Local Government (Empowering Councils) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill reforms Queensland's local government laws to give councils, mayors and councillors more authority while reducing regulatory burden. It simplifies the councillor conflicts of interest and conduct complaints frameworks, strengthens the mayor's role, changes how senior council staff are appointed, and allows faster disaster recovery decision-making during election caretaker periods.
Who it affects
Queensland's 77 local councils and their councillors, mayors and senior staff are most directly affected. The bill also impacts Indigenous communities across 16 local government areas by formalising their exemption from land-based rates, and benefits election candidates by allowing them to use a PO box on campaign material.
Key changes
- Replaces the councillor conflicts of interest framework with a simpler system based on material personal interests and conflicts of interest, with serious breaches attracting up to 200 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment
- Removes the lower-level conduct breach category from the complaints system and reclassifies bullying, sexual harassment and defying a chairperson as misconduct
- Confirms the mayor as official spokesperson and default chairperson of council meetings, preventing councils from voting to remove the mayor from the chair
- Creates a panel of the mayor, CEO and a councillor to appoint senior executive employees, replacing the CEO's sole appointment power
- Allows the Minister to issue blanket approvals for councils to make disaster recovery decisions during election caretaker periods
- Clarifies that 16 Indigenous local governments are not required to levy rates but creates a framework for them to do so in future
- Removes mandatory re-training requirements for sitting councillors seeking re-election
- Makes it easier for rural and remote councils to access State-owned quarry materials for road maintenance and disaster recovery
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee Report30 Jan 2026
Committee report tabled
Vote on a motion
Vote on the urgency and time allocation motion declaring both the Fighting Antisemitism bill and Local Government bill urgent, with deadlines for completing all remaining stages.
The motion was agreed to.
A formal vote on whether to accept a proposal — this could be the bill itself, an amendment, or another motion.
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Ayes (52)
Noes (35)
▸1 procedural vote
Vote to end debate
Government gag motion to end debate on the urgency and time allocation motion for the Fighting Antisemitism bill and Local Government bill, forcing an immediate vote.
Debate was ended and a vote was forced.
A procedural vote to end debate and force an immediate decision. Sometimes called a “gag motion”.
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Ayes (52)
Noes (35)
▸Second Reading
▸12 members spoke7 support4 oppose1 mixed
Introduced the bill as minister, arguing it empowers councils and mayors, reduces red tape, and delivers the government's reform agenda in partnership with the LGAQ. Defended the resign-to-run provisions, conflict-of-interest changes, and Brisbane City Council amendments.
“The bill is just the beginning of the Crisafulli government's wideranging reform agenda for the sector which is being delivered in partnership with the LGAQ as part of our Equal Partners in Government agreement.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Spoke as committee chair and country electorate MP, arguing the bill restores balance and common sense to local government frameworks. Supported councillor involvement in senior staff appointments and the simplified conflict-of-interest framework.
“I believe that the best restraining force upon misbehaviour and deceit by councillors is the prospect of electoral defeat at the hands of an informed electorate.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Argued the bill represents a retreat from integrity safeguards established after Operation Belcarra, weakening conflict-of-interest rules and transparency requirements at a time of intense development pressure and fragile public trust.
“If empowerment is the objective, it should be achieved by enhancing transparency, probity and collective oversight, definitely not by reducing them.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Supported the bill as delivering major reforms for local government, highlighting the strong endorsement from the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council which welcomed the bill as a signal of trust and empowerment for First Nations councils.
“Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council welcomes this Bill as more than a legislative reform—we see it as a signal of trust, a platform for equity, and a step toward a future where First Nations councils are empowered to lead with clarity, confidence and cultural authority.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Spoke as deputy committee chair, raising concerns that the bill removes safeguards established after Operation Belcarra. Was particularly critical of the late amendments restricting councillor access to Brisbane City Council documents and creating a 10-year RTI exemption.
