Priority Reform Program Consultation – Discussion Paper on Targeted Amendments to the Local Government Act 1993

The Tasmanian Government has released for public consultation a Discussion Paper on proposed legislative changes to support the delivery of its Local Government Priority Reform Program 2024-26.

The Priority Reform Program brings together key recommendations from the Future of Local Government Review and the earlier Local Government Legislation Review, alongside several additional reforms which have been included in response to strong feedback from the sector on the need to respond to persistent concerns with elected member conduct and aspects of council governance.

The Government has committed to implementing the Reform Program ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Discussion Paper - Targeted amendments to the Local Government Act 1993

The Discussion Paper outlines targeted amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 supporting 11 key reforms:

1. Legislating the Good Governance Principles
2. Introducing serious misconduct provisions for Councillors
3. Broadening Performance Improvement Direction provisions
4. Introducing Temporary Advisors for Councils
5. Clarifying Work Health and Safety obligations
6. Mandating council learning and development obligations
7. Introducing a contemporary role statement and a Charter for local government
8. Improving the strategic planning and reporting frameworks
9. Improving consistency in data collection and reporting methodologies
10. Enhancing transparency of information in council rates notices
11. Mandating internal audit for councils.

Feedback received in response to the Discussion Paper will be considered and integrated into exposure draft legislation, which will also be published for consultation in May 2025.

Your feedback will help to ensure the design of the amendments is practical, effective, and aligned with the needs of councils and the communities.

How to make a submission

Submissions in response to the Discussion Paper can be made up until 5pm on 21 March 2025.

Feedback is preferred by email to lg.consultation@dpac.tas.gov.au.

Alternatively, submissions may be provided by mail, addressed to:

Office of Local Government
Department of Premier and Cabinet
GPO Box 123
HOBART TAS 7001

Confidentiality

In the absence of clear information that a submission is to be treated as confidential, submissions will be treated as public information and published on the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s website. If you would like your submission to be treated as confidential, you must indicate in writing, at the time of providing your submission, the parts of your submission you wish to remain confidential and provide the reasons for this.

Please consult the Tasmanian Government’s Public Submission Policy for further information.

Submissions will be published after consideration by Government.

No personal information other than an individual’s name or the organisation making a submission will be published.