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This impacts local governments that are required to hold meetings to ensure councils can continue to make decisions in the best interests of the community.

The department is urgently progressing amendments to the Local Government (Administration) Regulations to enable council meetings to be held online or via telephone during a public health emergency or a state of emergency.

The amendments will enable either individual council members or the entire council to participate in meetings remotely.

The amendments will also modify the provisions in the Local Government Act that relate to notice of a meeting and public question time to enable meetings to be held electronically.

If a meeting is held electronically, public question time requirements will be met if council allocates time for raising questions by members of the public and provides a means for questions to be submitted prior to the meeting.

It is expected that these amended regulations will be gazetted next week.

If you have any questions, please contact the department at LGresponse@dlgsc.wa.gov.au. This is a new email address which has been established to assist local governments during this time.