City of Perth Agenda Briefing Addresses Governance Controversy as Suburban Councils Vote on Public Safety

Active Tuesday for Local Governments Across the Perth Metropolitan Area

Tuesday, 24 March 2026, marks a significant day for local governance in the Perth region, with several major councils convening to address pressing issues ranging from internal administrative disputes to critical infrastructure and public safety measures. Key sessions scheduled for today include a high-stakes agenda briefing at the City of Perth and ordinary council meetings in Joondalup and Stirling.

City of Perth: Focus on Governance and WorkSafe Claims

The City of Perth is scheduled to hold an Agenda Briefing Session today at 5:00 PM at Council House. While briefing sessions do not involve formal voting, they serve as the primary forum for councillors to examine items before next week’s Ordinary Council Meeting. Today’s session is expected to be dominated by a controversial report regarding Deputy Lord Mayor David Goncalves.

The council is investigating claims made by the Deputy Lord Mayor regarding a purported WorkSafe investigation into the City’s CEO and administration. Recent reports from the WorkSafe Commissioner have indicated that no such investigation exists, leading the administration to seek legal advice and formal clarifications. Today’s briefing will allow elected members to review the administration’s response and the potential for a formal request for a retraction or correction before the final vote on March 31.

City of Joondalup: Residents Demand Traffic Reform

Further north, the City of Joondalup is convening its Ordinary Council Meeting at 6:30 PM at the Joondalup Civic Centre. A primary focus of tonight’s agenda is the consideration of electors' motions regarding traffic management on Woodvale Drive. Residents have long campaigned for measures to curb “rat-runners” who use the suburban street as a high-speed commuter shortcut.

With modeling suggesting the road carries significantly more vehicles than its intended capacity, the council will vote on recommendations to implement traffic calming measures and formally request Main Roads WA to consider a speed limit reduction to 40km/h. The outcome of this vote is highly anticipated by local community groups who have reported dangerous driving and congestion in the area for several years.

City of Stirling: Coastal Maintenance and Water Safety

The City of Stirling’s Community and Resources Committee is also meeting today at 6:00 PM in the Parmelia Room. Councillors are set to discuss the commencement of significant beach maintenance works at Mettams Beach. The project, involving the harvesting of 5,000 cubic metres of sand from Trigg Beach to provide an erosion buffer, is scheduled to begin this week.

Additionally, the committee will review a report on swimming and water safety education. The discussion aims to identify advocacy opportunities for state-level subsidies to ensure children in the Stirling area maintain access to essential aquatic education despite rising costs and changing government funding models.