NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig is considering suspending the Mayor and councillors of Moree Plains Shire Council for three months. The proposed move follows concerns about meeting conduct, repeated police involvement and strained relationships between councillors. No suspension has been ordered. The council and individual councillors have until Friday 6 November to respond. Mayor Susannah Pearse says the council will consider its response at an extraordinary meeting on Monday 2 November. An interim administrator would be paid by the council, and the cost has not yet been established.
The Municipal Association of Victoria has recognised long-serving councillors through its 2026 MAV Councillor Service Awards. MAV President Jennifer Anderson said recipients should be proud of their leadership and commitment to residents. She said the role is demanding and often done as a second job or alongside family care. Awards were presented at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30-year service levels, plus a Mayor Emeritus Award. The association said the recipients have left a lasting mark on communities across the state.
Tasmania's council elections are entering their final week, with a significant overhaul of local government on the cards. The number of councillors statewide is being cut from 263 to 213, and several high-profile mayors are not seeking re-election. Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds is among those leaving the role. Around 55 per cent of ballots had been returned as of Wednesday, according to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Voting is mandatory, and penalties of up to $42.60 may apply to those who fail to return their ballots by the deadline of 2pm on Tuesday, October 27.
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South Gippsland Shire councillor Sarah Gilligan has called for change in political tone following the attack on Indi MP Dr Helen Haines. Gilligan said words are weapons and that women in politics should not have to weigh their safety when choosing their battles. She criticised groups of people who make accusations against councils and social media abuse. Other councillors and Mayor Nathan Hersey also voiced support, while Bass Coast Shire Mayor Brett Tessari sent wishes for Haines's recovery. A motive has not been outlined for the man accused of deliberately targeting Haines with his vehicle.
A motion from the City of Moreton Bay calling on the State Government to better protect the privacy of local government candidates has been adopted at the LGAQ Annual Conference. The motion will be included in the LGAQ's advocacy agenda. It seeks a registration system for candidates and the removal of existing contact information held by the Electoral Commission of Queensland. Mayor Peter Flannery said the State's recent change allowing post box addresses in election material was not strong enough. Two other safety motions were also adopted at the conference.
The Australian Local Government Association is running a webinar called Surviving the Comment Section to help councillors deal with online abuse. Social media strategist Felicity Cull will offer practical advice on responding to personal attacks and protecting personal safety. The webinar is on Monday 16 November at 11.00am. A survey by advocacy group Women for Election found that 88 percent of 110 women in elected office or running for office had experienced online abuse linked to their political work.
Upper Lachlan Shire Council will hold a series of community outreach meetings across the shire in October and November 2026. Residents can meet councillors and raise local issues and ideas. The meetings will take place in Big Hill, Crookwell, Gunning and Taralga, with the Big Hill meeting on 13 October already held. The Crookwell meeting is on 20 October, Gunning on 27 October and Taralga on 5 November. All meetings start at 6:00pm and are open to local residents and community members.
City of Melville councillor Scott Green is pushing for changes to WA's defamation laws. He wants the council to back a call for the State Government to amend the Defamation Act 2005 and to seek support from the WA Local Government Association. Green says WA is the only state yet to adopt a serious harm test, which allows claims to be dismissed early elsewhere. His motion is due before the council on October 20. City staff said the State Government is already drafting reforms and suggested the council work through WALGA.
