Many local government elected members are experiencing significant incidences of abuse, harassment and threatening behaviour while undertaking their public roles.
Members are, quite rightly, concerned not only about their own personal safety but the safety of their families. Therefore, the Authority introduced a reimbursement allowance to cover the installation and monitoring of a security system at a member’s primary place of residence within their local authority area.
For each local authority, this allowance applies on and from the day after the date on which the official result of the 2025 election is declared under section 86 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 in relation to the local authority.
Based on a security threat and risk assessment authorised by the local authority, a local authority may, at their discretion, reimburse the expenses of having a security system installed and monitored at a member’s primary place of residence within the local authority area.
The current rates are up to a maximum of:
(a) $4,500 for the purchase and installation of the system; and
(b) $1,000 in any year for monitoring, call-outs, and repairs.
A member may also be reimbursed for additional expenses for the provision of supplementary security measures at their primary place of residence within the local authority area if:
(a) the security threat and risk assessment recommends that those supplementary security measures be provided to the member; and
(b) the Remuneration Authority, on application from the local authority, approves the reimbursement of the additional expenses arising from the provision of those supplementary security measures.
If a local authority resolves to provide the home security system allowance to its members, the allowance must be included as a provision in the local authority’s elected members allowances and reimbursement of expenses policy.
The provision must include a statement on what happens to the member’s home security system if:
The local authority must seek the Remuneration Authority’s approval to insert this provision in their elected members allowances and reimbursement of expenses policy.