Moree Plains Shire Council faces potential suspension

The NSW Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig, is considering a three-month suspension of the Moree Plains Shire Council. The potential intervention follows serious concerns regarding the conduct of council meetings, the repeated involvement of NSW Police to maintain order, and deteriorating working relationships among councillors.

Recent incidents include the expulsion of Councillor Kelly James from a meeting after she refused to stop livestreaming proceedings on social media. The council has been given until November 6 to submit a formal response. If the suspension proceeds, an interim administrator would be appointed to manage the council’s governing responsibilities, including policy and spending decisions, while elected representatives would be temporarily removed from their roles.