Legislation
This page lists the major legislation that affects local governments in the Northern Territory.
Local Government Act
The Local Government Act provides for local government in the Northern Territory.
Regulations made under the Local Government Act include:
Local government guidelines
Guideline 1 - revoked
Guideline 2: allowances for council members
Previously effective from 6 January 2011 and as replaced on 1 July 2014 to include West Daly Regional Council.
Guideline 2: allowances for council members PDF (96.0 KB).
Table of maximum allowances applicable for 2019-20 PDF (73.5 KB).
Table of maximum allowances applicable for 2020-21 PDF (349.4 KB).
Table of maximum allowances applicable for 2021-22 PDF (473.6 KB).
Refer to General Instruction No. 2 - Council member allowances PDF (832.4 KB).
Guideline 3: appointing a CEO
Guideline 3: appointing a CEO PDF (26.6 KB).
Guideline 4: investments
Guideline 4: investments PDF (162.8 KB).
Guideline 5: borrowing
Guideline 5: borrowing PDF (28.6 KB).
Guideline 6 - revoked
General Instruction Number 1 - conditional rating PDF (1.0 MB).
Guideline 7: disposal of property
Guideline 7: disposal of property PDF (28.3 KB).
Guideline 8: regional councils and local authorities
Guideline 8: regional councils and local authorities PDF (599.8 KB)
Guideline 8: regional councils and local authorities DOCX (34.2 KB).
Local government general instructions
The Department of Local Government and Regions issues general instructions pursuant to regulation 7 of the Local Government (Accounting) Regulations.
Local government bylaws
Council by-laws are listed on the Department of the Chief Minister's legislation database.
Councils are responsible for making and enforcing their own by-laws.
The Local Government and Community Development Division can assist councils to make, amend or repeal local government by-laws. For assistance please email localgovernment.DLGHCD@nt.gov.au.
Local government subsidiaries
Section 27 of the Local Government Act provides for councils and the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory to form separate entities known as local government subsidiaries to carry out functions related to local government on behalf of the constituent councils.
Under section 28 of the Act, the Minister for Local Government uses an NT Government Gazette notice to allow a subsidiary to come into existence on a specific date as a body corporate that has the powers and functions conferred or assigned by its constitution.
The constitution of a subsidiary must be approved by the Minister, pursuant to section 29(1).
The Minister has approved the constititution of CouncilBiz. Download the constitution PDF (949.7 KB).
Last updated: 02 September 2020
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