Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Bill 2026
[Bill 10]-VII
TASMANIA
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT
(TARGETED REFORM) BILL 2026
CONTENTS
PART 1 – PRELIMINARY
Short title
Commencement
PART 2 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993 AMENDED
Principal Act
Section 3 amended (Interpretation)
Section 16 amended (Municipal areas)
Section 17 amended (Electoral districts)
Section 18 amended (Establishment of councils)
Section 20 substituted
19A. Role of council
Local government charter
Section 25 amended (Constitution of council)
Section 27A amended (Order relating to Mayor’s functions)
Section 28AA amended (Order relating to functions of
councillors)
Sections 28AB and 28AC inserted
28AB. Mandatory core learning and development activities
for councillors
28AC. Policy for continuing professional development
Part 3, Division 3AAA inserted
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Division 3AAA – Councillor allowances and numbers
28JAA. Allowances
28JAB. Review of councillor allowances and numbers
28JAC. Requests for reduction of councillor numbers
28JAD. Order to amend Schedule 3
14. Section 28ZA amended (Initial assessment of code of conduct
complaint)
15. Section 28ZBA inserted
28ZBA. Referral of code of conduct complaint on initial
assessment to Director
16. Sections 28ZHA and 28ZHB inserted
28ZHA. Referral of code of conduct complaint to Director
28ZHB. Referral of code of conduct complaint to other
persons or authorities
17. Section 28ZK amended (Notification of determination of code of
conduct complaint)
18. Part 3, Division 3B inserted
Division 3B – Serious councillor misconduct
Subdivision 1 – Preliminary
28ZQ. Interpretation
28ZR. Serious councillor misconduct
28ZS. Ministerial guidelines in relation to serious
councillor misconduct
Subdivision 2 – Assessment of serious councillor misconduct
28ZT. Assessment of serious councillor misconduct
28ZU. Determination of Director following investigation of
councillor conduct
28ZV. Referral of complaints back to initial assessor or
investigating Panel
Subdivision 3 – Tribunal
28ZW. Application to the Tasmanian Civil and
Administrative Tribunal
28ZX. Orders of the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative
Tribunal
19. Section 45 amended (Election of councillors)
20. Section 62 amended (Functions and powers of general manager)
21. Section 62A amended (Order relating to general manager’s
functions generally)
22. Section 62B amended (Order relating to general manager’s
function to liaise with mayor)
3
23. Section 66 amended (Strategic plan)
24. Section 70DA inserted
70DA. Community engagement strategy
25. Section 70E amended (Review of plans, strategies and policies)
26. Section 70F amended (Orders determining minimum contents of
plans, &c., and classes of assets)
27. Sections 84A and 84B inserted
84A. Council performance reporting
84B. Internal audit
28. Section 122A inserted
122A. Order specifying information in rates notices
29. Section 214E amended (Result of review)
30. Section 214L amended (Recommendation for issuing
performance improvement direction)
31. Section 214O amended (Consequences of failing to comply with
performance improvement direction)
32. Part 12C inserted
PART 12C – Temporary Advisors
214P. Recommendation to appoint temporary advisor
214Q. Appointment of temporary advisor
214R. Functions and powers of temporary advisors
214S. Report by temporary advisor
214T. Cost of temporary advisor
33. Section 291 substituted
291. Assistance to electors
34. Section 296 substituted
Division 7 – Alternative voting
296. Interpretation of Division
297. Tasmanian Electoral Commission may approve
alternative voting procedures
298. Entitlement to vote by alternative voting procedures
298A. Counting of votes cast by alternative voting
procedures
298B. Application of Act to votes cast under alternative
voting procedures
298C. Confidentiality of votes cast under alternative voting
procedures
298D. Publication of alternative voting procedures
4
298E. Independent auditing of alternative voting
procedures
298F. Independent monitoring of alternative voting
procedures
35. Section 338AA amended (Director may require information,
&c., for purposes of investigation)
36. Section 338A amended (Disclosure of information)
37. Section 338B inserted
338B. Disclosure of information for code of conduct
complaints
38. Section 339 amended (Improper use of information)
39. Section 339EA amended (Investigations of complaints and other
matters)
40. Section 340A repealed
41. Section 341 amended (Immunity from liability)
42. Section 349D inserted
349D. Transitional provisions consequent on Local
Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act
2026
43. Schedule 3 substituted
SCHEDULE 3 – MUNICIPAL AREAS, COUNCILS
AND ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
44. Schedule 4 inserted
SCHEDULE 4 – METHODOLOGY FOR
DETERMINING COUNCILLOR NUMBERS
AND ALLOWANCES
45. Schedule 8B inserted
SCHEDULE 8B – SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL
PROVISIONS CONSEQUENT ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT (TARGETED
REFORM) ACT 2026
PART 3 – TASMANIAN CIVIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
ACT 2020 AMENDED
46. Principal Act
47. Schedule 2 amended (General Division)
5
PART 4 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2025
AMENDED
48. Principal Regulations
49. Regulation 49 amended (Allowances for elected members)
50. Schedule 4 substituted
SCHEDULE 4 – ALLOWANCES FOR ELECTED
MEMBERS
PART 5 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MEETING PROCEDURES)
REGULATIONS 2025 AMENDED
51. Principal Regulations
52. Regulation 3 amended (Interpretation)
53. Regulation 31 amended (Voting procedure)
54. Regulation 45 substituted
45. Requirement to attend meetings in person
45A. Participation in meetings by audio or audio visual
link
45B. Meeting conducted by audio link or audio visual link
in exceptional circumstances
45C. Limit on attendance by audio link or audio visual
link
PART 6 – REPEAL OF ACT
55. Repeal of Act
6
[Bill 10] 7
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT
(TARGETED REFORM) BILL 2026
This Public Bill originated in the House of Assembly, and, having this day passed, is
now ready for presentation to the Legislative Council for its concurrence.
