HWLE Lawyers has advised the newly established Groote Archipelago Regional Council (GARC) on its separation from the East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC) and transition into a stand-alone local government entity.

On 1 September 2024, the Groote Archipelago Region was formally proclaimed as a new local government area, covering the communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba, and Milyakburra. The establishment of GARC marked the culmination of a significant transition process, which required careful planning to ensure continuity of services and the creation of new governance and operational structures.

HWLE represented GARC throughout the negotiations with and completion of the de-amalgamation from EARC and continues to play a key role in the establishment of GARC. The firm advised on the full range of legal and practical considerations required to implement the separation, including commercial arrangements and structures, and employee transfers.

As one of the first de-amalgamations reversing the trend of super councils, this move marked a momentous shift toward more locally responsive governance and local decision making in the Northern Territory.

The HWLE team was led by Richard Giles (Consultant), Andrew Giles (Partner) and Cathy Hernandez-Cusi (Senior Associate) from the Corporate and Commercial team, and Jessica Nicholls (Partner) and Maggie Feuerherdt (Associate) from the Employment team.

Jessica Nicholls said:

“We were pleased to assist the GARC through this important milestone, ensuring the legal and practical steps for its establishment were achieved. We look forward to seeing the Council continue to grow and strengthen its local services.”

Note to Editors:

HWLE is the largest legal partnership in Australia according to the most recent partnership surveys published by the Australian Financial Review.

The firm comprises 1,813, staff including 287 Partners, 1,122 other legal staff and 404 support staff across offices in nine locations – Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart, Norwest (Northwest Sydney), Perth and Sydney.

HWLE is an independent, nationally integrated, full service commercial law firm, providing tailored and commercially oriented legal services.

HWLE operates a different business model to the other leading national law practices, and this allows us to offer unrivalled value for money without compromising quality and service. Our low ratio of solicitors to partners ensures that our clients receive optimal access to partner resources for all matters.

For further information, please contact:

Russell Mailler, Chief Executive Partner (03) 8644 3569 or rmailler@hwle.com.au

Angelique Kear, Head of Marketing (02) 9334 8541 or akear@hwle.com.au