Breaking: Local government inspector launches probe into City of Perth

Local government watchdog launches inquiry into problem-riddled City of Perth Posted Mon 14 Sep 2026 at 9:35pmMon 14 Sep 2026 at 9:35pmCity of Perth Council will be investigated. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)Dysfunction at the City of Perth is set to be investigated further, with the local government watchdog launching an inquiry into the problem-plagued council. Local Government Inspector Tony Brown said the inquiry would yield the "best result" for residents and ratepayers, adding that it would would take about three months and cost about $120,000."There are fractured working relationships and ongoing governance issues at the city," Mr Brown said."So this is not a two-year process that happened before that cost $7.2 million. This will be a short and effective way of providing a good outcome for the City of Perth community." In January, the ABC revealed a damning report that found the relationship between council and management was in "crisis".That report followed Mr Brown's appointment of former Kwinana mayor Carol Adams as a monitor to oversee the council and encourage "greater accountability and appropriate decision-making".Tony Brown says the inquiry will be quick, and is an effective way to address the issues at the city. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)Mr Brown said he had presented the city with the monitor's findings, as well as 12 actions that "focus on the council working together better and their governance processes".He did not elaborate on the actions, or the monitor's findings.The inquiry would be the first held by the inspector under a new regime that places councils under significantly more scrutiny than in the past.The final report of that inquiry can recommend the council, or individual members, be suspended or dismissed, but it would be up to the local government minister to make that decision.