The City of Mount Gambier has reaffirmed its commitment to strong governance and financial transparency by approving updated sitting fees for Independent Members of its Audit and Risk Committee at the January 2026 Council meeting.
As a regional city with complex service delivery and growing strategic responsibilities, Council emphasised the importance of maintaining an Audit and Risk Committee that is highly skilled, independent and capable of providing rigorous, objective oversight.
Mayor Lynette Martin said the decision supports the community's expectations for responsible and transparent governance.
"Strong, independent oversight is essential to maintaining the community's confidence in how we manage public funds," Mayor Martin said.
"As a growing regional city, we face increasingly complex financial and governance challenges and having highly qualified professionals on our Audit and Risk Committee helps ensure we meet those challenges responsibly and transparently."
Following a comparative review of ten South Australian councils and consideration of the specialised skills required, Council approved updated sitting fees to ensure the Audit and Risk Committee remains competitive and able to attract high calibre independent professionals. From 1 March 2026, the Presiding Member will receive $750 for ordinary meetings and $550 for special meetings, while independent members will receive $500 for ordinary meetings and $370 for special meetings.
Chief Executive Officer Paul Simpson said the updated sitting fees reflect the significance and responsibility of the Committee's work, ensuring Mount Gambier remains competitive in attracting professionals with specialist financial and governance expertise.
"Independent members play a critical role in strengthening Council's governance. Their external perspective, professional expertise and objectivity ensure our financial and risk decisions are rigorously tested and transparently managed."
He highlighted that independent members are central to Council's commitment to transparency and robust oversight.
"Updating the sitting fees supports our ability to recruit and retain the high quality independent voices that safeguard the community's interests and uphold strong accountability."
