Community & places · Georges River Council
Georges River committee recommends seeking review of NSW laws on dumped trolleys and abandoned vehicles
A unanimous committee recommendation proposes asking the Local Government Minister and opposition spokesman for bipartisan support, citing the state's deferral of consideration of legislative reform until a statutory review scheduled for late 2027.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Georges River Council’s Environment and Planning Committee has recommended seeking bipartisan support for a review of the state’s unattended-property law. The recommendation cites the NSW Government’s deferral of consideration of legislative reform until a statutory review scheduled for late 2027. It concerns dumped shopping trolleys, share bikes, unidentified abandoned vehicles and other property left in public places.
The committee’s recommendation states that the NSW Government found the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 “fit for purpose”. The evaluation, released on 1 September 2026, did not recommend what the committee described as meaningful legislative changes to address the problems raised by councils and communities.
The recommendation records concern that councils have limited practical mechanisms to respond to community concerns and continue to face administrative and financial burdens. It also expresses disappointment that councils and communities must continue operating under a framework it describes as inadequate for contemporary public amenity, parking and unattended-property issues.
The proposed letter would go to Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig and Shadow Minister for Local Government Adam Crouch. It would seek bipartisan support for a comprehensive review of the Act within six months of the statutory review due in 2027.
The minutes record the motion as carried unanimously at the 9 November 2026 meeting. It is a committee recommendation for advocacy rather than a change to NSW law, and the supplied minutes do not record a subsequent Council decision to send the letter or any state government commitment to undertake the requested review.
What deserves a closer look
The minutes record approval of a committee recommendation, not a separate final Council resolution directing that the correspondence be sent.
The proposed advocacy would not itself amend the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021.
The supplied minutes record no response or commitment from the NSW Government to undertake the requested review.
Questions for follow-up reporting
Will Council adopt the committee recommendation and, if so, when would it send the proposed correspondence to the Minister and Shadow Minister?
Will the NSW Government support the requested comprehensive review within six months of the statutory review due in 2027?
What specific legislative changes would Council seek through the proposed review?
What happens next
If Council adopts the committee recommendation, it would write to the NSW Local Government Minister and Shadow Minister seeking bipartisan support for a comprehensive review of the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 within six months of the statutory review due in 2027.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The minutes identify the meeting as Georges River Council's Environment and Planning Committee meeting on 9 November 2026.
MINUTES Environment and Planning Committee Monday, 09 November 2026 Dragon Room Georges River Civic Centre, Hurstville Georges River Council - Minutes of Environment and Planning Committee Meeting - 9 November 2026 Page 1 PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS The Mayor, Councillor Elise Borg, Councillor Kathryn Landsberry (Chair), Councillor Matthew Allison, Councillor Elaina Anzellotti, Councillor Tom Arthur, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Oliver Dimoski, Councillor Gerard Hayes, Councillor Christina Jamieson, Councillor Nancy Liu, Councillor Peter Mahoney, Councillor Natalie Mort, Councillor Leon Pun, Councillor Sam Stratikopoulos, and Councillor Ben Wang.
Document title and meeting details
Open original minutes ↗The proposed wording calls for Council to note that the NSW Government determined the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 was fit for purpose and deferred consideration of legislative reform until the statutory five-year review scheduled for late 2027.
(b) That Council note that the NSW Government has determined the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 is "fit for purpose" and has deferred consideration of legislative reform until the statutory five-year review scheduled for late 2027.
ENV049-26, clause (b)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed wording calls for Council to note concerns about the evaluation's lack of meaningful legislative reforms addressing dumped shopping trolleys, share bikes, unidentified abandoned vehicles and other unattended property, limited practical mechanisms for councils, and administrative and financial burdens on local government.
(d) That Council note with concern that the evaluation does not recommend meaningful legislative reforms to address persistent issues associated with dumped shopping trolleys, share bikes, unidentified abandoned vehicles and other unattended property, leaving councils with limited practical mechanisms to respond to community concerns and continuing to place a substantial administrative and financial burden on local government.
ENV049-26, clause (d)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed wording calls for Council to express disappointment about deferral of consideration of substantive legislative reform until the statutory review anticipated in 2027, describing the continuing framework as inadequate for contemporary public amenity, parking and unattended-property issues.
(e) That Council express its disappointment that consideration of substantive legislative reform has effectively been deferred until the statutory review anticipated in 2027, requiring councils and communities to continue operating under a legislative framework that does not adequately address contemporary public amenity, parking and unattended property issues.
ENV049-26, clause (e)
Open original minutes ↗The proposed correspondence would go to Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig and Shadow Minister for Local Government Adam Crouch, express disappointment with the evaluation report released on 1 September 2026, and seek bipartisan support for a comprehensive review of the Act within six months of the statutory review due in 2027.
(f) That Council write to The Hon. Ron Hoenig MP, Minister for Local Government, and Adam Georges River Council - Minutes of Environment and Planning Committee Meeting - 9 November 2026 Page 6 Crouch MP, Shadow Minister for Local Government, expressing Council's disappointment with the findings of the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Laws Evaluation Report released on 1 September 2026 and the missed opportunity to deliver meaningful legislative reform. The correspondence should seek bipartisan support for a comprehensive review of the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 within six months of the statutory review due in 2027, to address the numerous consistent concerns raised by NSW councils and communities regarding the management of unattended property in public places.
ENV049-26, clause (f) and continuation
Open original minutes ↗The minutes record the motion as unanimous and carried.
Record of Voting For the Motion: Mayor, Councillor Borg, Councillor Landsberry, Councillor Allison, Councillor Anzellotti, Councillor Arthur, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Dimoski, Councillor Hayes, Councillor Jamieson, Councillor Liu, Councillor Mahoney, Councillor Mort, Councillor Pun, Councillor Stratikopoulos, Councillor Wang On being PUT to the meeting, voting on this Motion was UNANIMOUS. The Motion was CARRIED. ENV050-26 Development and Building Q1 Metrics Report (Report by Manager Development and Building) Note: It was noted that Councillor Allison left the Chambers at 09:26pm Note: It was noted that Councillor Allison returned to the Chambers at 09:27pm COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Councillor Jamieson, Councillor Liu That Council note the Quarterly Development and Building Team Functions and Services Metrics Report for the period July to September 2026.
ENV049-26, voting record and carried declaration before ENV050-26
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the supplied minutes of Georges River Council’s Environment and Planning Committee meeting held on 9 November 2026. The supplied record does not establish whether those minutes have been confirmed.
Key facts from the minutes
- The committee recommendation states that the NSW Government determined the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 was fit for purpose.
- It states that consideration of legislative reform had been deferred until the statutory five-year review scheduled for late 2027.
- The recommendation covers dumped shopping trolleys, share bikes, unidentified abandoned vehicles and other unattended property.
- The proposed correspondence would seek bipartisan support for a comprehensive review within six months of the statutory review due in 2027.
- The minutes record the committee motion as carried unanimously on 9 November 2026.
Why it matters
- The recommendation does not change the current rules for unattended property. It identifies practical problems and costs facing councils and communities while proposing that Council seek state action.