❓ This parliamentary question and answer provides a detailed overview of the operations of the Local Government Inspector's office in Western Australia, covering complaint handling, types of action, and statistics on complaints against various local government entities and individuals.
AnsweredQoN 2307Legislative Assembly
Asked
6 May 2026
Member
Portfolio
Local Government; Disability Services; Volunteering; Youth; Gascoyne
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the office of the Local Government inspector, and I ask:(a) How many enquiries have been made to the office since it opened;(b) What is the average time for a complaint or enquiry to be actioned;(c) What are the types of action the inspector can take;(d) What criteria determines the level of action taken;(e) What has been the most referred issue to the inspector;(f) Who are making inquiry and complaints to the office;(g) What was previous complaints made to the standards panel;(h) How many complaints were made to the standards panel between 1st July and 31st December 2025;(i) Were any of the complaints made to the standards panel referred to the inspector's office;(j) How are complaints made to the inspector allocated;(k) Who are the monitors;(l) How are the monitors selected;(m) Is there a register of complaints made to the office of Local Government Inspector;(n) How many complaints made against Executive;(o) How many complaints are made against elected members;(p) How many of the complaints are unfounded and/or vexatious;(q) Do complaints accrue for the term of an elected member? or annually; and(r) How many times can a complaint be made against an elected member, executive officer, council and/or Local Government?
I refer to the office of the Local Government inspector, and I ask:
(a) How many enquiries have been made to the office since it opened;
(b) What is the average time for a complaint or enquiry to be actioned;
(c) What are the types of action the inspector can take;
(d) What criteria determines the level of action taken;
(e) What has been the most referred issue to the inspector;
(f) Who are making inquiry and complaints to the office;
(g) What was previous complaints made to the standards panel;
(h) How many complaints were made to the standards panel between 1st July and 31st December 2025;
(i) Were any of the complaints made to the standards panel referred to the inspector's office;
(j) How are complaints made to the inspector allocated;
(k) Who are the monitors;
(l) How are the monitors selected;
(m) Is there a register of complaints made to the office of Local Government Inspector;
(n) How many complaints made against Executive;
(o) How many complaints are made against elected members;
(p) How many of the complaints are unfounded and/or vexatious;
(q) Do complaints accrue for the term of an elected member? or annually; and
(r) How many times can a complaint be made against an elected member, executive officer, council and/or Local Government?
I refer to the office of the Local Government inspector, and I ask:
(a) How many enquiries have been made to the office since it opened;
(b) What is the average time for a complaint or enquiry to be actioned;
(c) What are the types of action the inspector can take;
(d) What criteria determines the level of action taken;
(e) What has been the most referred issue to the inspector;
(f) Who are making inquiry and complaints to the office;
(g) What was previous complaints made to the standards panel;
(h) How many complaints were made to the standards panel between 1st July and 31st December 2025;
(i) Were any of the complaints made to the standards panel referred to the inspector's office;
(j) How are complaints made to the inspector allocated;
(k) Who are the monitors;
(l) How are the monitors selected;
(m) Is there a register of complaints made to the office of Local Government Inspector;
(n) How many complaints made against Executive;
(o) How many complaints are made against elected members;
(p) How many of the complaints are unfounded and/or vexatious;
(q) Do complaints accrue for the term of an elected member? or annually; and
(r) How many times can a complaint be made against an elected member, executive officer, council and/or Local Government?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 June 2026
Responded by
Minister for Local Government; Disability Services; Volunteering; Youth; Gascoyne
Response time
8 days
(a) 241 complaints and 273 governance and compliance enquiries.
(b) Complaints: 38 days; enquiries: 4 days.
(c) Depending on the complaint type, the Local Government Inspector (the Inspector) may:
· decline the complaint for being frivolous, trivial, vexatious, misconceived or without substance;
· accept and refer to an adjudicator;
· accept and investigate and, if appropriate:
make an allegation to the State Administrative Tribunal;
initiate a prosecution in court; or
take other action (e.g. inspectorate officer issuing an infringement notice); or
· refer the matter to a local government to take further action.
(d) This is dependent on a case-by-case basis.
(e) Concerns and queries regarding regulation 18 of the Local Government (Model Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021 - Securing personal advantage or disadvantaging others.
(f) Community members, residents, and ratepayers; council members; employees; business owners; a not-for-profit incorporated association supporting elected members; and ratepayers associations.
(g) The Standards Pannel dealt with minor breach complaints.
(h) 68.
(i) No.
(j) Each complaint is assessed by the Complaints Manager, who makes a recommendation to the Inspector to refer to an adjudicator or decline. If the complaint alleges a Specified Breach or is a General Complaint, the matter is referred to an investigator.
(k) The following monitors have been appointed:
· City of Perth – Carol Adams
· City of Nedlands – Hon. Albert Jacob
· City of South Perth – Gail McGowan
· Town of Port Hedland – Andrew Hammond
· Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale – Dominique Mecoy
(l) Monitors are appointed by the Inspector, and appointments are dependent on the issues and skills required for the local government concerned.
(m) Yes.
(n) 81.
(o) 160.
(p) 21.
(q) Across the term of the elected member.
(r) There is no limit on the number of complaints that can be made against an elected member or officer. The Inspector monitors all complaints and looks for trends of conduct and compliance that informs further inspector actions.
(b) Complaints: 38 days; enquiries: 4 days.
(c) Depending on the complaint type, the Local Government Inspector (the Inspector) may:
· decline the complaint for being frivolous, trivial, vexatious, misconceived or without substance;
· accept and refer to an adjudicator;
· accept and investigate and, if appropriate:
make an allegation to the State Administrative Tribunal;
initiate a prosecution in court; or
take other action (e.g. inspectorate officer issuing an infringement notice); or
· refer the matter to a local government to take further action.
(d) This is dependent on a case-by-case basis.
(e) Concerns and queries regarding regulation 18 of the Local Government (Model Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021 - Securing personal advantage or disadvantaging others.
(f) Community members, residents, and ratepayers; council members; employees; business owners; a not-for-profit incorporated association supporting elected members; and ratepayers associations.
(g) The Standards Pannel dealt with minor breach complaints.
(h) 68.
(i) No.
(j) Each complaint is assessed by the Complaints Manager, who makes a recommendation to the Inspector to refer to an adjudicator or decline. If the complaint alleges a Specified Breach or is a General Complaint, the matter is referred to an investigator.
(k) The following monitors have been appointed:
· City of Perth – Carol Adams
· City of Nedlands – Hon. Albert Jacob
· City of South Perth – Gail McGowan
· Town of Port Hedland – Andrew Hammond
· Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale – Dominique Mecoy
(l) Monitors are appointed by the Inspector, and appointments are dependent on the issues and skills required for the local government concerned.
(m) Yes.
(n) 81.
(o) 160.
(p) 21.
(q) Across the term of the elected member.
(r) There is no limit on the number of complaints that can be made against an elected member or officer. The Inspector monitors all complaints and looks for trends of conduct and compliance that informs further inspector actions.
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