Factsheet: Licensee obligations for recording incidents that occur at their licensed premises.
I am pleased to present the 2024-25 Annual Report of the Western Australian Local Government Grants Commission (Commission).
The Commission is a statutory body established under the Local Government Grants Act 1978 (WA Act). Its principal function is to make recommendations to the Minister for Local Government on the allocation of Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants to Western Australia’s 137 local governments.
Over the past 12 months, the Commission held public hearings with 31 local governments. I would like to thank them all for their willingness to engage and discuss the grant methodology in relation to themselves and the sector more broadly. The hearings help inform the Commission’s reviews of the methodology which ultimately determines the funding distributions to local governments.
Hearings at the shires of Ngaanyatjarraku, Upper Gascoyne, Murchison and Sandstone were particularly helpful for the Commission to understand the unique circumstances confronting those local governments.
This year, the Commission continued to address issues caused by the 100 per cent advance payment of 2023-24 FA Grants and subsequent 85 per cent advance payment of the 2024-25 funds. Both funding advances contributed to the under and over payment of many local governments in WA. In 2025-26, the Commission finalised rectifying the over and underpayment of local governments as part of the 2025-26 FA Grant allocations, allowing for no further adjustments to be made in the future. I appreciate the patience and understanding of affected local governments while the Commission worked through this matter, noting the significant fluctuations this process caused in some local government’s annual allocations.
I wish to thank all Commission members for their hard work over the past 12 months. I would like to acknowledge the Deputy Chairperson, Mr Luke Stevens, and Deputy Country Urban Member, Ms Virginia Miltrup, who have stepped in to cover member vacancies when required as a result of appointment processes. In addition, I wish to acknowledge the continued contribution of our Country Rural member, Ms Melinda Prinsloo, since her reappointment.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge our executive staff without whose support the Commission would not be able to operate. To Shannon Wood, Taryn Cox, Nicholas Harmer, Jacob Thomas, Dr Chris Berry and all the others who have assisted during the past year, we appreciate the professionalism you demonstrate to ensure that the Commission can continue its important work supporting the sector.
If you have any questions regarding the Commission, I encourage you to contact the staff at any time.
Wendy Giles Chair Western Australian Local Government Grants Commission
1 September 2025