustration over the closure of a local pool
• The split-second decision that saved a councillor’s life
• Newcastle’s Lord Mayor back at work after medical leave
• A popular tourist attraction closed - the council says visitors are making it unsafe
• and a sudden councillor resignation in South Australia, and a leadership update at Onkaparinga

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this Summer Series update from the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils mobilise to deal with yet more extreme weather events
• Greater Geelong refutes misinformation about the future of its waterfront bollards
• Waverley Council defers a decision on the future of the Bondi Park bridge
• A controversial prayer hall defies a council shutdown order
• Cessnock proceeding with a controversial rate rise proposal
• and a Perth mayor wins a $250,000 defamation case.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this special edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A councillor resignation at Whittlesea to trigger a by-election
• Strathbogie Council launches a petition to improve power reliability, after days of outages during bushfire emergencies
• Debate over the future of the Bondi Park bridge at the centre of a recent terror attack
• and a monitor appointed after relations breakdown at the City of Perth
• Plus former Glen Eira mayor Jim Magee OAM drops by for a chat on all things local government, including a controversial new survey that found some people want to do away with councils altogether.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this special edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A plea for people to stay away from fire affected areas
• A council survey of young people shows high levels of psychological distress
• A call for changes to new laws in Queensland with fears it will lead to more by-elections
• and Tony Raunic joins Chris to discuss the recently released Darebin municipal monitors’ report, and the use of monitors more broadly at Councils in Victoria.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A State of Disaster declared in 18 Victorian local government areas, as multiple bushfires burn across the state
• A puzzling new survey about perception of levels of government
• A local mayor quashes speculation about a run for State Parliament
• A Sydney council to decide on a rate rise of more than 50 per cent
• Controversy at the popular Parkes Elvis Festival
• New powers for NSW councils in the fight against hate speech
• A controversial wall sparks outrage in Tasmania
• and a UK Council Chief resigns over allegations of inappropriate behaviour

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Beach patrol services rescued with emergency funding
• Yarra Council overturned at VCAT on a controversial rooming house proposal
• A wind farm approved over the objections of two councils
• A Bondi attack memorial relocated by Waverley Council
• Cessnock Council due to vote on a 40 per cent rate increase
• A Tasmanian council CEO resigns after just four months
• A UK council confirms the theft of personal information in a cyber attack
• and iconic eleven term New Zealand mayor, Sir Tim Shadbolt, dies at 78

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this Summer Series edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A call for government intervention over a bureaucratic bungle
• The discovery of a sinkhole closes a popular sporting field
• Long term councillors step down over the Christmas New Year break
• A council removes illegally planted trees at a local beach
• Another council exiting home care service delivery
• And the US councillor placed under investigation, moments are being sworn-in

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Another extension of municipal monitors in Victoria,
• As WA’s new local government inspector gets sweeping new powers
• Victorian councils stand with Waverley against hate and anti-semitism
• Geelong region VCAT numbers revealed
• A political shift at Sydney’s largest council
• Court losses for former councillors in Queensland and South Australia
• Illegal camping prompts serious safety concerns at a Queensland aerodrome
• and the most bizarre public health warning of the year from a Tasmanian mayor

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

A bonus pre-Christmas update from the Local Government News Roundup, including:

• Monitors appointed to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
• A “perplexing” extension of monitors at Kingston
• Victoria’s new rate cap comes with new waste charge guidelines
• A mayor returns from leave of absence
• Queensland mayors and councillors to receive pay rises
• A South Australian council announces its new CEO
• Canterbury Bankstown shuts down illegal prayer hall
• UK Government warns councils against four-day working weeks

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Victoria's rate cap set for next year
• Darebin Council defers a controversial flag debate
• A mayor urgently calls for state government support as coastal areas deal with increasing rates of homelessness
• Snowy Valleys Council seeks executives to lead its demerger
• Border Mayors step up advocacy for a new single-site hospital
• CEO appointments in three states
• A UK government plan allowing councils to postpone local elections comes under fire
• and an English Council calls for all primary schools to be smartphone-free

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The final monitors report for Darebin Council has been released
• A new acting CEO announced for Baw Baw Council
• A mayor cleared by an arbiter of misconduct
• Waverley Council commits $100k to support for the Jewish community
• A special rate variation to proceed at Ballina
• A potential name change for Glenn Innes Severn Council deferred
• A Queensland CEO hits out at media reporting of his Council’s financial position
• and the council fraud update described as a “bombshell admission.”

