ALGA publishes a fortnightly newsletter featuring the latest local government news.
20 May 2026
On 20 April 2026, ALGA advised that the Fair Work Commission had issued a Road Transport Contractual Chain Order (RTCCO) to set rules for fuel cost recovery across road transport...
1 May 2026
ALGA President, Mayor Matt Burnett, spoke with Steve Austin on ABC Radio Brisbane about how the Fair Work Commission’s fuel cost recovery order could affect councils already struggling with the...
20 Apr 2026
The Australian Local Government Association is disappointed that the Fair Work Commission disregarded ALGA’s concerns when issuing its Road Transport Contractual Chain Order today. ALGA President, Mayor Matt Burnett, said...
Councils are major procurers of road transport services and are heavily reliant on the sector to deliver essential community services. In many contracting arrangements, councils sit at the top of...
8 Apr 2026
What a difference a few weeks makes. Wherever you are in Australia, the impact of global fuel supply issues is landing squarely at the local level. You don’t need us...
2 Apr 2026
Fuel supply constraints and rising costs are putting councils and communities under increasing pressure across Australia, with implications for essential services and community infrastructure. The Australian Local Government Association is...
4 Jun 2026
Local governments play a critical role in facilitating participation, community life, and an inclusive built environment. However, many people continue to experience barriers to participation due to the inaccessibility of...
7 May 2026
Local governments are often the most visible point of contact for people experiencing housing stress, homelessness and social isolation. While councils do not control these systems, they play a critical...
9 Apr 2026
Local governments are uniquely placed to drive disability inclusion through safety, justice, gender equality and emergency management. People with disability are residents, ratepayers, employees and active community members who interact...
24 Mar 2026
Local governments are uniquely placed to drive disability inclusion through employment, education and community leadership. People with disability are residents, ratepayers, employees and active community members who interact with council...
9 Jul 2026
ALGA has made a submission to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging (No Time to Waste) Bill 2026. The need for...
6 Jul 2026
Local governments are key national partners in both resource management and the renewable energy transition. Councils are enthusiastic to see a proactive and coordinated approach to reusing and recycling solar...
11 Jun 2026
The Australian Local Government Association has made a submission to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) on National Biosecurity Reforms. ALGA was pleased to see many of local...
The Australian Local Government Association, in close collaboration with its member associations, is making submissions in response to rolling consultation by the Australian Government on the National Environmental Standards (NES)...
The Australian Local Government Association has lodged a submission on the exposure draft of the Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill). ALGA welcomes amendments...
28 May 2026
ALGA has made a submission to Heads of Environmental Protection Authorities (HEPA) on its National Guideline for Lithium-ion Battery Waste Management. Local governments are experiencing the dangers of unsafe lithium-in...
26 Jun 2026
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...
Australian councils face up to $280 billion in infrastructure renewal and upgrade demand over coming decades, including a $65 billion to $68 billion replacement task for assets already assessed as...
26 Nov 2025
The Guide for Local Councils: The Delivery of Affordable Housing was launched at the Local Government Housing Forum on 27 November 2025. Led by Australian Community Housing and supported by ALGA,...
25 Jun 2025
The Adapting Together: Local Government Leadership in a Changing Climate report was launched at the National General Assembly in Canberra on 26 June 2025. The ground-breaking report uses more than...
25 Aug 2024
AGLA has released the Addressing the Housing Crisis: Unlocking Local Government’s Contribution report by Equity Economics. The new report highlights opportunities and policy reforms for councils to play a more effective...
3 Jul 2024
SGS Economics and Planning partner Marcus Spiller launched new research about local government financial sustainability in Australia at the 2024 NGA on 3 July. The report analyses long-term trends in...
14 Jul 2026
Renewables: Developer Rating Scheme The new renewables Developer Rating Scheme (DRS) will launch in late 2026. This explainer sets out what the scheme is, why it matters, and how councils can...
25 Jun 2026
More than 1,100 local government leaders from across Australia gathered in Canberra from 23–25 June for the 32nd National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA), convened by the Australian Local Government Association. ...
