Low jinks in Victorian councils lead to greater State government scrutiny

Local Councils in Victoria will be policed by an investigation unit established in response to a string of scandals and growing anger at poor performance.  Premier John Brumby has announced a Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate, to be headed by a ''chief municipal inspector'', to help improve the performance of the sector.  The announcement was made on the same day the Ombudsman released another damning report on the performance of a local council, this time Port Phillip.  It follows a scathing Ombudsman's report on the Brimbank Council and coincides with a decline in community support for local government, according to a State Government survey.

Opposition local government spokeswoman Jeanette Powell said the Government had been ''shamed'' into introducing the compliance inspectorate.  Darlene Reilly, president of the Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association, also believes the Government was forced into action. ''They are just putting out spot fires at the moment,'' she said.  Municipal Association of Victoria president Bill McArthur said the Government was not being ''very consultative'' and should be providing more training on regulations for the local government sector.