- Local Government Adjudicators appointed to assess complaints against council members
- Three highly experienced legal practitioners take on the new roles
- Inaugural Principal Adjudicator a former Police Detective
- Adjudicators can impose stronger penalties which includes suspending councillors
Three Local Government Adjudicators have been appointed to ensure elected council members adhere to the code of conduct.
The newly established positions are part of the Cook Labor Government's wide-ranging reforms to ensure greater accountability and improved decision-making in the local government sector.
Replacing the Local Government Standards Panel, the Adjudicators will be responsible for assessing conduct breach complaints against Mayors, presidents, and councillors who are referred to them by the Local Government Inspector.
Adjudicators can make findings, order mediation, or impose recently strengthened penalties which include the suspension of payment of allowances, suspension from a committee, or suspension from council for up to three months.
The Adjudicators are all well-established legal practitioners with extensive and relevant experience.
Mr Rob Lilley, who is the inaugural Principal Adjudicator, is a legal practitioner and academic at Curtin University with 14 years' experience in legal practice. Mr Lilley is a former Detective with the Western Australian Police Force, is a nationally accredited mediator, manages his own small law firm, and is a sessional legal member of the Mental Health Tribunal.
The two Deputy Adjudicators appointed are Mr Conor Fahey and Ms Lee McIntosh.
Mr Fahey is the legal practice director of a local workplace law firm. He has over 12 years' experience practising in employment, industrial relations, and workplace law, as well as advising and representing employers across various sectors including both regional and metropolitan local governments.
Ms McIntosh is a barrister specialising in approvals law in areas such as planning, environment, local government, heritage and land access, as well as dealing with regulations relating to professional conduct. She is involved in The Law Society of WA's Local Government Committee and is also a sessional member of the State Administrative Tribunal.
Information on conduct breaches and how to submit complaints can be found on the Local Government Inspector webpage .
As stated by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley:
"The three appointees are highly qualified to take on the roles of inaugural Adjudicators and will work closely with the Local Government Inspector to ensure council members adhere to the code of conduct and complaints are dealt with in a timely manner.
"Maintaining high standards of behaviour is crucial for communities to regain confidence in local governments following a period of significant dysfunction in the sector.
"The appointment of these three Adjudicators, equipped with increased powers and penalties, marks a milestone in our local government reforms to improve accountability, transparency and decision-making in the sector.
"The combination of the Local Government Inspector, Monitors, and now Adjudicators completes the compliance and governance system that will oversee the sector going forward and ensure local councils are working well for the benefit of their communities."
