How to get your council to fix a local problem
Pothole, broken footpath, streetlight out or blocked drain? Find out who's responsible, how to report it so it gets fixed, and what to do if it doesn't.
Updated 25 September 2026
A pothole that keeps growing, a footpath lifted by tree roots, a streetlight that's been dark for weeks. These are small problems until someone gets hurt. The good news is that most of them get fixed once the right organisation knows about them. This guide covers who's responsible for what, how to report so your request gets actioned, and the tactics that work when it doesn't.
Who's responsible? Council, state or utility
The first job is working out who owns the problem. Report it to the wrong organisation and it can sit in a queue until someone forwards it, or closes it. Here's the general pattern across Australia:
| Problem | Usually responsible | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Potholes on local and residential streets | Council | Most suburban streets, laneways and council car parks. |
| Potholes on highways, freeways and major arterial roads | State road authority | Main roads are usually state-managed. Some state roads are maintained by councils under agreement, so check. |
| Footpaths, kerbs and gutters | Council | Usually council even beside a state road, but it varies. Driveway crossovers may be the property owner's responsibility. |
| Streetlights out or flickering | Electricity distributor (often), or council | Many streetlights are owned and maintained by the local electricity distributor. Look for a number on the pole and use the distributor's fault report page. |
| Traffic lights | State road authority | Report faults to the state road authority. If lights are out at a busy intersection, treat it as urgent. |
| Stormwater drains, pits and local flooding | Council | Water mains, sewers and burst pipes belong to the water utility. |
| Graffiti on public property | Council, or the asset owner | Graffiti on utility boxes, bus shelters or rail property may belong to the utility, transport operator or advertiser. |
| Dumped rubbish on streets and parks | Council | Large or hazardous dumping may also go to the state environment regulator. |
| Street trees and trees in parks | Council | Trees near power lines may be pruned by the electricity distributor. Trees on private land are usually the owner's. |
| Signs, line marking, speed humps | Council or state road authority | Depends on who manages the road. Speed limit changes usually need state approval. |
These are general patterns, not rules. Arrangements differ between states, and sometimes between one end of a road and the other. If you're unsure, report it to the council anyway and ask them to pass it on. Councils get misdirected reports every day and generally know who to send them to. In the ACT there are no councils, so report through the ACT Government's Fix My Street service.
The state road authorities are Transport for NSW, the Department of Transport and Planning in Victoria (VicRoads), the Department of Transport and Main Roads in Queensland, Main Roads Western Australia, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport in South Australia, Transport Tasmania, and the Northern Territory Government. Each has an online form for reporting road hazards.
Step 1: Report it properly
Find your council in our council directory for its website and phone number, then use its "report a problem" form, phone line or app. Many councils also accept reports through Snap Send Solve. A report that gets fixed quickly usually has:
- A precise location. Street number, nearest cross street, which side of the road, or a map pin. For streetlights, the pole number.
- A photo that shows the problem and where it is. Take a close-up and a wider shot. Only take photos where it's safe to stand.
- The size and risk. "About 30 cm across and 10 cm deep, in the bike lane" tells the crew what to bring and how urgent it is.
- Who it affects. Near a school, aged care home, bus stop or hospital? Say so.
Get a reference number and note the date. It's your proof the council knew about the problem, which matters more than people realise. In several states, road authorities generally aren't liable for damage from a hazard they didn't know about, so a documented report also protects the next person. See our pothole damage claim guide if a pothole has already damaged your car.
If it's dangerous right now (a missing drain cover, a fallen tree across the road, live wires, traffic lights out at a busy intersection), phone the council or the responsible authority rather than filling in a form. For fallen power lines, stay well clear and call the electricity distributor's emergency line or 000.
Step 2: Follow up in writing
Many councils publish target timeframes for different kinds of work, and these vary widely. Check yours on the council website. If the timeframe passes and nothing has happened, follow up in writing. Quote your reference number, the date you reported, and ask two direct questions: is the job scheduled, and when will it be done?
Sometimes the honest answer is that the repair is in next year's works program or needs a budget decision. That's useful to know, because it tells you the fix now depends on councillors, not staff. Our complaint letter to council guide has a template for roads, footpaths and drainage if you need to escalate to a formal complaint.
Step 3: Get your neighbours involved
One report is easy to deprioritise. Ten reports from ten households about the same drain are not. Councils often weigh how many people are affected when they decide what to fix first, and a problem that clearly affects a whole street tends to move up the list.
- Ask neighbours to lodge their own reports, each with its own reference number.
