Details of a new Bill that could deliver major reforms to the local government sector are now publicly available after being introduced into Parliament.
The Local Government Bill was introduced into Parliament on Wednesday, November 13 after four years of work on the Local Government Act Review.
It follows extensive consultation and engagement with ratepayers, communities, councils and key stakeholders to develop the new Bill.
The Local Government Bill 2019 has been designed to modernise existing legislation and improve council democracy, accountability and transparency.
It is framed by five key reform themes, which are:
- Improving service delivery through better financial management and community engagement
- Higher councillor standards through mandatory training and defined standards of conduct for councillor behaviour
- Improving council democracy through increasing councillors’ direct accountability to their communities
- Restore community confidence in their elected officials through new election process and improved transparency
- Strengthen relationships between the councillors, ministers and communities by removing unnecessary approvals and arbitrary powers
To find out more about the Local Government Bill 2019 reforms, visit the Local Government Review Page