LGEMA - Local Government Elected Members Association

16/06/2026

Secret Business at Council Meetings

Secret advice from CEO, employee to Presiding Member at Council, committee meeting is major red flag.

1. Councils must record and/or livestream meetings so public hears deliberations, communications forming part of meeting proceedings.

2. If CEO whispers advice, directions to Presiding Member about agenda matter, that exchange is a "communication" affecting meeting. Secret whispering defeats technology's purpose by hiding these discussions from recording > failing legal standard for audio clarity, completeness.

3. Council meetings must remain open to public, unless formal resolution passed to close for specific confidential reasons.

4. Whispered communications creates secret "meeting within meeting." If CEO giving official input that influences vote or ruling, whispering it hides information from public gallery, recording; bypasses open meeting rules without lawful closing of session.

5. Most Councils have local laws dictating how meetings are run, which generally require CEO to speak through Chair so that everyone—including EMs, public, recording devices—can hear.

6. If CEO needs to give advice to Presiding Member during a recorded meeting, they should do so openly into microphone. If matter confidential, Council must close meeting to hear advice.

7. Same applies to texting, messaging on phones/tablets, passing physical notes during meeting, which is further complicated by fact that any text message, WhatsApp chat, or paper note sent between a CEO and EM, or between EMs during an official meeting about Council business becomes an official public record under State Records Act 2000 (WA). Deleting them or keeping them hidden is a separate, serious offence.

Complain to LGI If this is happening.

15/06/2026

The Pink Ladies on LG Hiring Practices

How nepotism, and patronage can infect LG employment practices.

Over the past five weeks, emotional hearings at the inquiry into alleged corruption at the City of Parramatta have contained bombshell admissions and insights.

13/06/2026

LG Employees and Workforce

Did you know that ONLY Council can decide number of necessary LG employees: simple majority

Did you know that ONLY Council can decide structure of LG employee workforce: absolute majority

LGEMA members learn about governance controls like this at our forums - how about joining up and coming along to our next one being held with our upcoming July AGM, see details at pinned post above.

email [email protected] for information about qualifications to be a LGEMA member or associate member

12/06/2026

New EM Conduct Breach Arrangements

1. Cut-off for old panel (31 December 2025): Standards Panel stops taking complaints, finishes its active workload.

2. End of Sanctions (1 January 2026): old Standards Panel is officially abolished and can no longer issue any sanctions.

3. Inspector takeover (1 January 2026): new Local Government Inspector takes full control of public conduct complaints.

4. No local CEOs: Complaints bypass local council CEOs entirely.

5. Legal adjudicators: Independent legal experts handle, judge all brand-new breach cases.

6. SAT appeals kept: Council members can still appeal any adverse finding to State Administrative Tribunal.

7. Hidden findings: Adverse findings stay secret until the timeframe to ask for a SAT appeal completely runs out.

8. 12-year records: New breach records stay online for 12 years to keep voters informed.

9. Register phase-out (15 October 2027): Councils must maintain and display their old pre-2026 minor breach registers until this date.

11/06/2026

LG Extraordinary Elections 25 June 2026

Please make sure you are on electoral roll for upcoming extraordinary elections 25 June 2026
Please make sure your scrutineers know breadth of their scrutiny permitted – ask LGEMA
After the close of nominations some Local Governments did not proceed to election because no nominations were received for the vacancy (Shire of Dowerin and Shire of Merredin) – wonder why that is?!
Shire of Brookton
Shire of Chittering
Shire of Coolgardie
Shire of Dowerin - not proceeding to election (wonder what WAEC will charge?)
Shire of Merredin - not proceeding to election (wonder what WAEC will charge?)
Shire of Upper Gascoyne

Local Government Extraordinary Elections will be conducted as postal elections on Thursday, 25 June 2026, for the four local governments listed below.Local Government Extraordinary Elections in Western Australia are elections held outside the normal two-year cycle to fill a vacancy that occurs mid-...

09/06/2026

Dictatorships Four

1. Hayne’s Banking Royal Commission crystallised elements of good governing … The first general rule, that the law must be applied and its application enforced, requires no development or explanation. It is a defining feature of a society governed by the rule of law … Entities and individuals acted in the way they did because they could … Misconduct will be deterred only if entities believe that misconduct will be detected, denounced and justly punished ...

2. and that, … the culture of an organisation is what people do when no-one is watching; … and then outlined good governance, ... Hence it is rightly said that the tone of the entity is, and must be, set at the top. But that tone must also be echoed from the bottom and reinforced at every level of the entity’s management and supervision; but it must always sound from above, … and then, … as to culture, … a culture that fosters poor leadership, poor decision making or poor behaviour will undermine the governance framework of the entity.

3. A culture of fear, in the sense that any person departing from the rules knows there will be serious consequences, is an essential element of good governance.

4. Highly disturbing LGIRS regulatory failures in LG have been closely examined by the OAG but continue: see Regulation and Support of the Local Government Sector 30 April 2021.

See How to be a Dictator: the cult of personality in the twentieth century F. Dikotter, Bloomsbury Publishing 2019

08/06/2026

Dictatorships: Three

1. In a dictatorship culture, manipulation, divide and rule are applied to outspoken EMs or employees trying to foster good governance.

2. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty (it is hard soul destroying work).

3. Power is so easily stolen (see recent mystifying amendments to LG Act to enhance CEO powers and reduce EM support and Council roles).

4. EMs who are constantly vigilant to protect their and Councils’ roles while fostering a healthy culture become psychologically worn out. Note helpful commentary and findings in the Independent Review into bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at the Parliament of NSW, referred to as the Broderick Report; and see especially Commission of Inquiry into the Moira Shire Council 26 February 2023 (Moira Inquiry Report) to understand the shocking impacts on good governing EMs.

See How to be a Dictator: the cult of personality in the twentieth century F. Dikotter, Bloomsbury Publishing 2019

07/06/2026

Dictatorships Two

1. Freedom of speech is the first casualty of dictatorships (see EM Conduct Rules).

2. Loyalty to the one and not the group is a dictatorship essential, as is being surrounded by fearful sycophants.

3. Personalised power makes dictator’s word law (such as refusing EM access to records).

4. Dictators lie (LG Minister refusal to amend LG Act to require CEOs to act in good faith as recommended by parliamentary inquiry report into serious misconduct).

5. Coerced behaviours are dressed up as consent.

6. Popular support is a crafted illusion using props such as self-glorification, self-promotion, acclaim, awards, honours and accreditations, all of which are mere virtues signalling.

7. Rivals and challengers are treated ruthlessly (see weaponisation of EM conduct rules, grooming and bullying of EMs).

See How to be a Dictator: the cult of personality in the twentieth century F. Dikotter, Bloomsbury Publishing 2019

06/06/2026

Dictatorships One

Dictatorial tendencies of some CEOs are revealed by ruling not managing behaviours, which result in acquiescence, receding levels of freedom and unmeritorious decision-making thereby degrading LGs’ integrity, principles and intentions.

See How to be a Dictator: the cult of personality in the twentieth century F. Dikotter, Bloomsbury Publishing 2019