NT government puts Barkly Regional Council into administration

The NT government has pulled the pin and put Barkly Regional Council under official management, following months of turmoil. Here’s what happens now.

The NT government has sensationally put the embattled Barkly Regional Council under official management.

Local Government Minister Chansey Paech announced on Tuesday morning he was satisfied there were or could be “serious deficiencies” in the conduct of council affairs.

Peter Holt has been appointed official manager of the council and now holds the powers of all elected members.

Ruth Morley has been appointed to investigate council affairs, with a report due to be handed to Mr Paech by March 12 next year.

A new chief executive is also expected to join the council next month, however council staff positions have not been impacted.

Jeffrey McLaughlin is no longer the Barkly Regional Council mayor. Picture: Supplied

Mr Paech said he had “concerns” over the council’s fiscal management and service delivery obligations.

“What I have done today by placing official management under the Barkly Regional Council is send that message to the people in the Barkly that I’m standing with them,” he said.

“I’ve had concerns around deficiencies and this will allow us to go through and have a look and identify if there are any, what they are and what the course of action is.”

Barkly Regional Council is divided into four wards, and was governed by a mayor and 12 councillors overseeing about 8000 constituents and 325,000 square kilometres.

Its elected members, according to its website, included mayor Jeffrey McLaughlin, deputy mayor Russell O’Donnell and councillors Dianne Seri Stokes, Anita Bailey, Lennie Barton, Jack Clubb, Pam Corbett, Greg Marlow, Heather Wilson, Elliot McAdam, Sharen Lake, Mark Peterson and Lucy Jackson.

All 12 councillors have been suspended from office. Pictures: BRC

The administration comes just a week after Mr Marlow, who was filling in for mayor McLaughlin while he was on extended leave, said there was no reason the Territory government or Mr Paech should intervene in the organisation.

At the time, the Local Government minister declined to respond to questions about Barkly Council’s future.

The council has faced a long string of setbacks in recent months.

In March, chief executive Emma Bradbury quit suddenly after months of questions about the council’s management and a number of staff resignations.

Thrown into the mix was the mayor’s drug driving charge which, when it finally reached the courts in September, included accusations he was unlawfully targeted by police.

Mr McLaughlin’s charges are still before the courts. He has indicated he will defend the charges.

Emma Bradbury was formerly the chief executive of Barkly Regional Council.

Ms Bradbury was replaced by experienced local government administrator Russell Anderson, who was appointed in an acting role after having previously worked to revive councils and shires that had been placed under official management.

Mr Anderson held on until the end of September when he left the council, reportedly over issues around animal management.

Mr McLaughlin was also in the national spotlight last week after footage emerged of him sitting on a 12-year-old child during a citizen’s arrest.

Mr Paech said his decision to suspend the council had “nothing to do with the mayor’s actions”.

The past two Territory governments have placed local governments into administration.

In 2015, “dysfunctional” Litchfield Shire was placed into administration when the Department of Local Government identified infighting and cost blowouts at the organisation.

In June 2017 after Labor was returned to government, Palmerston Council was placed into administration.