Premier

Geelong City Council Dismissed

14 April 2016

The bill to dismiss the Greater Geelong City Council has passed the Parliament today, giving Geelong the fresh start it deserves.

The Andrews Labor Government took immediate action to introduce this bill following a three month investigation into the council’s governance, administration and culture.

The Commission of Inquiry found that the Geelong City Council was substantially dysfunctional, governance and performance were well below standard and there has been a failure to provide good government to Geelong.

We negotiated in good faith with the cross benches, to ensure this Bill was passed as quickly as possible giving the Council and its staff immediate certainty.

Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, the Council will be legally dismissed and the interim administrator will be installed before ongoing administrators can be appointed to perform the roles and functions of the council.

Geelong will not be involved in this October’s council general elections, as administrators work to fix what has now been revealed as years of cultural, governance and structural problems.

The Commission of Inquiry was appointed in response to findings of the Workplace Culture Review conducted last year by former Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Susan Halliday.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Government Natalie Hutchins

“The Government’s priority was always to get this Bill through the Parliament as quickly as possible in the best interests of Geelong and that’s exactly what has happened tonight.”

“The City of Geelong is too important, they need a Mayor and Council that is equipped to manage the city’s long term economic challenges.”

“Geelong will get the fresh start it deserves now that this Bill has passed the Parliament.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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