Councils have been dismissed in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria in the past 12 months after allegations of corruption, infighting and budget blowouts, prompting questions around the relevance of local councillors.
A disgraced mayor jailed for extorting his lover's ex boyfriend, his successor found guilty of fraud, and a councillor under investigation after appearing on reality TV — the past 12 months in Queensland local government has all the elements of a day-time soap opera.
Over the last five years, 10 councils across Australia have been sacked amid varying allegations of corruption, budget blowouts, infighting and general dysfunction. Despite the sackings, the work of local government goes on, prompting ratepayers, academics and local business people to ask if councillors are actually needed at all.
The head of the Institute for Public Policy and Governance at University of Technology Sydney, Professor Roberta Ryan works with thousands of council staff across the country. "You do hear a lot — from senior staff particularly — that it is a much easier place to work without elected councillors, especially in areas which have had difficulties," she said.
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