Local Government Inspector

Tranche 2

Status: Regulations being developed

Commencement: To be confirmed

What is proposed?

The Office of the Local Government Inspector is proposed to be established to improve the way that council member and local government staff conduct is regulated.

The Inspector will:

• receive breach complaints about council members
• oversee complaints about CEOs
• have the powers of a standing inquiry to be able to investigate and intervene in any local government where potential issues are identified
• have the authority to assess, triage, refer, investigate, or close complaints – having regard to various public interest criteria
  
• have the power to order a local government to address non-compliance.

Local governments will still be responsible for dealing with behavioural complaints from the Local Government (Model Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021.

How these changes help

The Local Government Inspector and changes to the way conduct is regulated aims to improve local government compliance, support better decision making and facilitate early resolution of issues that arise.

New complaint processes will seek to reduce the time it takes to deal with conduct issues.

Read more about the Local Government Inspector.

Monitors

Tranche 2

Status: Regulations being developed

Commencement: To be confirmed

What is proposed?

A panel of monitors is proposed to be established. Monitors will be appointed by the Inspector with the aim of proactively fixing problems in local governments.

Monitors will have specialised expertise in areas where potential issues are identified.

A council, mayor or president, or a CEO will be able to request the Inspector to appoint a monitor for a specific purpose. This request will be considered by the Inspector and the Inspector can decide to appoint a monitor. The Inspector will also be able to appoint a monitor on the Inspector's own initiative.

How these changes help

Monitors may allow for issues in a local government to be resolved before they escalate, enabling quicker resolution times and better outcomes for communities. Appointing a monitor may also reduce costs if issues can be resolved early and do not progress to more intensive resolution methods. Monitors could lead to proactive attitudes to compliance by local governments and a focus on plans for improvement.

Read more about monitors.