[no bill text published] Disclosure Obligations and Restrictions for Local Government Councillors
Local Government Amendment (Electoral Reforms) Bill 2026
1st House
2nd House
Law
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Councillors must lodge a personal interest return within 28 days of their election certificate being issued.
Councillors must disclose income sources; trust or company interests; association positions; and debts for themselves and their spouses.
It is a criminal offence for a councillor to provide false or misleading information in a personal interest return.
The general manager must publish the register of interests on the council website.
The public cannot access personal interest returns or their contents through Right to Information requests.
Councils are banned from using resources for electoral advertising or to advantage specific candidates during election periods.
Councils cannot make prohibited decisions during election periods; this includes hiring or paying general managers and signing contracts over $100,000.
Topics
conflict of interest election rules government local council political ethics public transparency