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils unite against hatred and anti-semitism
• A second Victorian mayor steps aside, less than a month after being elected
• Sydney’s Lord Mayor hails a huge win for the city
• Scrutiny over a Council’s general manager performance review process
• A controversial oval renaming finally settled
• A CEO hires a private investigator to examine a staff complaint
• and more of the latest news headlines from around the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup Summer Series:

• Local government leaders respond to the horrific terror attack at Bondi Beach
• An Arbiter finds Whittlesea councillor Aidan McLindon engaged in misconduct
• Plus Council CEO appointments and extensions
• The passing of a long time local government leader
• Gold Coast mayor’s international travel bill comes under scrutiny
• and more of the latest news headlines from around the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Victoria’s mayoral election season is over as the last Council makes a historic decision
• Albury Council’s CEO takes unplanned leave amid financial crisis
• Maitland Council votes to return historic gaol to NSW Government
• City of Perth dysfunction escalates
• Bass Coast launches petition to secure MotoGP beyond 2026
• The reason behind a country mayor’s resignation revealed
• Redland City Mayor's scathing attack leaves officers in tears
• A reprieve for flannelette shirts in Orange, 
• and Kuala Lumpur's first woman mayor removed after 16 months

Plus more news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Waverley Council ramps up security for an Bronte Beach Christmas bash
• Perth scraps a controversial workplace culture investigation
• Moreton Bay defends bulldozing of homeless camps in a Supreme Court human rights challenge
• Hobsons Bay residents win permanent rights to stay after 2.5-year fight against eviction
• Latrobe City Council apologises after a cat is mistakenly euthanised
• Byron Shire urges NSW Government to purchase a former hospital site for affordable housing
• SA councils demand action on lithium-ion battery fires
• London councils spent over £500 million on consultancy firms, now structurally dependent on private contractors

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A government back down on the controversial Emergency Services levy
• Alpine Shire’s mayor resigns after less than two weeks in the role
• A rural NSW council commences a special rate variation process
• Rowing clubs upset over a Sydney council’s swimming pool plan
• Townsville's new mayor wins his first political test
• A Gold Coast councillor's raffle ticket purchase on a corporate card sparks policy debate
• Hobart council to shift focus to compliance after a new AFL stadium is approved
• An infrastructure review reveals governance failures at a Tasmanian council

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Merri-bek councillor to be suspended for misconduct
• A councillor accosted in public over a controversial pool decision
• The NSW Council set to fly the Palestinian flag
• Environmental vandalism under investigation by Noosa Council
• A Queensland council’s calls for help with a recent crime spike
• A South Australian mayor resigns, effective immediately
• and Perth’s Lord Mayor abandons a controversial workplace culture review

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Plus we go live to Las Vegas in the states where Fergal Coleman from Symphony3 is at the AWS reInvent conference getting the lowdown of where AI technology is taking us in the very near future.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A second Victorian council in breach of the rate cap
• Hume Council wins VCAT action against illegal earthworks
• New figures show the chronic underfunding that is holding back housing development
• A proposal to fund Pride Month activities under fire
• A council backs away from a special rate variation plan
• The Queensland government to send an adviser into Redland Council
• The tragic death of a WA deputy shire president in a bushfire

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Also today:

Conflict resolution expert and former mayor Anne-Marie Cade has been watching councils elect their mayors, and has advice for navigating what can be a challenging period for some.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councils get behind a global campaign to end gender-based violence
• A disappointing decision to close a community pool
• A referendum returns an overwhelming vote for deamalgamation of Snowy Valleys Council
• Newcastle’s Deputy Lord Mayor cops criticism from a local MP
• A council offers a $10,000 reward following a tree vandalism incident
• A mayor’s decision to go to the Winter Olympics under fire
• A Tasmanian mayor survives an attempted no-confidence motion
• Turmoil at the City of Perth as its Acting CEO resigns, and
• The shire that wants to be a city

