Local Government Act 2020

{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia}}

{{Infobox legislation

|short_title = Local Government Act 2020

|legislature = Parliament of Victoria

|long_title = An Act to reform the law relating to local government in Victoria, to repeal the {{em|City of Greater Geelong Act 1993}}, to amend the {{em|City of Melbourne Act 2001}}, the {{em|Local Government Act 1989}}, the {{em|Victoria Grants Commission Act 1976}} and the {{em|Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal and Improving Parliamentary Standards Act 2019}}, and to consequentially amend certain other Acts and for other purposes

| image = Coat of Arms of Victoria.svg

| imagesize = 130px

|citation = {{Official website|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/local-government-act-2020|No. 9 of 2020}}

|territorial_extent = Victoria

|enacted_by = Legislative Assembly

|date_passed = 17 March 2020

|enacted_by2 = Legislative Council

|date_passed2 = 5 March 2020

|royal_assent = 24 March 2020

|date_commenced = 6 April 2020

|date_effective = Various

|date_of_expiry =

|date_repealed =

|bill_history_url = https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/bills/local-government-bill-2019

|bill = Local Government Bill 2019

|introduced_by = Marlene Kairouz

|bill_date = 13 November 2019

|1st_reading = 13 November 2019

|2nd_reading = 14–28 November 2019

|committee_whole_label = Consideration in detail

|committee_whole = 28 November 2019

|3rd_reading = 28 November 2019

|bill2 = Local Government Bill 2019

|introduced_by2 = Adem Somyurek

|bill_date2 = 28 November 2019

|1st_reading2 = 28 November 2019

|2nd_reading2 = 28 November 2019 – 3 March 2020

|committee_whole2 = 3–5 March 2020

|3rd_reading2 = 5 March 2020

|date_amendments_considered = 17 March 2020

|date_final_passage = 17 March 2020

|amends = {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/city-melbourne-act-2001|No. 5 of 2001}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/local-government-act-1989|No. 11 of 1989}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/victoria-grants-commission-act-1976|No. 8887 of 1976}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/electricity-industry-act-2000|No. 68 of 2000}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/victorian-independent-remuneration-tribunal-and-improving-parliamentary-standards-act|No. 5 of 2019}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/essential-services-commission-act-2001|No. 62 of 2001}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/livestock-disease-control-act-1994|No. 115 of 1994}}, etc.

|repeals = {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/repealed-revoked/acts/city-greater-geelong-act-1993|No. 16 of 1993}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/repealed-revoked/acts/local-government-brimbank-city-council-act-2009|No. 65 of 2009}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/repealed-revoked/acts/local-government-greater-geelong-city-council-act-2016|No. 14 of 2016}}, {{url|https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/repealed-revoked/acts/local-government-rural-city-wangaratta-act-2013|No. 53 of 2013}}

|amended_by =

|repealed_by =

|related_legislation =

|summary =

|keywords =

|status = in force amended

}}

The Local Government Act 2020 was a significant statute in Victoria, Australia, notable for its impact on the electoral systems of local councils in Victoria.{{cite web |title=Local Government Act 2020 |url=https://www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au/council-governance/local-government-act-2020 |publisher=Local Government Victoria}} The Act, which the Victorian Government described as the "most ambitious and comprehensive reform of local government in Victoria for 30 years," saw a large number of multi-member wards replaced with single-member wards.{{cite web |last1=Raue |first1=Ben |title=Victorian council ward reviews eradicating PR in Melbourne |url=https://www.tallyroom.com.au/51578 |publisher=The Tally Room}}

Reviews were undertaken for the number of councillors, number of councillors per ward and the exact boundaries of those wards for 39 of Victoria's 79 councils.

The Act was introduced on 17 June 2019 by the then-Minister for Local Government, Adem Somyurek.{{cite web |title=Delivering A New Local Government Act For Victoria |url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/delivering-new-local-government-act-victoria |publisher=Premier of Victoria}} It passed parliament on 17 March 2020, and received Royal Assent days later on 24 March.{{cite web |title=Ratepayers want ‘urgent structural overhaul’ of councils |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/ratepayers-want-urgent-structural-overhaul-of-councils/news-story/047665d8ac0180bd8e88378796521c49 |publisher=Herald Sun}}

The Act has been criticised for its removal of proportional representation for most councils, and the consequential likely negative impact on the ability for women and minority groups to be elected.{{cite web |title=Victorian local government review prompts concerns about female representation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-19/victoria-council-elections-women-local-government-ward-structure/102610146 |publisher=ABC News}}