Why should I care?

Local councils have a real impact on your everyday life. They are responsible for everything from rubbish collection and noise control to maintaining water supply, street lights, and roading. Councils can also tell your favourite bar when to close, dictate the price of a bus ticket, and impact your housing costs — even if you don’t own your home. .

Local councils shape your city’s present and future. Voting in local elections is an important way for you to influence who is responsible for making decisions about the services and issues that matter most to you.

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Local councils manage day-to-day services:

These are the everyday services that residents depend on, like roading, water supply, parking, cycle-ways, rubbish collection, recycling, stormwater, skateparks, noise control, sewerage and sports fields — just to name a few.

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Local councils create a more livable city:

In addition to the everyday services that keep the city running, councils help to make places more liveable. Councils invest money in local attractions, events, museums, galleries, festivals, markets, and much more.

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Local councils shape the future of the city:

Local councils must also consider the needs of future generations. Your council will have long-term plans for the city’s future which include where and how to grow the city, large-scale transport solutions, and strategies for environmental sustainability.