The NSW Government has postponed the September local government elections in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.
The decision to postpone the elections was deemed necessary to ensure the health and safety of voters, NSW Electoral Commission staff and election candidates.
It follows Parliament passing amendments to the Local Government Act on Tuesday night to provide the Minister with the power to postpone the elections for 12 months with a possible further extension to 31 December 2021 should the need arise.
Current Councillors and the Mayor will continue to hold their civic offices until the rescheduled local government elections are held.
The postponement of the elections will not change the future schedule of council elections, and the subsequent elections will still proceed in September 2024.
NSW Parliament has also enacted legislation to allow councils to hold meetings and briefings electronically instead of physically. Virtual meetings will be held for the next six months with an extension to 12 months if necessary.
