Modern local government is being tested from multiple directions at once.
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Councils are being asked to stay financially sustainable, manage assets over the long term, meet rising expectations around transparency and accountability, and keep services running well for their communities. These are not side issues. They shape how councils plan, fund, deliver and earn trust.
That is what makes the panel “Navigating the Challenges of Modern Local Government” so timely at Local Government Focus Day Western Australia 2026.
In WA, the State Government says the current reforms to the Local Government Act 1995 are the most significant in 25 years, with a focus on helping local governments better serve residents and ratepayers. At the same time, the Auditor General’s Local Government 2025 – Financial Audit Results covered 138 local government entities and reinforced the ongoing importance of sound financial reporting, asset management, transparency and accountability.
For councils, that pressure shows up in very practical ways. It affects how priorities are set, how infrastructure is managed, how procurement and workforce decisions are made, and how communities judge whether their council is performing well.
This panel brings together senior council leaders to talk through those realities in a grounded and practical way. The discussion will cover:
- strengthening financial sustainability, long-term planning and asset management
- lifting governance, risk and compliance frameworks to meet growing expectations around transparency, audit and accountability
- driving organisational efficiency through better processes, procurement and workforce management while maintaining service quality
The speaker lineup includes:
- Glen Dougall, Chief Executive Officer, City of Fremantle
- Bimsara Pathirathna, Chief Financial Officer, City of Armadale
- Andrew Sharpe, Chief Executive Officer, City of Albany
- Virginia Miltrup, Chief Executive Officer, City of Karratha
The wider day adds even more to the conversation. Alongside this panel, attendees will also explore liveability, AI and digital transformation, technology and people experience, financial sustainability and interactive roundtables designed to help councils compare approaches, share practical challenges and leave with ideas they can apply.
For professionals working across executive leadership, finance, governance, risk, procurement, operations, strategy and corporate services, this session offers a useful opportunity to step back and look at what modern council leadership now requires. Not just in theory, but in practice.
Local Government Focus Day Western Australia 2026 takes place on Thursday, 27 August 2026 in Perth, with free registration for public sector attendees. The event is part of Government Innovation Week Western Australia 2026, which brings together public sector leaders across innovation, cyber, digital leadership and local government.
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