2026 Local Government National Skills Audit Report
Local government is one of Australia’s largest employment sectors, with 218,000 people employed across 538 councils – a sector that experienced an average of 2.2 percent annual growth between 2018 and 2025.
The Local Government Skills Audit and Review of the Uptake and Utility of the LGA Local Government Training Package National Report draws on insights from 280 councils and seven state and territory local government associations.
It finds widespread and persistent workforce shortages across Australia’s local government sector, with critical vacancies in engineering, planning and building professions threatening councils’ ability to deliver essential community services and national productivity targets.
Occupational shortages remain one of the most significant constraints facing councils, with 83 per cent reporting persistent vacancies. Shortages are most acute in specialist professions including engineers, building surveyors and town planners, with rural and remote councils disproportionately affected.
The Audit and Report were undertaken by Public Skills Australia, in partner with ALGA and its members, the state and territory Local Government Associations.