Chris Martin

The mayor is the leader of the council and has a number of roles which are both legislative and functional. The legislative requirements are outlined in Section 73 of the Local Government Act 1989.

The Act states that the mayor not only takes precedence at all municipal proceedings within the municipality but must also take the chair at all meetings of the council at which he or she is present.

The mayor’s role, however, extends well beyond officiating at council meetings or other municipal proceedings. Additional important roles are providing leadership, promoting positive relationships, and modelling good governance.

Apart from the roles stated in the legislation, the mayor is usually the council spokesperson and has a significant ceremonial role at particular events, including citizenship ceremonies.

The mayor is also an important community leader and is often the spokesperson for the community on economic issues (such as commenting on the impact of jobs lost or gained in the municipality) or when the community is put under stress (such as disaster management and socio-economic issues).