In November 2011, the Department engaged consultant Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to review the financial sustainability of the Northern Territory's (NT) shire councils.  

A steering committee of local government sector representatives and senior Northern Territory Government officers assisted.

The review involved:

• analyses of councils' financial planning and control mechanisms such as financial plans, budgets and financial statements for the financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11
• field visits to each council to get a deeper understanding of their financial performance.

The final report contains:

• a financial analysis of the councils’ financial information
• identification of the critical issues including a risk assessment
• commentary on council financial sustainability across core and non-core services and fee-for-service operations
• commentary on the key issues affecting the councils.

Read the Deloitte report - May 2012 - review of councils' financial sustainability (6.3 mb).

Update to review findings 

Read the Deloitte report - December 2013 - update to the findings of the 2012 review of councils' financial sustainability (8.1 mb).