LAURA ROSS, Clerk of the House
16 April 2026
(Brought in by the Minister for Justice, Corrections and
Rehabilitation, the Honourable Guy Barnett)
A BILL FOR
An Act to amend the Local Government Act 1993, the
Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2020, the
Local Government (General) Regulations 2025 and the
Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2025
Be it enacted by Her Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by
and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and
House of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:
PART 1 – PRELIMINARY
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Local Government
Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026.
Commencement
The provisions of this Act commence on a day
or days to be proclaimed.
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 3 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
8
PART 2 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993
AMENDED
3. Principal Act
In this Part, the Local Government Act 1993* is
referred to as the Principal Act.
4. Section 3 amended (Interpretation)
Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended as
follows:
(a) by inserting the following definition after
the definition of community:
community engagement strategy, in
relation to a council, means the
community engagement strategy
established for that council under
section 70DA(1);
(b) by omitting “mayor, deputy mayor and
alderman” from the definition of
councillor and substituting “mayor and
deputy mayor”;
(c) by omitting the definition of general
manager and substituting the following
definition:
general manager means the person
appointed under section 61
*No. 95 of 1993
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended s. 5
9
(however described) and, in Part
15, includes a person nominated
under section 253A;
(d) by inserting the following definition after
the definition of legal practitioner:
local government charter means a
local government charter issued
by the Minister, and in force,
under section 20;
(e) by inserting the following definition after
the definition of scrutineer:
serious councillor misconduct – see
section 28ZR;
(f) by inserting the following definition after
the definition of Tasmanian Electoral
Commission:
temporary advisor means a person
appointed to be a temporary
advisor to a council under
section 214Q;
5. Section 16 amended (Municipal areas)
Section 16 of the Principal Act is amended as
follows:
(a) by omitting from subsection (2) “Column
1” and substituting “column 2”;
(b) by omitting from subsection (5AA)
“column 1” and substituting “column 2”;
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 6 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
10
(c) by omitting from subsection (5B)
“Column 1” and substituting “column 2”;
(d) by omitting from subsection (6)
“column1” and substituting “column 2”.
6. Section 17 amended (Electoral districts)
Section 17 of the Principal Act is amended as
follows:
(a) by omitting from subsection (2) “column
4” and substituting “column 6”;
(b) by omitting from subsection (3) “column
4 or 5” and substituting “column 6 or 7”.
7. Section 18 amended (Establishment of councils)
Section 18 of the Principal Act is amended as
follows:
(a) by omitting from subsection (2) “column
2” and substituting “column 3”;
(b) by omitting from subsection (4) “column
2” and substituting “column 3”.
8. Section 20 substituted
Section 20 of the Principal Act is repealed and
the following sections are substituted:
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended s. 8
11
19A. Role of council
(1) The role of a council is to support and
improve the wellbeing of the community
by –
(a) harnessing and building on the
unique strengths and capabilities
of the community; and
(b) providing infrastructure and
services that, to be effective,
require local approaches; and
(c) representing and advocating for
the specific needs and interests of
the community in regional, state-
wide and national decision-
making; and
(d) promoting the social, economic
and environmental sustainability
of the community, including by
planning for and adapting to
climate change risks in the
exercise of its functions.
(2) In performing its role, a council may –
(a) perform any duties or functions
or exercise any powers conferred
on a council by or under this Act
or any other Act; and
(b) perform any other functions that
the council determines are
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 8 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
12
reasonably necessary to enable
the council to perform its role.
(3) A council may do anything necessary or
convenient to perform its role either
within or outside its municipal area.
