COUNCILLORS will be able to appoint senior council staff and conduct breaches will be removed from the councillor conduct framework under new legislation the Crisafulli Government plans to introduce to State Parliament before the end of the year.
On Tuesday, Local Government Minister Ann Leahy announced a raft of reforms which would be contained in the Local Government (Empowering Councils) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill.
Minister Leahy said the proposed reforms were in response to calls from councils over many years.
“The changes deliver on a key election commitment of the Crisafulli Government to help rebuild the relationship between state and local government and demonstrates the promise to work alongside councils to deliver for Queensland.
“The reforms will remove costly and time-consuming red tape and streamline legislative requirements.”
Key changes proposed in the Empowering Councils Bill include:
• re-empowering councillors to appoint senior council staff, giving them a say in senior, strategic appointments to the council,
• clarifying the powers of the mayor and other councillors to provide certainty about their responsibilities,
• removing conduct breaches from the councillor conduct framework and streamlining training requirements, so councillors can focus delivering for their communities,
• allowing election candidates to include contact information other than their residential address, protecting the privacy and safety of participants, and
• making the conflict-of-interest framework clearer and more straightforward, to remove red tape from councillors without sacrificing integrity in government.
The Crisafulli Government has also signed an Accord with Queensland's Indigenous Leaders, in the next step in enacting the Equal Partners in Government Agreement.
“The Accord mirrors the Rural and Remote Councils Compact and is another way the Crisafulli Government is working with councils to deliver on water, sewerage, infrastructure and jobs.”
Minister Leahy said the reforms would finally give councils the framework they needed to deliver for Queenslanders.
“We are delivering a fresh start and empowering local governments to deliver for Queensland communities.”