Local government in Australia



Local Government Area (abbreviated LGA) is a term used in Australia (and especially by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) to refer to areas controlled by each individual Local Government. The generic names of Local Governments vary from state to state; examples include Borough, City, District, Municipality, Region, Rural City, Shire and Town. Many local councils in New South Wales and some in South Australia no longer possess a classifier such as Shire or Municipality, but are simply known as Council, e.g. Manly Council or Waverley Council. This is due to the phenomenon in some regional variants of Australian English of referring to the geographic area belonging to a local government as a council, when in other countries this word refers only to the board of elected politicians that administers local government affairs. There are currently 694 Local Government Areas in Australia.

The creation and delimitation of LGAs is the responsibility of the state and territory Governments. In all states and the Northern Territory, each incorporated area has an official status.

Another term used, especially for the LGA governing bodies, is G3 for the third level of Government in Australia. Commonwealth, State, and LGA. G3 is difficult to accurately place in the structure of Australian Government, it is not mentioned in the Commonwealth Constitution, nor in most State Constitutional Law. State Governments are responsible for the legislation creating it, and ultimately for supervision. However, recent years have seen State governments increasingly devolving powers onto LGA, as in Queensland where LGAs have been granted the power to independently enact their own (local) legislation, in contrast to the previous system of by-laws.

New South Wales


There are 152 LGAs in New South Wales, plus the Unincorporated Far West, and Lord Howe Island, which is also unincorporated, although governed by the Lord Howe Island Board. LGAs may be designated cities, municipalities, shires, regions, or simply "councils". LGAs are classified in legislation as either Cities (C) or Areas (A) (all other types).

Northern Territory


There are 63 LGAs in the Northern Territory, although only 6 of the councils are considered municipalities. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Towns (T), Community Government Councils (CGC) and Shires (S).

Queensland


There are 73 LGAs in Queensland, including the Aboriginal councils which have full Shire Council status from January 2007. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Shires (S), Towns (T) and Island Councils (IC)

South Australia


There are 69 LGAs in South Australia. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Rural Cities (RC), Municipalities/Municipal Councils (M), District Councils (DC), Regional Councils (RegC) and Aboriginal Councils (AC). The Outback Areas Community Development Trust covers more than half the state, but is not in any LGA.

Tasmania


There are 29 LGAs in Tasmania. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C) and Municipalities (M)

Victoria


There are 79 LGAs in Victoria, with LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Rural Cities (RC), Boroughs (B) and Shires (S). There is only one borough (the only one in Australia), the Borough of Queenscliffe.

Western Australia


There are 144 LGAs in Western Australia, which include Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Towns (T) and Shires (S)

Other territories
The Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory and the external territories do not have Local Government Areas distinct from their Territory governments.