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Winners announced in the inaugural Mary Rogers Awards for women in local government
• Hepburn Shire calls for urgent action after an attack on its CEO
• The latest mayoral election results
• A new LGNSW President elected
• Sydney Council's controversial $20 million planter box contract
• Townsville’s former mayor found to have lied about his military service
• A councillor resigns in the wake of a strip club scandal
• UK mayors getting powers to introduce tourist taxes
• And warnings the NZ government's local government restructure threatens Treaty obligations

Plus more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Victorian-first housing initiative launched in Frankston
• Ballarat refutes claims about a waste processing tender
• The latest mayoral election results from around Victoria
• Liverpool’s Mayor on the stand at a public inquiry
• More NSW Councils considering special rate variations
• A Muswellbrook Shire Council community devastated by the loss of century-old hall;
• Deficient procurement processes under the microscope at Douglas Shire
• a proposal to merge Hobart and Glenorchy councils deferred to an elector poll.
• a former Town of Port Hedland councillor suing the Town and former colleagues in the Supreme Court;
• a major shakeup of New Zealand local government

Also today: Honours student Georgia Forde talks about her research into the barriers to achieving gender parity at the elected level in Victorian local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Council CEO allegedly assaulted in a dispute over planning applications
• A legal review prompts a tender process overhaul for a regional council
• Victorian mayoral elections heading into the home stretch
• The Sydney Lord Mayor’s housing feud with the Premier escalates
• A contentious vote on flags in the chamber at Federation Council
• A proposal to merge two Tasmanian councils on Hobart’s agenda this week
• A mayor reprimanded over treatment of the council’s general manager
• And bullying claims put the spotlight back on Adelaide City Council

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Peak bodies sound the alarm over Victoria’s planning overhaul
• New landslide erosion measures in Mornington Peninsula
• The Victorian Ombudsman finds government and council failures caused a retirement village flood disaster
• The result of the Townsville mayoral election is official
• A population boom in the City of Ipswich confirmed by new data
• A Hobart councillor takes Federal Court action
• A South Australian mayor’s term ended early by fellow councillors
• And a warning that new legislation could bankrupt some WA councils

Plus much more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up on the Local Government News Roundup for Wednesday, 19th November:

• Baw Baw Shire’s new CEO takes leave after breast cancer diagnosis
• The Borough of Queenscliffe appoints an acting CEO for three months
• A Greater Bendigo councillor resigns citing work commitments
• More Victorian councils announce new mayors and deputy mayors
• Merri-bek scales back controversial cat curfew proposal
• NSW Premier meets with western NSW councils on a youth crime response
• Ku-ring-gai's alternative housing plan approved by the Government
• Townsville has a new Mayor, as voters say No to Troy Thompson
• Mount Gambier Council attracts online ridicule
• and a $2M bill for contaminated FOGO cleanup in Western Australia

Also today, a councillor’s crusade against illegal dumping - Martin Taylor has literally written the book on the issue and he’s here to tell us what he would do address the increasingly costly issue.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A rural mayor on leave after being caught drink driving in a council car
• Frankston appoints its first female CEO
• Injecting room reversal at Yarra
• More mayor and deputy mayor elections decided around Victoria
• A councillor working remotely from the other side of the country sparks criticism
• A sudden GM resignation shocks a NSW council
• Clarence Valley facing an alleged governance crisis
• A Christmas lights controversy at a South Australian council
• and a WA mayor apologises after a tree removal mistake

and much more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Two Victorian Council CEOs are stepping down
• More Victorian mayoral elections results
• A Wyndham councillor embroiled in a diplomatic incident
• A call for major public transport upgrades
• A new Federal inquiry into local government funding
• Pressure to overturn Cumberland Council’s drag storytime ban
• Parramatta won’t appeal a Supreme Court decision overturning a councillor censure
• Gold Coast’s biggest ever development project moving forward
• and back to the polls for five NT Councils

Plus, LGPro President Sue Wilkinson on preparing for the local government workforce of the future.

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Mildura launches bold campaign for Melbourne's controversial Yellow Peril sculpture
• A council’s budget deficit slashed by $290M in under a year
• Kingston Council asked to consider role statements for its mayor and deputy
• A Council plan to slash rates for some, while hiking charges for others
• A pigeon baiting furore in a NSW town
• Wagga to save a century old bridge from Inland Rail
• Townsville’s waste collection woes, as its mayoral by-election is just days away
• Plus water recycling and SunSmart firsts in South Australia.

