President's Report - October 2026

Welcome to the October edition of LGAT News.

It’s an exciting time in local government at the moment, with elections in full swing across Tasmania’s 29 councils. To those elected members who have decided this will be their final term, thank you for the countless hours you have dedicated to serving your communities. It’s not an easy role, but your contribution has made a lasting difference. To those currently on the campaign trail, I wish you all the best. Whether you are seeking re-election or standing for council for the first time, putting yourself forward for public office is no small undertaking.

LGAT looks forward to welcoming the next batch of local government leaders and supporting those elected throughout the next term. This will begin with a 12-month induction program, kicking off in November not long after the votes have been counted. The first session will focus on governance, planning responsibilities, decision-making and navigating relationships with those around the table. I encourage you to save the date and register your interest now.

On the national front, I recently presented at the Federal Government inquiry into local government funding alongside LGAT CEO, Dion Lester. We emphasised the need to increase untied, non-competitive Commonwealth funding, highlighting the challenges councils in regional, rural and remote areas face. We also identified that Tasmania’s allocation of Financial Assistance Grants does not adequately reflect its lower revenue capacity and higher service delivery costs. We hope the Committee’s findings will provide a strong evidence base for national funding reform and we will continue to provide updates to the sector as things progress.