Councillors empowered to shake up BCC under local government reforms

The Palaszczuk Government will announce a suite of local government reforms empowering councillors to rock the boat at council level.

COUNCILLORS would be able to challenge for mayor without giving up their spot on council under sweeping changes to local government in Queensland.

Candidates for mayor could also be restricted by spending caps of up to $100,000, while postal voting restrictions would also be overhauled under the proposed changes.

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The Palaszczuk Government will announce the suite of reforms to local government today, which will include a major shake up of operations at Brisbane City Council that will overturn previous changes made by the Bligh Government.

This includes recommendations to scrap civic cabinet privileges that currently prevent right to information applications being made on documents that pass through the council’s establishment and co-ordination committee.

BCC councillors would also be entitled to request all information about council operations, even if it does not relate to their ward.

The reforms are expected to be put before State Parliament as early as next month and passed by the middle of the year so they can be in place ahead of the 2020 council elections.

Queensland local government minister Stirling Hinchliffe. Picture: AAP

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has insisted the proposed changes are in line with the Crime and Corruption Commission’s Operation Belcarra report, despite some of the recommendations going beyond what was called for in the report.

The Minister said the government would consult widely with stakeholders before committing to any of the proposed reforms.

“We want to create a more open and transparent system of Local Government in Queensland and that’s why we’re consulting with stakeholders,” he said.

“We want Mayors, Councillors and other stakeholders to have their say on reform and how to best achieve it.

“The Belcarra Report emphasised the need for transparency and accountability as the cornerstone of Local Government.”

The government will release a document today that highlights the mooted changes, which includes the introduction of compulsory preferential voting as well as proportional representation for some councils.

Clouds over Brisbane’s Town Hall. Picture: Peter Wallis

Dual candidacies will also be allowed in undivided councils, such as Toowoomba and Noosa, allowing candidates to run for the office of both mayor and councillor in a bid to attract “high quality” candidates.

Strict election expenditure caps will also mean that candidates running for mayor in the state’s biggest councils with more than 200,000 voters, including Brisbane, will be subject to a $100,000 spending cap.

Those councils with more than 60,000 voters would also be subject to a sliding cap of 50c per voter for mayoral candidates, while those with fewer than 60,000 will only be able to spend up to $30,000.

Third party campaigns, such as those ran by unions, will be subject to the same spending restrictions.

Councils wanting to hold a postal ballots would also be required to meet a strict criteria, which would consider costs, the number of electors and population density.