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Whittlesea street faces name change after royal title stripped
• Surf Coast’s vacant Torquay ward seat filled after second countback
• Victorian councils elect new mayors
• A ambitious plan to transform car parks into 18-storey apartment towers
• Shoalhaven Councillor appears in court and resigns immediately
• Clarence Valley’s Mayor condemns an MP for "misuse of parliamentary privilege"
• Shellharbour appoints its new CEO
• A heated cemetery debate in Queensland
• Residents threaten to dump rubbish at a council chambers over a cashless tip policy
• West Coast Council defends turnover as third of staff resign this year
• WA Local Government Minister announces new collaborative roundtables
• A UK Council spends £200,000 correcting a typing error

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Greater Dandenong mayor rejects independent workplace culture investigation
• City of Ballarat admits responsibility for a million dollar failed road repair
• North Sydney Council proposes rate increases up to 54% after previous rejection
• Gold Coast Council issued enforcement order after 7 million litres of sewage spills
• Queensland councils face $40,000 annual cost for weather data previously free from Bureau of Meteorology
• Former Town of Cambridge mayor loses appeal against code of conduct breach findings
• London boroughs face £4 billion funding gap with bankruptcy risk for up to half by 2028
• Mexican mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez shot dead during Day of the Dead celebrations

and more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A $3M VCAT win for Glen Eira over the Melbourne Racing Club
• Battery storage push back in Baw Baw
• A costly infringement mistake in Yarra Ranges
• Aged care reforms place new obligations on councillors
• NSW’s most controversial councillor suspended for a third time
• Councils take a stand against new meeting rules
• Disaster role locked in for Queensland mayors
• A staff exodus raises concerns at a Tasmanian council
• and a call for compulsory voting at South Australian council elections

plus more new local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A Surf Coast councillor walks out of his first meeting after a suspension
• Count backs and resignations continue in Victoria, as mayoral election season begins
• An audit reveals a $50M asset overvaluation and 'extreme risk' in Parramatta
• Controversial changes to busking rules in Sydney
• North Burnett moves to forcibly sell six properties over $200K rates debt
• Gold Coast says no to free early parking despite resident petitions
• A warning that reorganisation threatens local democracy in the UK
• Also today - Fabian Dattner drops by to preview an upcoming event on the importance of celebrating milestones and achievements, and moving beyond the token sausage sizzle.

Register for the Art of Celebration, 12th November.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A call for scrutiny as major new planning reforms unveiled without consultation with councils
• The fight against the ESVF continues
• Liverpool’s mayor under renewed attack in a public inquiry
• A move to slash short term rental caps in Sydney
• A Queensland mayor wants to reduce councillor numbers
• Hobart councillors make the case for higher pay
• An Adelaide councillor to apologise for a breach
• and a South Australian Council CEO resignation
• Plus a Council CEO’s call for fairer local government funding - Nat Traeger from the District Council of Robe on Roundup Extra later in this episode.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Coming up today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• A new era for Hobsons Bay Council as it announces its next chief executive
• Gippsland earns a place on the world stage
• A Lord Mayor’s health battle
• Councillors accused of copycat motions on housing in NSW
• Service cuts and workforce reallocations flagged at a Queensland council,
• While another allays fears of a burial crisis
• A controversial Tasmanian councillor reveals his future plans
• and defamation proceedings from a CEO against his former council in WA

Plus much more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Frankston Council to step up beach safety measures after two tragic deaths
• Concerns over plans to add private security cameras to Melbourne’s CCTV network
• Landbanking accusations from by an inner city Council CEO
• Concerns raised about new NSW councillor conduct reforms
• This year’s Women in Local Government award winners announced
• A new trial to crack down on vehicles blocking driveways
• The alarm sounded on infrastructure and crowded cemeteries in Queensland
• and more election surprises in Western Australia

Plus more of the latest local government news from around Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Yarra’s Mayor charged with assault
• Anger from Kingston Council over a controversial development approval
• Disappointment as Ballarat loses a major sporting event
• 52 jobs to go as the axe falls at Shoalhaven Council
• The NSW Premier threatens councils over housing
• New reforms announced for local government in Queensland
• A misconduct finding against a South Australian mayor
• and more election outcomes in Western Australia

