Local Government

Notice of mandatory councillor training

Under section 169A of the Local Government Act 2009 (LGA) and the City of Brisbane Act 2010 (CoBA), all Queensland local government councillors must complete approved councillor training about the responsibilities of councillors, unless the councillor has previously completed the training. The approved councillor training that all councillors must complete is the Mandatory Compliance Training in the LG Leaders Program, which covers the following three topics:

1. Registers of Interests
2. Code of Conduct and
3. Material Personal Interests and Conflicts of Interest.

This approved councillor training must be completed within the period ending 6 months after the conclusion of a local government election, including a by-election. For a councillor appointed to fill a vacancy, the approved councillor training must be completed within the timeframe stated in the notice given by the department’s chief executive to the local government and councillor under section 169A(5) and (6) of the LGA and the CoBA.

Periodically, all councillors will be required to re-complete the approved councillor training during a local government term. This will occur only when significant updates have been made to the training material, for example, after the implementation of legislative amendments.

The Local Government Legislation (Empowering Councils) Amendment Regulation 2026 (Amendment Regulation) requires the completion of updated approved councillor training by all persons who are councillors as at 1 July 2026. This is a result of changes in the Local Government (Empowering Councils) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 to the councillor conduct framework and the conflicts of interest and register of interests frameworks.

The Amendment Regulation provides that the updated approved councillor training must be completed within the period ending 6 months after the commencement of the Amendment Regulation on 1 July 2026, that is, by 4 January 2027.

Serious penalties may apply for non-compliance including suspension and dismissal as outlined under ministerial powers in sections 120 and 122 of the LGA. The department’s chief executive may extend the time allowed to complete approved councillor training if the chief executive is satisfied it would be appropriate under the circumstances.

The training is provided through an electronic system that identifies each councillor who starts the training and records when the councillor completes the training.