(4) A council may transfer to a single
authority or a joint authority –
(a) any of its assets and liabilities on
any condition it determines; or
(b) any of its employees.
(5) A council may –
(a) acquire, hold, dispose of and
otherwise deal with property; and
(b) sue and be sued in its corporate
name.
20. Local government charter
(1) The Minister, by order, may issue a local
government charter.
(2) A charter issued under subsection (1)
must be consistent with this Act and is
to –
(a) provide clarity and guidance on
the role of councils referred to in
section 19A and support councils
in performing that role; and
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended s. 8
13
(b) specify principles and practices to
guide when and how councils
may undertake functions that are
not directly related to, or that
extend beyond, performing that
role; and
(c) specify principles to be followed
by councils in relation to –
(i) good governance; and
(ii) financial management;
and
(iii) community engagement;
and
(iv) collaboration and
coordination with other
councils on matters of
shared interest or regional
issues; and
(d) specify principles and processes
by which the Tasmanian
Government will support councils
to perform their role, including in
connection with consultation and
engagement between the
Tasmanian Government and local
government; and
(e) contain such other matters as may
be prescribed.
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 8 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
14
(3) A council is to have regard to any charter
issued by the Minister under this section
when performing its functions and
exercising its powers.
(4) The Minister is to ensure that any charter
issued under this section is reviewed at
least once in each 5-year period.
(5) The Minister may amend, revoke, or
revoke and substitute an order under this
section.
(6) Before making, amending or revoking
and substituting an order, the Minister
must consult with –
(a) councils; and
(b) the Local Government
Association of Tasmania; and
(c) the public –
as to the matters that the Minister is
considering including in the order, the
amended order or the substitute order.
(7) Section 47(3), (3A), (4), (5), (6) and (7)
of the Acts Interpretation Act 1931
applies to an order under this section as if
the order were regulations within the
meaning of that Act.
(8) An order under this section is
subordinate legislation for the purposes
of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1992.
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended s. 9
15
(9) An order under this section may be
combined with an order under one or
more of the following sections:
(a) section 27A;
(b) section 28AA;
(c) section 62A;
(d) section 62B.
9. Section 25 amended (Constitution of council)
Section 25 of the Principal Act is amended as
follows:
(a) by omitting subsection (2);
(b) by omitting from subsection (3) “column
3” and substituting “column 5”;
(c) by omitting subsection (4).
10. Section 27A amended (Order relating to Mayor’s
functions)
Section 27A(4) of the Principal Act is amended
by inserting before paragraph (a) the following
paragraph:
(aa) section 20;
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 11 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
16
11. Section 28AA amended (Order relating to functions
of councillors)
Section 28AA(4) of the Principal Act is
amended by inserting before paragraph (a) the
following paragraph:
(aa) section 20;
12. Sections 28AB and 28AC inserted
After section 28AA of the Principal Act, the
following sections are inserted in Division 3:
28AB. Mandatory core learning and development
activities for councillors
(1) In this section –
immediately preceding term of office,
in relation to a councillor, means
the last term of office held by the
councillor that ended before the
commencement of the
councillor’s current term of
office.
(2) The Director may approve one or more
courses of mandatory core learning and
development activities for councillors.
(3) Without limiting subsection (2), the
Director may approve different courses,
or different requirements, for –
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended s. 12
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(a) councillors who have not served
as a councillor in the immediately
preceding term of office; and
(b) councillors who have served as a
councillor in the immediately
preceding term of office.
(4) A course approved under this section is
to consist of learning and development
activities relating to the roles and
responsibilities of councils and
councillors.
(5) The Director is to, within 28 days of
approving a course under subsection
(2) –
(a) ensure that notice of the approval
is issued to each council; and
(b) cause a copy of the course of
mandatory core learning and
development activities to be
published on a website
maintained by or on behalf of the
Department.
(6) The regulations may prescribe
requirements for the learning and
development activities required under
this section.
(7) A councillor must, within 12 months
after the councillor’s election, complete
any course of mandatory core learning
Local Government Amendment (Targeted Reform) Act 2026
Act No. of 2026
s. 12 Part 2 – Local Government Act 1993 Amended
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and development activities applicable to
the councillor under this section.
(8) The Director may extend the period
referred to in subsection (7) if satisfied
that it would be appropriate in the
circumstances.
(9) The Director may only approve a course
under this section if the Director has
consulted with the Local Government
Association of Tasmania as to the
suitability of the course for councillors.
28AC. Policy for continuing professional
development
(1) A council must adopt a policy in relation
to the continuing professional
development of councillors (a
continuing professional development
policy) within 6 months after an ordinary
election.
(2) A continuing professional development
policy for a council is to –
(a) be prepared by the general
manager for the council; and
(b) relate to matters relevant to
councillors’ roles and
responsibilities under this or any
other Act; and