Local Government Areas of Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Local Government Area (abbreviated LGA) is a term used in Australia (and especially by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) to refer to areas controlled by each individual Local Government. The generic names of Local Governments vary from state to state; examples include Borough, City, District, Municipality, Region, Rural City, Shire and Town. Many Local Government Areas in New South Wales and some in South Australia no longer possess a classifier such as Shire or Municipality, but are simply known as a Council, e.g. Manly Council or Waverley Council. This is due to the phenomenon in some regional variants of Australian English of referring to the geographic area belonging to a local government as a council, when in other countries this word refers only to the board of elected politicians that administers local government affairs.
The creation and delimitation of LGAs is the responsibility of the state and territory Governments. In all states and the Northern Territory each incorporated area has an official status.
Another term used, especially for the LGA governing bodies is G3 for the third level of Government in Australia. Commonwealth, State, and LGA. G3 is difficult to accurately place in the structure of Australian Government, it is not mentioned in the Commonwealth Constitution, nor in most State Constitutional Law. State Governments are responsible for the legislation creating it, and ultimately for supervision. However recent years have seen State governments increasingly devolving powers onto LGA, as in Queensland where LGA's have been granted the power to independently enact their own (local) Laws, in contrast to the previous system of By-Laws.
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[edit] By state/territory
[edit] New South Wales
There are 152 LGAs in New South Wales, plus the unincorporated far west. Cities, municipalities, shires, regions are used, with some councils just referring to the region as a council. The various LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C) and Areas (A)
[edit] Northern Territory
There are 63 LGAs in the Northern Territory, although only 6 of the councils are considered municipalities. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Towns (T), Community Government Councils (CGC) and Shires (S).
[edit] Queensland
There were 126 LGAs in Queensland in December 2006, in addition there are also Aboriginal councils which have full Shire Council status from January 2007. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Shires (S), Towns (T) and Island Councils (IC)
[edit] South Australia
There are 69 LGAs in South Australia. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Rural Cities (RC), Municipalities/Municipal Councils (M), District Councils (DC), Regional Councils (RegC) and Aboriginal Councils (AC). The Outback Areas Community Development Trust covers more than half the state, but is not in any LGA.
[edit] Tasmania
There are 29 LGAs in Tasmania. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C) and Municipalities (M)
[edit] Victoria
There are 79 LGAs in Victoria, with LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Rural Cities (RC), Boroughs (B) and Shires (S). There is only one borough (the only one in Australia), the Borough of Queenscliffe.
[edit] Western Australia
There are 144 LGAs in Western Australia, which include Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. LGA status types or classifiers currently in use are: Cities (C), Towns (T) and Shires (S)
[edit] Other territories
The Australian Capital Territory, Jervis Bay Territory and the external territories do not have Local Government Areas distinct from their Territory governments.
