Various state-based and national reports into Australian local government have conclusively demonstrated that the problem of financial sustainability is widespread amongst local councils, especially in non-metropolitan areas. The main impact of this financial distress has fallen on local...

Municipal corporate centres not only perform multiple administrative functions, including supervision, monitoring and budgeting of the overall operation of local government, but also absorb significant resources. From a public policy perspective, it is thus important to determine whether...

An inquiry into water and wastewater in NSW recommended the 'regionalisation' of water services away from local councils. However, these recommendations have yet to be implemented. This paper argues that any 'regionalisation' of water services will have disastrous results on the financial...