Councillor Misconduct Review released

Tim Hurst Web

The good news is that the Councillor Misconduct Review has now been released. Dated October 2022, it was released on 13 December with a Media Release from the Minister, Wendy Tuckerman.

The Report “proposes the biggest changes to local government integrity measures in more than 30 years” and includes “49 recommendations aimed at improving the integrity, transparency and accountability of the state’s more than 1,200 councillors”.

The Minister notes “it’s clear from recent ICAC public enquiries and the number of Council interventions that changes are needed to build community trust in local government.

The recommendations include harsher penalties for councillor misconduct and ensures the framework for dealing with misconduct is more independent, effective and efficient.”

The media release contains links to the report and a Consultation Guide inviting feedback up until 3 February.

We’ve already had our say, depa was the only union that made a submission, reflecting the reality our members are those most vulnerable to councillor antagonism and hostility and we are one of the fourteen organisations or people who were interviewed.

We will be making a submission next year.

It’s in the Minister’s office but nothing’s happening. It has been:

since the Government and the Minister were appointed on 5 April 2023. We are still waiting for the legislative changes required.

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