Local Government Act 2019

This Act may be cited as the Local Government Act 2019.

This Act commences on the day fixed by the Administrator by Gazette notice.

This Act binds the Crown in right of the Territory and, to the extent the legislative power of the Legislative Assembly permits, the Crown in all its other capacities.

The rights and interests of Aboriginal traditional owners, as set out in the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976

(Cth) and the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), are to be recognised and the delivery of local government services must be in harmony with those Acts.

This Act provides for the following:

the establishment of a democratic and effective system of local government that recognises the diversity of communities in the

Territory;

the conferral of wide powers on councils to act for the advancement, and in the best interests, of their local communities;

the enabling of councils to play a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of their local communities;

the imposition of high standards of ethical conduct on council members;

the requirement on councils of high standards of governance, service delivery, asset management and financial accountability;

the requirement on councils to promote and assist constructive participation by their local communities in achieving effective local government for their areas.

The prescribed corporation is the corporate entity prescribed by regulation.

(1) If this Act requires public notice to be given of information relating to an election, the returning officer for the election:

may publish the information in any way the returning officer considers appropriate; and

must direct the relevant council to make that information available on the council's website in accordance with section 292.

The council must comply with the direction under subsection (1)(b).

If under this Act a specified period after the giving of public notice of information relating to an election is required or allowed for a matter, the period starts on the date the information is published on the council's website.

If this Act provides for a council to adopt a policy about a particular matter, the policy must be consistent with the council's code of conduct.

Part IIAA of the Criminal Code applies to an offence against this

Act.

Note for section 13

Part

IIAA of the Criminal Code states the general principles of criminal responsibility, establishes general defences, and deals with burden of proof. It also defines, or elaborates on, certain concepts commonly used in the creation of offences.