Local government in Australia: An overview and strategic directions

Abstract

Local government across Australia's state and territory jurisdictions continues to be a dynamic and varied domain of public administration reform. This chapter maps the changing number and types of local government, noting the tendencies for consolidation, regional cooperation and the emerging role of First Nations authorities before focusing on the systems of intergovernmental relations. A comparative portrait of contemporary local government finance is provided before the internal organisation of local authorities and the increasingly salient requirement for community engagement are examined. A strategic view of local government in Australia suggests that while, up until recently, an emboldened view of the role of local authorities was both touted and expected, the resurgence of the sovereign states under the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has seen local authorities returned to their traditional place in Australia's intergovernmental system, with a focus on competence and sustainability and notwithstanding variation across the federation. 1Bligh Grant is currently employed at Clarence Valley Council in NSW. The views expressed in this chapter do not reflect the views of Clarence Valley Council and are those of the authors alone.