LGEMA - Local Government Elected Members Association

EM Role

LG Act s.2.10 EM role includes representing interests of electors, ratepayers, residents of their LG District, and since 2024, taking account of interests of other persons who work in, visit their District.

This means consult with those people as each EM sees fit, including about any Council or JDAP meeting agenda item.

Our WA Constitution requires LG to ensure local input into local decisions as follows: … "The Legislature (parliament through LG Act) shall maintain a system of local governing bodies elected and constituted in such manner as the Legislature may from time to time provide".

EMs are informed by their community views and by information brought to their attention in meeting agenda reports.

Decision making is inevitably yes, no or deferred as influenced by local community input into EM decision making.

Once they are EMs , EMs cannot decide ahead of a Council or JDAP meeting how they will vote or say how they will vote.

Of course, being an EM candidate in LG election is quite different where EMs elected for what they stand for on matters of interest to their electors.

Truth in Political Advertising

Councils can adopt a Truth in Political Advertising Local Law about any misleading or deceptive electoral material published/continued to be published in LG election period by:
• taking a liberal approach to the construction of scope of their general functions, in applying their legislative local law functions
• deciding truth in political advertising is necessary, convenient as part of their statutory electoral functions
• have penalties of up to $10,000 for contraventions of local law, and with specific minimum penalties.