Disclosure rules for councils coming

From July 1 next year, the disclosures must be made within 10 days and published online.

City of Mandurah chief executive Mark Newman said the council had not been formally advised of any amendments to the Local Government Act relating to gift and travel disclosure as seen in amendments to the City of Perth Act and had not formulated any opinions.

Shire of Murray chief executive Dean Unsworth said the council would analyse the new regulations and await direction from the WA Local Local Government Minister Tony Simpson, who suggested councils not wait until July 1 before putting the regulations into force.

Opposition local government spokesman David Templeman said WA Labor had salvaged something from Premier Colin Barnett’s failed council amalgamations.

“By finally accepting our amendments, Parliament has now introduced important transparency and accountability measures for local government,’’ he said.

“These measures are exactly what the community has been calling for and expects.’’