“They are not letting the sunshine in; they are pulling a big black curtain across it and locking information up for 10 years.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Supported the bill as restoring democratic oversight to council leadership appointments, empowering mayors as official spokespersons, and providing a clearer conflict-of-interest framework that councillors can understand.
“When councils are empowered to act decisively and are held to clear and fair standards, our communities benefit. When councils are smothered in red tape, unclear rules and frameworks that discourage capable people from serving, our communities pay the price.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Criticised the lack of time to scrutinise amendments and the 10-year RTI exemption for Brisbane City Council documents. Argued the bill departs from CCC Operation Belcarra recommendations and weakens integrity protections.
“Under this bill and these amendments that were just handed down tonight, unless the individual councillor is part of that civic cabinet they will not be allowed to find that out. It will now be inaccessible for 10 years.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Drew on personal experience as a former councillor to argue the conflict-of-interest framework under Labor was unworkable, particularly in small communities. Supported the resign-to-run provision and praised the bill for restoring empowerment to councils.
“The guidance that was given was that if you would invite a person connected to the matter under discussion to your wedding then that relationship constitutes a prescribed conflict. How ridiculous!”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Drew on nine years of local government experience to support the bill, arguing Labor's conflict-of-interest requirements were ridiculous and hamstrung councillors. Supported giving councillors more say in CEO appointments and the resign-to-run provision.
“It saddened me greatly to see what the Labor government inflicted on councillors in terms of carrying out their duties.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Stated the opposition supports the bill's objective in principle but holds concerns that it weakens integrity, transparency and accountability. Criticised the resign-to-run backflip and the late BCC amendments creating a 10-year RTI exemption as the 'Schrinner special'.
“The Queensland opposition supports in principle the objective of this bill, recognising the vital role of Queensland's 77 councils and empowering them to achieve the most effective operating environment so they can best serve their communities and all Queenslanders.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Focused on the impact on Brisbane City Council, arguing the late amendments restrict non-civic cabinet councillors from accessing decision-making documents and create a 10-year RTI exemption that reduces transparency and democratic accountability.
“They have talked this government and this weak minister into making these decisions which will mean they can do everything they want and no-one will ever know about it.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
Spoke briefly as a former councillor who experienced the Belcarra-era legislation, describing it as an absolute nightmare that pitted councillors against each other. His speech was cut short when the Speaker called the minister to reply.
“This bill marks a fundamental step forward in restoring true local government by strengthening our councils, reducing red tape and empowering mayors, allowing Queensland communities to flourish under fit-for-purpose legislation.”— 2026-03-05View Hansard
▸In Detail
Amendments 1 and 2: Insert commencement provisions for superannuation-related amendments (part 4, division 2A and part 5, division 2A) to commence on 1 July 2026, aligning with Commonwealth payday super changes.
Amendments 3 to 15 (moved en bloc): Package of amendments including clarifying Brisbane City Council Establishment and Coordination Committee document access restrictions, inserting a 10-year RTI exemption for committee information, adding regulation-making power for 'related party' definition, superannuation alignment provisions, electoral transitional arrangements, and amendments to the Working with Children Act for information sharing with Blue Card Services.
Amendment 16: Amend the long title of the bill to include references to the Right to Information Act 2009 and the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000, reflecting the scope of the minister's amendments.
▸1 clause vote (all passed)
Vote on clause 8
Vote on whether to retain clause 8 which requires Brisbane City Council councillors to automatically vacate office upon nominating as a candidate for the Queensland Legislative Assembly (resign-to-run provision). The opposition opposed this clause.
The clause was kept in the bill.
A vote on whether a specific clause should remain in the bill as written.
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Ayes (50)
Noes (28)
Spoke against clause 8 (resign-to-run provision) during consideration in detail, arguing the LGAQ surveyed its membership who vehemently opposed the change and that the provision is politically motivated rather than serving the sector's interests.
“The sector has said, 'This is not good. This is not democratic. This is not in keeping with the Equal Partners in Government agreement.'”— 2026-03-05View Hansard