A regional council in the Northern Territory has been dismissed following an investigation that uncovered what authorities described as “serious and sustained deficiencies” in its operations.
The Coomalie Community Government Council, which governs areas including Adelaide River, Batchelor, and Lake Bennett, had already been under official management since July last year. At that time, former NT Local Government Minister Chansey Paech suspended the elected members and launched an investigation into concerns around the council’s management.
On Friday, current Local Government Minister Steve Edgington formally dismissed all remaining elected members.
“This was a tough but necessary decision,” Mr Edgington said.
Investigation Uncovers Governance Failures
According to a statement from Mr Edgington’s office, the dismissal was prompted by serious issues identified in the council’s governance and operations.
“This action highlights the critical importance of elected officials fulfilling their obligations under the Local Government Act 2019 and acting in their community’s best interests,” the minister said.
The investigation was led by former Palmerston council CEO Cathryn Hutton. While the full report has not been made public, Mr Edgington’s office said it revealed that the council members lacked a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The findings also included major interpersonal conflicts among councillors, poor meeting management, and significant procedural errors.
Call for Stronger Conduct Rules
President of the Local Government Association of the NT, Kon Vatskalis, said the decision to sack the council was not unexpected. He emphasized the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to deal with repeated breaches of the code of conduct.
“There are councillors with multiple breaches—some even with more than 20—and yet there are no consequences because the legislation doesn’t provide for them,” Mr Vatskalis said.
He noted that while Mr Edgington has indicated plans for broader local government reforms, enforcement of the code of conduct should be the top priority.
“Minister, you’ve got the order wrong. Fix the code of conduct first — then everything else will follow,” he said.
A new election for the Coomalie council is scheduled for August 23.
