The Town of East Fremantle has joined a growing number of local governments by voting to provide superannuation contributions to its elected councillors.
Unanimous Vote Follows Legislative Change
The council's decision, made unanimously at its meeting on November 18, 2025, follows amendments to the Local Government Act last year. These changes empowered local governments to make super payments to their members. While mandatory for larger councils like the City of Fremantle and the City of Melville, the provision remains optional for smaller councils such as East Fremantle.
Although the matter was initially considered in March, the council deferred the decision until after the October 2025 local government elections.
Backdated Payments Get the Green Light
While town staff recommended the payments commence on July 1, 2026, to align with the new financial year, the council supported a proposal from Deputy Mayor Lucinda Maywood. Cr Maywood successfully argued for the payments to be backdated to October 18, the date of the recent elections, stating this would bring the Town into line with other local governments.
Executive Manager of Corporate Services, Peter Kocian, advised the council that the backdating would cost approximately $35,000, an amount not included in the original budget. However, he described the financial impact as "negligible" and confirmed it could be managed during the mid-year budget review.
Opt-Out Provision and Councillor Response
The new arrangement includes an opt-out clause. Any councillor can choose not to receive the super contributions by submitting a written notice to the CEO.
Councillor Cliff Collinson expressed his support for this provision, noting that as a pension recipient, receiving superannuation would be a "complete waste of time" for him personally.
The move signifies a shift towards standardising conditions for local government representatives across Western Australia, recognising their service with remuneration that includes retirement benefits.
