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Characteristics of the Local Government in the NT
Characteristics of the Local Government in the Northern Territory
Local Government provides services and maintains facilities for residents and visitors in the Northern Territory within geographical areas (mostly town or cities) where they exercise responsibility as governments under legislation.
People in the Northern Territory benefit when Local Government operates effectively and efficiently to the extent that:
- their interest are represented in government at the local level; and
- local government’s performance will impact on the ‘quality of life’ and amenity of the area where they reside or are visiting.
The ‘system’ of local government in the Northern Territory has three component organisations, namely;
1. local government councils
2. the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (whose members comprise local government councils in the Northern Territory) representing the interests of all Northern Territory Councils
3. the Australian Local Government (whose members comprise the Local Government Associations in each State and Territory) representing the interests of Local Government Associations nationally.
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Other Characteristics include: Prior to 1 July, 2008
- The 61 ‘local governing bodies’ as defined under the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995, includes, in the Northern Territory, local governments and ‘other organisations’;
- Local governments include 6 municipal and 51 community government councils; other organisations include three associations incorporated under the Aboriginal Councils and Association Act and one special purpose town. Jabiru, constituted under the JabiruTown Development Act 1995;
- Local governments receive financial assistance from the Australian Government ‘as of right’ because of their status as local governments, whereas the ‘other organisations’ are declared as local governing bodies when both the Territory and Federal Local Government Ministers agree they should have this status; which is also a status they can revoke;
- For the purposes of organising maintenance and expending Commonwealth funds on local roads in some areas of the Territory not covered by Local Government, the Association has been recognized as local governing body;
- The ten largest councils in the Northern Territory area providing services to approximately 160,000 resident with the 52 other councils providing for approximately 31,000 residents and the remaining 6000 residents being without a council (mining and tourist towns, pastoral properties);
- The average population serviced by councils (other than municipal councils) I 670 persons, which is why most of these bodies are classified under the Australian Classification of Local Governments as ‘Rural Remote Small’ or ‘Rural Remote Extra Small’;
- Local governing bodies are widely dispersed throughout the Northern Territory, which occupies one sixth of the Australian land mass;
- Local government is the appropriate sphere of government to deliver services and maintain facilities in local areas;
- Despite recent local government’s relatively short history Darwin City Council preceded self-government (1978) in the Northern Territory by 21 years when it was constituted in 1957;
- Local government boundaries cover only 12% of the land mass in the Northern Territory although 78% of the population resides in the areas administered by municipal councils;
- Local government in the Northern Territory is responsible for a wide range of functions and this is because of enabling legislation (provides for general competence) and it can do more functions if they are devolved with appropriate resources;
- Unlike local government in all the other States, local government in the Northern Territory does not have the functions of planning (development assessment) or building regulation – the Territory Government retains these, but not on Aboriginal land where Indigenous traditional owners have this power;
- Local Government makes a significant contribution to the Territory economy as collectively Councils employ about 1400 Territorians, manage and control assets valued at over $900 million, and receive and expend over $220 million in the Territory annually.
The number of Local Governing Bodies in the Northern Territory last 11 March 2008 was:
- Municipalities = 6
- Community Government Councils = 51
- Incorporated Associations (Commonwealth) = 3
- Special Purpose Towns = 1
TOTAL LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES = 61
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After 30th June 2008 - Present time
On 11 October 2006 the Minister for Local Government announced the Northern Territory Government’s reform program for local government. The reform was intended to result in a new framework of municipal and shire councils that incorporates the whole of the Northern Territory into local government areas by 1 July 2008.
The reform process has gone ahead under the direction of the Department of Local Government, the Local Government Advisory Board and input from Shire Transitional Committees comprising representatives from affected councils and other stakeholders.
Only one change has been made to the reforms announced by the Minister. Last February 2008 the Northern Territory Government cancelled what was to be called the ‘Top End Regional Shire’ and allowed the four affected councils to remain as district councils. Those Councils are the Litchfield Council, Coomalie Shire Council, Wagait Shire Council (formerly Cox Peninsula Community Government Council) and the Belyuen Shire Council.
The Directory has grouped the existing local governing bodies behind each Shire Council that they will be amalgamated into as from 1 July 2008. All local governing bodies will have the status of local government after 30 June 2008 by virtue of all of them being constituted under the Local Government Act.
As of 1st of July 2008, it is now:
TOTAL NUMBER OF NT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS = 16
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