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The Network of Joint Organisations in NSW

Joint Organisations are the statutory umbrella entities for local government in regional New South Wales.

Joint Organisations were proclaimed in 2018 through the Local Government (Regional Joint Organisations) Proclamation 2018 and have been operating under the provisions of the NSW Local Government Act since that time.

Joint Organisations (JOs) are statutory local government bodies under the NSW Local Government Amendment (Regional Joint Organisations) Act 2017 No 65 and the Local Government Act.  They provide a way for local councils, the NSW Government, the Commonwealth and Industry to work together to deliver things that matter the most to regional communities. 

Joint Organisations represent a long term commitment to the development of a shared vision for a region. 

Principal functions of joint organisations

The Local Government Act directs that a Joint Organsiation has the following principal functions:

  1. to establish strategic regional priorities for the joint organisation area and to establish strategies and plans for delivering those strategic regional priorities,
  2. to provide regional leadership for the joint organisation area and to be an advocate for strategic regional priorities
  3. to identify and take up opportunities for inter-governmental co-operation on matters relating to the joint organisation area.

Joint organisations are also empowered to undertake a range of other functions including capacity building for councils (section 400S) and may undertake regulatory functions of a council if delegated to do so (sections 377 and 379).

The voting members of a Joint Organisation Board comprise elected representatives (Mayors and, in some JOs, Councillors of their member councils.

Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs)

Regional Organisations of Councils were formed prior to the development of Joint Organisations and are voluntary local government associations of General Purpose Councils and in some instances County Councils.   

ROCs generally operate under the provisions of the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009.

Recent major initiatives of the Network:

Joint Organisations and their Regional Organisations of Councils partners undertake an extraordinarily diverse range of initiatives in response to regional issues and opportunities.

Recent major programs have included:

Cross JO Projects / Outputs: