The WA Government is seeking assistance in establishing an inaugural panel of local government monitors to help regulate the sector.
Experts in the fields of governance, community engagement, interpersonal relationships, financial management, and others related to the functions of local government, are encouraged to come forward and help inform the process.
Once established, the panel of monitors will help the new Local Government Inspector in matters of compliance and will work “proactively with local governments that require assistance or closer scrutiny to help resolve emerging issues before they escalate”.
As laid out in a government factsheet, monitors are not inspectors. They are experts with specific experience or expertise relevant to the issue they are being assigned to resolve. Their primary role is to “identify and resolve a potential problem and report the outcome to the inspector”.
“Our legislation is designed to provide greater accountability.”
The establishment of the office of Local Government Inspector and its panel of compliance monitors – which will act separately from the Department of Local Government – follows the passing of the Local Government Amendment Bill 2024.
The Bill is the second tranche of the Cook Government’s local government reforms, hailed as the “biggest reforms to the sector in 25 years”.
Other major reforms include:
- establishing clearer roles and responsibilities for the council, mayors and presidents, councillors, and local government CEOs
- requiring all councils to publish an annual rates and revenue policy to provide ratepayers with a clearer forecast of future rates
- ensuring meetings are only closed when absolutely necessary by strengthening the rules for the limited circumstances a council meeting can be closed to the public.
The Bill also overhauls the current system of complaints. Independent adjudicators – experts with legal training – will make findings on alleged conduct breaches by council members.
Most penalties, including council members having their allowances withheld or being suspended from office for up to three months, will be increased and council members will be disqualified from office if they are suspended for breaches three times.
“These reforms reflect the public expectation that serious conduct breaches by council members can result in a significant penalty,” said Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley when introducing the Bill to parliament in August last year.
“Our legislation is designed to provide greater transparency and accountability, reduce red tape, clarify roles and responsibilities, and improve local government financial management and reporting,” she added.
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