Stefan Bradley
WELLINGTON Shire Council has welcomed the state government’s flagged legislative changes that aim to improve the accountability and performance of councillors across Victoria.
Last week, Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne announced that legislation to be introduced early next year will elevate governance and integrity standards in the state’s 79 councils, encouraging quality candidates to put themselves forward at local government elections to be held statewide in October 2024.
The state government says this legislation has come in response to local government leaders and the community calling for action, after confidence in local government in some areas has suffered due to poor councillor behaviour and ineffective performance.
Almost 30 councillors have resigned since January, while municipal monitors have been appointed as an urgent intervention to protect local communities eight times in 18 months – at Glenelg, Strathbogie (twice), Horsham, Darebin, Wodonga, Geelong and Yarra. Moira Shire Council was dismissed and replaced with administrators.
Wellington Shire Council chief executive, David Morcom said Wellington Shire Council supports the state government’s introduction of legislation to improve the accountability of councillors throughout the state.
“Our councillors are dedicated to serving their community, and although we don’t face any governance or performance issues, we welcome this move to ensure consistent integrity across all Local Government Areas and councils,” Mr Morcom said.
The Local Government Culture Project has been a key driver in the reform process, drawing more than 140 submissions from residents, mayors, councillors, council staff and peak bodies.
Reforms will introduce mandatory training for elected representatives, a uniform councillor code of conduct and strengthened powers for the Minister to address councillor conduct.
“Victorians rightly have high expectations of their local councillors, and these changes will ensure residents can have confidence their best interests are being served,” Ms Horne said.
“Having a model code of conduct and mandatory training makes sense and extends reforms we introduced before the last council elections. They will help encourage quality candidates to come forward for the 2024 polls.”
The Local Government Act 2020 mandates induction training for new councillors, and the changes will take this focus on education and training further, with a requirement for ongoing training for councillors.
Good governance is critical within the Act to ensure councils make sound decisions and deliver the services their communities need. Expanded powers to address councillor misconduct will discourage poor behaviour.
Reforms will give the Minister the ability to suspend or disqualify individual councillors found to have created a risk to health and safety or prevented the council from performing its function. The Chief Municipal Inspector will also have enhanced powers, including the ability to issue infringement notices.
A model code of conduct for councillors with tougher sanctions for misconduct will provide a uniform set of standards and reduce the regulatory burden on councils, which will no longer need to establish their own codes.
The government will consult with the sector in the coming months about the legislation and throughout next year on developing regulations for the councillor model code of conduct and mandatory training. Legislation is planned to be introduced in the first quarter of 2024.
Mr Morcom said Wellington Shire councillors followed a rigorous Code of Conduct.
“Wellington Shire Councillors bring a wealth of experience to their roles as active community members, valuing diverse perspectives and sharing a strong commitment to supporting community-focused outcomes,” he said.
“We have a longstanding commitment to a robust Councillor Code of Conduct, contributing to the high performance and success of our council.
“As we approach the 2024 elections next year, we are confident that our council’s history and strong principles will continue to drive our success and commitment to the local community.”
The amendments to the Local Government Act 2020 will address recommendations made by integrity bodies such as the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) and the Chief Municipal Inspector.
Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) has also welcomed the announcements.
“Rural Councils Victoria has held meetings with the Minister to discuss issues such as good governance, training for new councillors and a strong statewide code of conduct for councillors that holds those who bully or otherwise abuse their positions to account,” Rural Councils Victoria Chair, Councillor Mary-Ann Brown said.
“RCV welcomes these powers to deal with individuals and we look forward to consulting with the Minister and her department to help ensure that Victoria gets the best possible results for their communities and councils.
“Becoming a councillor is a significant commitment and can be challenging at times. We welcome efforts to provide greater support and training for new councillors so they will be able to better serve their communities.
“The proposed changes strike a good balance between encouraging high standards of behaviour and providing avenues to deal with poor behaviour.”
