Local Government News Roundup · Chris Eddy

Data centre warning, CEOs depart, and councillors reprimanded - ft. Greg McDonald #546

·44 min·2 clips

MacDonald argues water and sewerage should not be treated as a commercial business when flood damage hits.

Chris Eddy returns with a brisk council news bulletin. The episode opens on an urgent call for action on data centres, then widens into legal threats over grant funding at a Melbourne council and a worrying rise in abuse aimed at council lifeguards. The tone stays procedural. From there, the round-up moves to Albury, urgent water supply issues for two New South Wales councils, and criticism of Tasmanian councils over how they handle gifts and donations. South Australia takes up a substantial stretch. Adelaide City Councillor Henry Davis is formally censured and ordered to apologise after an investigation found multiple breaches of behavioural standards, with the matter tied to an Instagram video, a restricted town hall location, and the use of council resources. The findings are blunt. A separate Barossa Council case brings a formal reprimand, a public report, and an order for Councillor Bruce Preece to reimburse the council after a year of offensive conduct that included a homophobic slur and repeated acts of disrespect during acknowledgements of country and a smoking ceremony. The costs are not small. That investigation cost local ratepayers $47,000, and the councillor is now taking legal advice while the council seeks repayment of $810. Western Australia closes the loop. There, a council CEO departs after less than two years, adding another example of churn at senior level. The show also keeps an eye on party politics. Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomley rules out running as a One Nation candidate, saying he will seek re-election as an independent after being approached and deciding he has no interest in returning to party politics. The bulletin stays grounded. It names the councils, the officials, and the consequences before moving on, so the listener always knows which authority is under pressure and why. That rhythm matters. The format makes a crowded slate of stories easy to follow, even as it jumps from conduct findings to funding disputes and staffing changes. It is a practical civic briefing. For anyone tracking local government across Australia, it delivers a clear line from controversy to outcome without losing momentum.

As heard by us

A brisk council news roundup that keeps the procedural stakes clear.

This episode keeps its pace tight while moving through a national council news rundown: data centres, grant-funding friction at a Melbourne council, abuse aimed at council lifeguards, water-supply problems for two New South Wales councils, criticism of Tasmanian councils over…

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Track the council stories that are shaping notices, sanctions, and service pressure across Australia.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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