Plus, an interim CEO’s views on new reforms set to shake up council meeting practices in NSW from next year. Mark Dupe from Berrigan Shire Council joins Chris on Roundup Extra.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Condemns Immigration Protest Violence
• Kingston’s second monitor announced
• Wodonga’s new councillor questions the use of a hospital lobbyist
• Victoria’s new Police Chief Meets Regional Councils on Crime
• Central Darling Elects its First Councillors in Decade
• Albury Council’s Deficit Cuts to be Revealed Tonight
• A Record Nine Candidates to Contest Townsville’s Mayoral By-Election
• WA’s Local Government Minister Flags Compulsory Council Voting, after a low election turnout

and much more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The VEC calls for legislative change for Victorian council elections
• A new CEO for Buloke, and a familiar face returns to Wodonga Council
• Brimbank embroiled in legal disputes
• Workplace improvement notices placed on Shoalhaven Council for councillor safety
• NSW Council CEO news, including a new GM and a twist in the Parramatta sacking saga
• The investigation into Townsville’s former mayor is complete
• Calls for Redland Council to be sacked, as its Mayor votes against the annual report
• Indefinite leave for a WA Council CEO

All of that and more just ahead on Australia’s number one local government podcast.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Another monitor for Whittlesea as a Commission of Inquiry report raises serious governance concerns
• Maribyrnong’s Mayor back at work as his legal proceedings end
• Councils unite against an unpopular tax
• A council lobbying for councillor term limits
• Parramatta Council sacks its CEO
• A Queensland council loses nearly $2M to a sophisticated fraud
• and while WA’s Shire of Coolgardie avoids suspension, a rural councillor does not.

Plus on Roundup Extra, Moorabool Mayor Paul Tatchell on his ongoing dispute with the EPA over illegally dumped toxic waste, and why other councils should be concerned.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A suspended mayor’s court challenge edges closer
• A rural mayor calls for sector support for its battle with the EPA
• A NSW councillor resigns, amid reported financial troubles
• Asbestos contamination concerns widen in Liverpool
• A copper smelter rescue package welcomed in Queensland
• A council calls for help in the fight against tree vandalism
• A long running legal battle thrown out
• A bloodbath for incumbent mayors in New Zealand

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The MacRae Landslide Board of Inquiry report is out, along with the government’s response
• Prayer rejected - a petition fails to return the Lord’s Prayer to Bass Coast Council meetings
• A charity given notice to vacate by Greater Dandenong Council
• Date set for a de-amalgamation referendum
• Shoalhaven’s new CEO rejects claims he’s not qualified for the job
• A new councillor for Moreton Bay
• Water concerns in Cairns
• and voters go to the polls for local council elections in New Zealand

Also today, a NSW town living in fear, and the local council’s call to the Premier for help - Chris talks to Anthony Doyle from Walgett Shire Council on Roundup Extra.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A councillor’s workplace restrictions strengthened after an investigation
• Northern Melbourne councils unite to demand transport improvements
• A push to return the Lord’s Prayer to a rural council’s meeting
• Horsham Council condemns a spate of offensive, racially motivated material
• Albury’s Mayor meets with the NSW Premier about hospital services
• A call for financial transparency at a metro Sydney council
• A major CCTV investment to boost community safety in a NSW town
• An urgent call for respect for staff at a large Queensland council
• And badly behaved Tasmanian councillors face dismissal under new laws unveiled this week
• Also today, Greater Geelong CEO Ali Wastie on how the city is moving on from Grand Final disappointment with a major new cultural event.

Find out more about ROAM Geelong here. 

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

It's episode 500 of the Local Government News Roundup!

Coming up in this episode, 

• A new report of a toxic culture among former Brimbank councillors
• A new Victorian flood hazard rating system draws mixed reviews
• The sad passing of a NSW Council’s General Manager
• A country mayor sounds the alarm over a disturbing trend of crime in his town
• A council reversal leaves an industry in turmoil
• Fresh accusations of misleading claims by former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson
• A CEO admits his Council needs to improve its community engagement

and much more news from across the world of local government.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A victory for community activism in Hepburn Shire
• A new award program honouring women in local government
• A CEO recruitment process comes under investigation
• A council fined over a sewage discharge
• Workers protest possible redundancies at Liverpool City Council
• The date is set for Townsville’s mayoral by-election
• Two South Australian councils appoint new CEOs
• and election controversies in Western Australia

Plus more of the latest local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Perceptions of corruption run high in Victorian local government
• New cat confinement laws come into effect in Melbourne
• NSW Council rate pegs revealed for next year
• Shoalhaven’s controversial CEO appointment
• A milestone for a local government employment program
• Townsville Council chooses postal voting for its mayoral by-election
• And England’s councillors to be allowed back into the sector’s pension scheme

Also today, Cr Moira Berry, Chair of Peri Urban Councils Victoria is here with a plea to state and federal governments for support for housing development in some of the state’s rapidly growing but potentially overlooked council areas.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• More councils take issue with funding for beach lifeguard services
• Townsville’s controversial mayor resigns, but the long running saga is not over
• Calls for publication of Council FOI requests
• A council’s $2M parking machine overhaul
• A Sydney area council CEO reportedly negotiating a contract exit
• A major financial restructure for a Queensland council
• A string of supplementary election results from South Australia
• A costly by-election in WA after a surprise resignation
• and controversy over CEO recruitment at a NZ council

and much more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Baw Baw Shire appoints a new CEO
• A surprise councillor resignation on the Surf Coast
• Operation Sandon finally reaches a courtroom
• CEO appointment news from NSW
• A controversial flouride decision in Queensland
• A South Australian mayor resigns after months of turmoil
• A Tasmanian councillor suspended for code of conduct breaches
• and tensions flare in Perth’s Lord Mayoral contest
• Plus European cities under pressure from overtourism, and provincial intervention raises concerns in Canada.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Merri-bek Council CEO Cathy Henderson resigns to head up WorkSafe Victoria
• Gates demolished as Yarra’s mayor declares a long running dispute over
• Sydney Council urging stronger state action on illegal vapes
• Residents protest a high-rise development plan
• A breakthrough in a Queensland council’s industrial dispute, as another commences a surprise restructure
• Deputy mayor appointments in NSW, and by-election results and a high profile resignation in Tasmania

Plus, Regional Capitals Australia Acting Chair Kevin Mack on the policy changes needed to unlock the potential of regional capitals across the country.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Suspended - a Surf Coast councillor to sit on the sidelines for one month
• A win at VCAT for Wyndham City Council
• Geelong to show its colours in AFL Grand Final week
• A remote NSW community votes for its first new Council in more than a decade
• The home of Tamworth’s famed Golden Guitar under review
• New deputy mayors elected across NSW
• The latest from Townsville’s ongoing mayoral drama
• Hobart Council reviewing its position on an AFL stadium

plus more local government news from around Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A political storm engulfs Melton Council
• Wallabies saved from euthanasia on the Mornington Peninsula
• Mayors unite over deteriorating road conditions
• Sweeping planning changes to accelerate housing development in NSW
• Townsville’s suspended mayor asked to show why he shouldn’t be sacked
• A boundary change recommendation rejected by SA’s local government minister
• and tensions flare at a Tasmanian council meeting

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Councillor numbers to be slashed under a new Tasmanian Government proposal for local government
• Victorian councils concerned about disaster funding delays, while NSW councils deal with earthquakes and a dead whale
• Port Phillip steps up advocacy on extended Grand Prix timelines
• A reprimand for Townsville’s suspended mayor
• A deputy mayor found in breach of conflict of interest rules
• A Council CEO resigns,
• and a WA Council’s future hangs in the balance

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Case dismissed - the latest twist in the Greater Dandenong Slug Gate saga
• Urgent briefing for Yarra Council on a VCAT e-scooter challenge
• A life or death decision looming for kangaroos and wallabies at Mornington Peninsula Shire
• Council financial management concerns laid bare in a new Auditor General report
• Pet ownership limits spark backlash for a NSW council
• Vandalism and asbestos dumping lead to council facility closures
• Townsville’s suspended mayor found in breach of the code of conduct
• and the WA premier flags more local government election reforms ahead

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Plans for new high density precincts unveiled in Melbourne
• Liverpool Councillors move to have the city’s CEO suspended
• A mayor distances her council from expected job losses
• From Gore to Walcha - a trans-Tasman leadership transition
• The spectre of Operation Sandon hanging over Casey City Council
• A budget blow for the City of Nedlands
• and claims of clickbait and chaos at a Reform UK led council

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• The McCrae Landslide Board of Inquiry report has been submitted to government - what are the likely implications for the local government sector?
• Moorabool continues to challenge the EPA over transparency concerns
• CEO level appointments in Victoria and NSW, and a contract extension in Queensland
• A controversial shark net trial up in the air in NSW, but the affected councils want it to proceed
• Industrial action looms for another Queensland council
• Nominations are in for WA council elections
• and the UK has a new local government minister

Plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Two big city Mayors call for the reinstatement of a missing transport link
• An acting mayor appointed as a country mayor deals with health challenges
• Another council drops a Christian prayer from its meetings
• A bitter housing dispute between a council and the state government in Sydney’s east
• Cessnock the latest council to explore a special rate variation
• A Council CEO’s interstate travel under scrutiny
• A new Lord Mayor for Darwin
• and arrests over an alleged housing fraud at a London council

Plus Cr Adam Worling from the City of Sydney joins Chris for Roundup Extra, and more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Charges laid after seven years of Operation Sandon
• Mayors facing down discrimination and hateful narratives
• A world first anti-semitism strategy launched
• Shoalhaven Council rejects claims of a toxic culture
• A council under pressure to change its community vision
• A general manager appointment, and another councillor resignation
• NZ Police accused of inaction over online death threats against councillors, and
• The growing resistance movement against data centres across the US

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Taking a stand against abuse towards frontline council workers and elected representatives
• Councils push back on electricity reforms, lifeguard funding and planning call-ins
• Rural NSW councils look to the future after devastating economic blows
• A council’s planned tribute to rock band AC/DC
• Striking staff to be locked out from today in Townsville
• and commissioners appointed and the remaining councillors removed from the troubled Town of Port Hedland Council

plus much more local government news from across Australia and beyond

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Today on the Local Government News Roundup:

• Another council raises concerns about a surprise renewable energy zone proposal
• An urgent call for animal foster carers in Gippsland
• Sweeping changes announced for council meetings in NSW
• A censured Parramatta councillor’s court win
• A Council GM un-resigns and gets a new five year deal
• Councils rejecting
• phone tower proposals
• The toll mounts from a stubborn algal bloom in South Australia
• and the city looking to limit resident’s smartphone use

Plus more of the latest local government news from across Australia and beyond

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Alarm over a disturbing increase in dog attacks in East Gippsland
• The growth of data centres raises water concerns in Hume
• An admission that a controversial roundabout should never have been built
• Funding wins for five regional NSW Councils
• Compensation calls for sacked Ipswich councillors rejected
• Industrial action launched against a Tasmanian council
• A long serving South Australian council CEO to step down
• A Port Hedland councillor pushing back against government intervention
• And jail for UK worker convicted of fraud against multiple councils

Plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Alpine Shire Council shuts down as a police manhunt continues
• A metro mayor facing charges stands aside
• Many Melbourne councils predicted to fall short of government housing targets
• Sydney councils at odds with the state government over planning proposals
• Government intervention looms for two WA councils
• CEO appointments and resignations in Victoria and New South Wales
• Concerns over leaked details of a CEO’s employment conditions
• Counting continues in key NT mayoral races

and more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Monitors announced for Kingston
• Moorabool’s toxic waste fight with the EPA continues
• A waste-to-energy surprise in Hume
• A former mayor attempts a by-election comeback
• A NSW councillor fails to block a second suspension
• NT mayoral election counts on a knife-edge
• Surprising recommendations for a boundary change in SA
• and trio of Tasmanian councillors hit back at hurtful online claims

plus more of the latest news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Levy discontent grows as rates notices go out
• A council’s major restructure plan announced
• Casey Council backtracks on controversial local laws
• Another potential NSW council demerger moves a step closer
• Sweeping reforms announced for council elections in South Australia
• An historic appointment for Western Australian local government
• plus executive appointments, resignations and election results from across the country

plus more of the latest news from across the world of local government in Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this episode, we dive into the pressing issue of burnout and overwhelm within local government.

Join us as we explore insights from Zoe Dattner, CEO of the Dattner Group, who shares stories and findings from a recent event focused on the relentless drive to do more with less.

