The state government has offi­cially announced there will be no forced amalgamations of lo­cal governments across Tasma­nia, including Brighton Council. Instead, communities and coun­cils will decide their own future and the state government will ensure they have the final say. Each council has been invited to be a part of the Local Gov­ernment Review Board’s review into local government, which has been ongoing since January 2022. The review aims to create a more robust and capable sys­tem of local government. After the Board hands down its final report in October, each council will be invited to review it and make a submission to state gov­ernment about what they want. Communities will then get a chance to have their say and the state government will respect their decision as it has been made clear that there should be no forced amalgamations.