External boundary & electoral arrangement reviews
The Change Commission is responsible for assessing proposed changes to external boundaries or electoral arrangements of local governments, and whether the changes are in the public interest.
An external boundary review considers proposed changes to the shared boundaries between councils.
An electoral arrangement review can assess factors like whether a council should be divided or undivided, the number of councillors representing the area, or a change to a council’s name or classification (i.e., whether it is a city, shire, region or town).
By law, there is no set timeframe for these types of reviews. The timing is subject to a range of factors such as the complexity of the proposal and public consultation requirements.
Reviews
The Change Commission is not currently assessing any proposed changes referred by the Minister responsible for Local Government.
Finalised reviews
The Change Commission has finalised the following external boundary and electoral arrangement reviews:
2025 Ipswich City Council and Somerset Regional Council external boundary review
2023 Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Ipswich City Council and Toowoomba Regional Council external boundary review
2023 Lockyer Valley Regional Council and Toowoomba Regional Council external boundary review
2023 South Burnett Regional Council and Gympie Regional Council external boundary review
2023 Ipswich City Council electoral arrangements review
- 2023 Ipswich City Council electoral arrangements review - Final determination report PDF (1.77 MB)
- APPENDIX 1 - Minister's referral PDF (0.48 MB)
- APPENDIX 2 - Ipswich City Council map PDF (0.34 MB)
- APPENDIX 3 - Local Government Change Commission Ipswich City Council Final Determination Report 2019 PDF (1.12 MB)
- APPENDIX 4 - Local Government Reform Commission Report extracts PDF (13.92 MB)
- APPENDIX 5 - Public submissions
- APPENDIX 6 - Publication guidelines PDF (0.2 MB)
- APPENDIX 7 - Ipswich City Council submission PDF (3.52 MB)
2023 Moreton Bay Regional Council electoral arrangements review
- 2023 Moreton Bay Regional Council electoral arrangements review - Final determination report PDF (0.42 MB)
- APPENDIX 1 - Minister's referral PDF (0.8 MB)
- APPENDIX 2 - Moreton Bay Regional Council map PDF (1.05 MB)
- APPENDIX 3 - Moreton Bay Regional Council submission PDF (43.97 MB)
- APPENDIX 4 - Public submissions PDF (29.17 MB)
- APPENDIX 5 - Publication guidelines PDF (0.2 MB)
2022 Livingstone Shire Council and Rockhampton Regional Council external boundary review
- 2022 Livingstone Shire Council and Rockhampton Regional Council external boundary review - Final determination report PDF (1.44 MB)
- APPENDIX 1 - Ministers’ referrals PDF (1.28 MB)
- APPENDIX 2 - Review timeline and agencies consulted PDF (0.07 MB)
- APPENDIX 3 - Queensland Treasury Corporation financial assessment report PDF (1.64 MB)
- APPENDIX 4 - Planning advice PDF (5.12 MB)
- APPENDIX 5 - Voluntary survey materials PDF (0.5 MB)
- APPENDIX 6 - Written submissions
- APPENDIX 7 - Publication guidelines PDF (0.21 MB)
- APPENDIX 8 - Livingstone Shire Council submission PDF (7.78 MB)
- APPENDIX 9 - Rockhampton Regional Council submission PDF (5.11 MB)
- APPENDIX 10 - Survey responses
- APPENDIX 11 - Maps PDF (1.16 MB)
2022 Barcaldine Regional Council and adjoining councils external boundary review
- 2021 Toowoomba Regional Council and Western Downs Regional Council - Final Determination Report PDF (28.64 MB)
2021 Cook Shire Council electoral arrangement review - Withdrawn
- 2015 Goondiwindi and Western Downs Regional PDF (2.43 MB)
- 2015 Brisbane City and Moreton Bay Regional Council PDF (3.23 MB)
- 2015 Bundaberg Regional Council PDF (0.54 MB)
- 2015 Cook Shire Council and Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council PDF (1.81 MB)
- 2015 Balonne Shire, Maranoa Regional Council And Western Downs Regional Council PDF (2.45 MB)
- 2015 Tablelands Regional and Mareeba Shire Council PDF (2.42 MB)
- 2015 Toowoomba Regional Council and Southern Downs Regional Council PDF (8.62 MB)
- 2014 Central Highlands Regional Council and Isaac Regional Council PDF (2.12 MB)
- 2013 Ipswich City Council and Somerset Regional Council PDF (3.27 MB)
- 2012 Moreton Bay Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Regional Council PDF (9.88 MB)
- 2012 Ipswich City Council and Somerset Regional Council PDF (0.48 MB)
- 2011 Fraser Coast Regional Council and Gympie Regional Council PDF (1.94 MB)
- 2011 Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council PDF (1.68 MB)
- 2011 Barcaldine Regional Council and Blackall-Tambo Regional Council PDF (0.59 MB)
- 2011 Gold Coast City Council and Logan City Council (Boomerang Island) PDF (0.23 MB)
- 2010 Fraser Coast Regional Council and Gympie Regional Council PDF (0.18 MB)
For further information please email LGboundaries@ecq.qld.gov.au or call 1300 881 665.