Discover the risks of this growing pressure, the impact on strategic goals, and practical tools like the "three lens filter" to help navigate these challenges.

Find out how local government leaders are addressing these issues and fostering a healthier work environment.

Access free resources on this topic from the Dattner Group here.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

Another insightful episode in the Well Travelled Executive Series, featuring Michael Tudball, a seasoned leader in local government.

From his beginnings in audit and risk to becoming a council CEO, Michael shares his unique journey through various councils across Victoria.

Discover his experiences as a mayor, his passion for community development, and his strategic roles in economic growth and infrastructure.

Michael's story is a testament to dedication and leadership in shaping vibrant communities, and one of challenges and triumphs in the public sector.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this special episode of the Local Government News Roundup, Chris Eddy explores how generative AI is beginning to transform councils in Victoria. 

This episode features real-world stories of councils trialling AI chatbots, document search tools, and AI agents, as well as bold discussions about what might come next – from robot building inspectors to AI-supported service delivery.

Guests include James Plozza from Warrnambool City Council, Broderick McIntyre from Greater Bendigo Council, Justine Resta from ALGIM Australia, Fergal Coleman and Sarah Jayne Webb from Symphony3, and consultant Lisa Bennetto. Together, they share candid reflections on risk, reward, collaboration, and why the biggest risk might be doing nothing at all. 

The episode was recorded with the support of Symphony3 - helping local governments deliver simple, connect customer experiences - and the AWS Builders Studio in Melbourne.

Symphony3 has made a range of free AI resources available for local government - you can find them here. 

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this episode of the Well Traveled Executive Series, Chris Eddy sits down with Rebecca McKenzie, the outgoing CEO of Glen Eira City Council, to explore her public service journey from the UK to Australia.

Rebecca shares her insights on the evolving landscape of leadership, the importance of diversity in governance, and the highlights and challenges of her career to date.

Discover how her HR background shaped her approach to leadership and why fostering diversity is crucial for thriving communities.

An inspiring conversation about the future of local government and the role of authentic leadership in driving change.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A final warning over a controversial sea wall in Frankston
• Two rural councils challenge the Victorian Government over drought funding inequities
• Maribyrnong Council the latest to consider funding private security measures
• More revelations from the Liverpool Council public inquiry
• The cost to ratepayers of a failed council merger revealed
• A major sporting infrastructure setback in Redland
• A formal caution for a Tasmanian councillor
• Fresh voter fraud concerns in Adelaide

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

On your Monday morning edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• A mayor’s misconduct complaint against a councillor dismissed
• Whitehorse council’s multi-million dollar fight with SRL
• Buloke formalises its frustration with the state government
• A wave of demerger optimism in NSW
• Rising Tide stands firm on protest plans in Newcastle
• Sunshine Coast Council bypassed over festival development
• A Council’s large rate increase prompts a call for legislative change
• And a Tasmanian mayor facing a no-confidence motion

plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Moorabool Shire faces a $1/2M clean up bill after a loss at VCAT
• A council and union meet to discuss workplace culture concerns
• A sacked street sweeper wins compensation, and is now considering a tilt at federal politics
• A dramatic raid on a Sydney council
• The green light for a demerger of Cootamundra-Gundagai Council
• A marathon Council meeting fails to come to a decision on mayoral misconduct allegations
• and the heavy toll of vandalism on councils in northern Tasmania

plus more local government news from around Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.

Links for stories referenced in the podcast can be found in the transcript, or by visiting the Roundup website.

Support the Roundup by becoming a subscriber for around $5 per month. ($3 USD) Click here to subscribe now.

In this edition of the Local Government News Roundup:

• Claims of underfunding from another Victorian integrity agency
• A council’s call for stronger powers to act on dangerous dogs
• A councillor demanding a public apology from her council
• Liverpool’s public inquiry gets underway
• A NSW mayor calls out keyboard warriors
• A shock resignation from a Qld Council CEO
• Controversial new Council by-laws under attack in South Australia
• and a local government member association CEO is moving on

Plus more local government news from across Australia and beyond.

Support the show

The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government; with support from Symphony3 - simple, connected customer experiences; and Rath Engineering Development - smarter local government systems built from real on-the-ground experience.