Latest news with #State-mandated
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Local government minister watching ToPH ‘closely' as council looks to pass budget before August deadline
Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley says she will be watching the Town of Port Hedland council closely as it looks to squeeze in budget discussions just four days before the State-mandated deadline for the vital financial document. The local authority's August 27 ordinary council meeting could be a make-or-break affair because if councillors can't reach a consensus, they risk not making the August 31 deadline. 'As the minister for local government, I continue to monitor the issues at the Town of Port Hedland very closely,' Ms Beazley told the Telegraph this week. It strongly echos comments she made earlier this year when the controversial council was reduced to just five elected members after a string of resignations, when she said she had prepared the 'groundwork' to put the council into administration. After the resignation of Ambika Rebello in May, mayor Peter Carter had warned that the next meeting in June would be the 'turning point'. 'If the budget doesn't get passed — that's the trigger. That's when it'll be over,' he said then. 'It'll end up like it did in 2019, when I resigned as a councillor and one more pulled the pin and the whole lot was dissolved.' However, the budget item has since been pushed to later and later dates. A special meeting planned for this week was the latest in abandoned attempts to get the budget passed. While the council could apply to the minister for a deadline extension according to the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety, the Town of Port Hedland was yet to make an application as of August 7. 'Local governments which fail to apply for an extension prior to the deadline are non-compliant but not in breach of the Local Government Act 1995,' a DLGIRS spokesperson said. 'However, any delays may impact on requirements to submit financial management statements to the Auditor General by 30 September 2025.' Mr Carter this week said he hoped councillors could still come together to pass the budget. 'We are all passionate about getting great outcomes for Hedland,' he said. 'Passing the budget will allow us to continue to build on our goals of increasing livability in Hedland and supporting our community to thrive.' It comes after continual controversy at the troubled council, with two councillors in the past two months having to apologise for breaching the Local Government Act, the council being appointed a commissioner in 2019, a defamation suit between Cr Camilo Blanco and Mr Carter ongoing, members passing controversial vaccine motions and Cr Adrian McRae praising Vladimir Putin on Russian TV.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- The Hindu
Excise dept. crackdown on adulterated liquor ahead of Bonalu
The Telangana Excise Department has ramped up its efforts to curb the sale and distribution of Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) and adulterated alcohol in Rangareddy division, with strict directives issued to enforcement teams to act decisively. Excise Deputy Commissioner P. Dasarath, during a review meeting held on Monday, stressed the need for intensified inspections and swift resolution of pending cases. He directed officials to maintain heightened vigilance during Bonalu, where liquor consumption traditionally spikes, and ordered that NDPL and spurious liquor be strictly barred from reaching the public. 'There is a growing influx of liquor from Delhi and Haryana into Hyderabad and Rangareddy. Our teams must monitor this closely and take immediate action against illegal movement and usage, particularly at public gatherings and functions,' Deputy Commissioner Dasarath said. Emphasising the importance of eliminating NDPL to meet State-mandated sales targets, the Deputy Commissioner instructed enforcement teams, station staff, and DTF units to intensify on-ground checks and coordinate with licenced vendors. He also called for greater stock preparedness by legal liquor traders in anticipation of increased demand during the festival period. The Deputy Commissioner further directed excise stations to expedite legal proceedings, including charge sheet filings, arrest of absconding accused, disposal of seized vehicles, and the closure of long-pending cases. Present at the review meeting were Assistant Commissioner R. Kishan, along with Excise Superintendents K. Vijay (Malkajgiri), NK Fayazuddin (Medchal), Ujwala Reddy (Saroornagar), and Vijaya Bhaskar Goud (Vikarabad), as well as Assistant Excise Superintendents, Circle Inspectors, and members from the Enforcement and DTF wings.
