What is a local council?

A local council is the lowest of the three levels of government in Australia, responsible for the day-to-day services and infrastructure of a defined geographic area called a local government area (LGA). There are 537 local councils across Australia, ranging in size from inner-city Melbourne (population about 169,000) to remote outback shires covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometres with only a few thousand residents.

Local councils are constituted under state or territory law, since the Australian Constitution does not mention local government as a separate level. Councils in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania are established under their respective Local Government Acts. The Australian Capital Territory has no separate local government and the territory legislative assembly performs both state and local functions. Northern Territory councils operate under specific NT legislation.

Councils are run by elected mayors and councillors, elected by residents and ratepayers in the LGA every three or four years depending on the state. Common council services include local roads, footpaths, stormwater drains, parks and gardens, public libraries, swimming pools, sports grounds, recreational facilities, kerbside waste and recycling collection, dog and cat registration, environmental health inspections, building approvals and development applications, and local town planning.

Council revenue comes mainly from rates levied on property within the LGA, calculated as a percentage of land or capital improved value, plus user fees, fines, and grants from state and federal governments. Council spending across the country totals about 50 billion dollars annually. Residents can attend council meetings, contact their local councillor, lodge complaints through council customer service, and stand for election in their own right at the next local government election. Many everyday services for new citizens, including citizenship ceremonies and Australia Day events, are delivered by local councils.