The City of Coffs Harbour will hold an information session for prospective by-election candidates on Wednesday 28 October. The one-hour session, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in the River Oak Room at Yarrila Place, will explain the work and responsibilities of a local councillor. Candidates do not need expert knowledge of local government, as councillors come from diverse backgrounds. General Manager Murray Wood said the role involves major decisions affecting the community's future, and urged people considering a run to attend and ask questions.
David Thorpe, who won last week's Lockwood Ward by-election, is preparing to be inducted as a City of Greater Bendigo councillor. The lifelong Kangaroo Flat resident says he wants to leave his mark on the ward and be readily available to residents. His priorities include roads, rubbish collection, public safety and community amenities. Thorpe says he has been welcomed by fellow councillors and city staff. The council will meet on Monday 9 November to elect a mayor and deputy mayor for 2026–2027.
Prospective candidates for a Coffs Harbour City Council by-election can attend an information session on Wednesday, 28 October, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the River Oak Room, Yarrila Place. The session will cover the responsibilities of councillors and the decisions they make. General Manager Murray Wood urged anyone considering running to attend and ask questions. The by-election fills the seat left vacant by Paul Amos's resignation, with polling day on Saturday, 12 December. The new councillor will serve until the September 2028 general election. Candidates do not need prior local government experience.
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Kempsey Shire Council has formally censured councillor Noel Selby and asked him to resign over a Facebook comment. An independent investigator found that Cr Selby posted the comment, which breached the Code of Conduct. Councillors also asked him to take part in the Men's Behaviour Change Program. Cr Selby has said he will not resign. The council cannot suspend or remove him. The matter has been referred to the Office of Local Government for further action.
A Mid North Coast councillor will not resign after an independent investigation found he posted a violent comment to a woman raising domestic violence concerns. Kempsey Shire councillor Noel Selby said his Facebook page had been hacked, though he said he would consider attending a men's behavioural-change program. Council unanimously censured him and asked him to resign. The matter will be referred to the Office of Local Government, which could lead to his disqualification. Mayor Kinne Ring said the investigation had cost council more than $40,000.
Independent councillor Marc Lane has quit Hunters Hill Council mid-term, citing his mental health and decisions he says are made on party political lines. In a social media video, he described the chamber as a toxic chamber and criticised plans to examine 18 council-owned land parcels for potential sale. Mayor Zac Miles said councillors behaved with integrity and respect, and that no land has been agreed to be sold. He also said the Gladesville Shopping Village rezoning would deliver more public space and housing opportunities.
Coffs Harbour voters will go to the polls on Saturday, 12 December, to elect a new councillor. The date was confirmed by the NSW Electoral Commission after councillor Paul Amos resigned earlier this week. Voting is compulsory, and eligible residents are urged to check their enrolment details. Mayor Nikki Williams encouraged everyone eligible to make sure their details are current. Further voting information is expected early next week, with updates available from the council and the NSW Electoral Commission website.
An independent investigation has found that Kempsey councillor Noel Selby posted a comment on social media saying it was a pity a woman had not been bashed. Selby has said his account was hacked and that he did not post the comment. The investigator, Jennifer Perry, nonetheless formed the view that he did. The investigation found the comment breached the council's code of conduct and recommended a formal censure. The full report will be considered at a council meeting on October 20, and calls for his resignation have followed.
Nicola Rooks has been elected Councillor for Beale Ward at Banyule City Council. The Victorian Electoral Commission declared the result at the Declaration of the Poll on 15 October 2026. The by-election filled one vacancy left by the resignation of former Councillor Elizabeth Nealy. Mayor Alison Champion welcomed Ms Rooks, citing her experience in local government and strategic town planning. Ms Rooks will be sworn in on Monday 19 October 2026.
Christine Leahy has been sworn in as the new councillor for Briars Ward on the Mornington Peninsula. The Victorian Electoral Commission declared her elected after she won 64.17 per cent of the vote against Sue Ellison-Whyte. The by-election followed the resignation of Anthony Marsh, who had won the Nepean state by-election. Leahy was sworn in before the shire's chief executive, Mark Stoermer, in the Rosebud Council Chamber. She will serve until October 2028. Mayor Stephen Batty welcomed her to the council.
Long-serving Coffs Harbour councillor and former mayor Paul Amos has officially stepped down, ending nearly a decade in local government. His resignation took effect on Wednesday, 14 October. Amos served as mayor until 2024 and oversaw the opening of several major community facilities. Council staff and Mayor Nikki Williams thanked him for his service. The NSW Electoral Commission will oversee a by-election to replace him, generally held within three months.
City of Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon has publicly confirmed she is the complainant in a historical child sexual assault case against Aboriginal leader Mick Mundine. Weldon said in an Instagram statement that she had carried the matter for 40 years and wanted to speak out for children and survivors. Police arrested Mundine, 79, at 7am in Redfern on Thursday 8 October. He was charged with sexual assault and sexual assault against a person under 16, and granted conditional bail. He is due at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 14 October.
City of Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon has publicly confirmed she is the complainant in a historical child sexual assault case against Aboriginal leader Mick Mundine. Weldon said in an Instagram statement that she had carried the matter for 40 years and wanted to speak out for children and survivors. Police arrested Mundine, 79, at 7am in Redfern on Thursday 8 October. He was charged with sexual assault and sexual assault against a person under 16, and granted conditional bail. He is due at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 14 October.
