External boundary & electoral arrangement reviews

The Change Commission is responsible for assessing whether proposed changes to external boundaries or electoral arrangements are in the public interest.

There is no legislated date for this type of review to be referred to, or considered by, the Change Commission. The timing of these reviews is subject to a range of factors such as the complexity of the proposal and public consultation requirements.

Please note: the Change Commission is legally required to address enrolment quotas in divided councils in the year before the local government quadrennial elections. Therefore, divisional boundary reviews must be prioritised in the year before the local government elections.

Current reviews

The Minister for Local Government has referred the following local government change requests for the Change Commission's independent assessment.

External boundary review

Rockhampton Regional Council and Livingstone Shire Council

Rockhampton Regional Council and Livingstone Shire Council external boundary review

The Change Commission has received a referral from the Minister responsible for Local Government to consider a boundary change between Rockhampton Regional Council and Livingstone Shire Council.

This would involve the potential transfer of the suburbs of Glenlee, Rockyview and Glendale from Livingstone Shire Council's local government area to the Rockhampton Regional Council local government area.

In line with the terms of the referral, the Change Commission has engaged the Queensland Treasury Corporation to assess the potential financial impacts of this change. The report of the financial assessment will be made publicly available prior to public consultation commencing.

Following this review, the Change Commission will undertake community consultation, before making a recommendation.

What happens next?

The Queensland Treasury Corporation is currently working with the two Councils to undertake the financial assessment of the proposed change.

It is anticipated the financial assessment will be concluded by mid-December 2021 and the report on the assessment will be published soon afterwards.

In 2022, the Change Commission will ask electors in both local government areas what they think of the proposed change. The format for this poll has not yet been decided.

After that, the Change Commission will provide the results of its assessment to the Minister responsible for Local Government and the public.

A local government change can only be implemented by the Governor in Council under a regulation. The regulation may provide for anything that is necessary or convenient to facilitate the change, for example transferring assets and liabilities from one council to another.

Fact sheets

Contact us

For further information please email LGboundaries@ecq.qld.gov.au or call 1300 881 665.

Western Downs Regional Council and Toowoomba Regional Council

The Change Commission has received a referral from the Minister responsible for Local Government to consider a boundary change between the Western Downs Regional Council and the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Currently two individual property lots are split between the local government areas and the proposed boundary change would unite the lots so they are no longer split between the councils.

STATUS: Close to completion

The Change Commission has been consulting stakeholders impacted by the change including the two Councils and affected landholders, to help it make its final determination.

It is anticipated the review will be finalised by September - October 2021.

Barcaldine Regional Council and adjoining councils

The Change Commission has received a referral from the Minister responsible for Local Government to consider a boundary change between the Barcaldine Regional Council and the Blackall Tambo Regional Council, Charters Towers Regional Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, Flinders Shire Council, Isaac Regional Council and Longreach Regional Council.

This proposed change would see 24 lots that are currently split between Barcaldine and the other Councils being united, so they are no longer split between local government areas.

STATUS: Early commencement period

The Change Commission has commenced consultation with the Councils in order to consult the impacted landholders.

Electoral arrangement reviews

Cook Shire Council

The Minister responsible for Local Government has referred a proposed change for the Cook Shire Council to shift from an undivided to a multi-member divided electoral arrangement.

As an ‘undivided’ local government area, electors in the Cook Shire Council must vote to elect the mayor, as well as all six of the councillors. This differs from divided councils where the local government area is divided internally into ‘divisions’. In divided councils, electors still vote to elect a mayor to represent their entire local government area, but only vote to elect a councillor or councillors to represent the division they live within.

The change proposed would divide the Shire into two multi-member divisions, with four councillors representing one division and two councillors representing the other division.

STATUS: Early commencement period

Initial discussions about the change being proposed are underway. As the review progresses, further updates will be provided, including information about public consultation.