- Collect photos over time to show the problem getting worse.
- Send a joint letter signed by residents. It shows how many households are affected in a way online forms can't.
Joint letter from residents to the council
Dear {{recipient_greeting}},
Re: Request from residents of [street or area] for repair of [problem] at [exact location]
We are residents of [street or area], {{sender_suburb}} {{sender_postcode}}, and we are writing together to ask the council to fix [describe the problem, e.g. the stormwater drain on the corner of X and Y Streets, which floods the road and driveways after every heavy rain].
The problem has existed since about [month and year]. It has been reported to the council [number] times, including under reference [number(s)].
It affects [number] households on our street and [describe the impact, e.g. has flooded two garages, forces pedestrians onto the road, and is a hazard for children walking to school].
We ask that the council:
inspect the site within [14/21] days,
tell us what work is needed and when it will be done, and
make the site safe in the meantime if it cannot be fixed straight away.
We have attached [photos / a list of residents who support this request]. Please reply to [name, address or email of the contact person].
For a bigger issue, like a dangerous intersection, a missing footpath to a school, or flooding across a suburb, you can start a letter-writing campaign and have supporters each send their own letter. Campaign letters cost $3.45 each when you send 4 or more. Our letter-writing campaign guide explains how to organise one.
Step 4: Raise it with your local councillor
Councillors can't usually order staff to fix a particular pothole, but they can ask why it hasn't been fixed, push for it to be prioritised, and argue for funding in the budget. Most councils list their councillors, often by ward, on their website. A short, specific letter works best: what the problem is, where, your reference number, how long it's been waiting, and what you'd like them to do.
Letter to your local councillor
Dear {{recipient_greeting}},
Re: [Pothole / broken footpath / blocked drain / other problem] at [exact location], council reference [number]
I am a resident of {{sender_suburb}} {{sender_postcode}} in your [ward / council area], and I am writing to ask for your help with a problem that has not been fixed despite being reported to the council.
The problem is [describe it in one or two sentences, e.g. a section of footpath lifted by tree roots, creating a trip hazard of about 5 cm outside the kindergarten].
I first reported it on [date] and was given reference number [number]. [I followed up on [date] / Other residents have also reported it.] As of today, [nothing has been done / I have not received a response / I was told it is not scheduled].
This matters because [explain the risk or impact, e.g. parents with prams and older residents use this path every day, and someone has already fallen].
I would be grateful if you could find out what is holding up the repair and when it will be done, and, if it needs funding or a change in priorities, raise it with the council. I have [number] dated photos I can provide.
You can contact me on [phone number] or at [email address]. Thank you for your time.
Step 5: Your state MP
If the problem is on a state road, or the council process has stalled despite your follow-ups, write to your state member of parliament. For state roads, your state MP can raise it directly with the road authority or the transport minister. For council problems, they can make enquiries with the council, since councils operate under state law. Include copies of your reports and any replies.
Find your state MP by postcode
Your federal MP, state MP and senators, with the office address to write to.
Letter to your state MP
Dear {{recipient_greeting}},
Re: Unresolved [road / footpath / drainage / other] problem at [exact location], {{sender_suburb}}
I am a constituent living in {{sender_suburb}} {{sender_postcode}}, and I am writing to ask for your help with a local problem that has not been resolved through the usual channels.
The problem is [describe it, e.g. a series of deep potholes on [road name] between [cross streets]]. [This road is managed by [the council / the state road authority].]
I reported it on [date] (reference [number]) and followed up on [date(s)]. [Summarise the response, e.g. I was told it would be repaired within four weeks, but nothing has happened in three months.]
The problem is [explain the risk, e.g. causing tyre damage and forcing cyclists into traffic], and [number] other residents have raised it too.
I would be grateful if you could raise this with [the council / the relevant department or minister] and ask when it will be fixed. I have attached copies of my reports and photos.
You can contact me on [phone number] or at [email address].
If you've been through the council's complaints process and you think it was handled unfairly, the state ombudsman is the independent option. Our guide on how to complain to council sets out that process step by step.
Tips for common problems
Potholes
Check whether it's a council or state road first. Give the lane and direction of travel for a busy road. If it's been patched and reopened, report it again: a repeat failure can point to a bigger problem underneath.
Footpaths
Trip hazards are the main safety concern. Measure the lip if you safely can, and note who uses the path: pram users, wheelchair users, older residents, school children. If tree roots are the cause, say so, since it may need an arborist as well as a concrete crew.
Streetlights
Note the pole number, usually on a small plate or sticker on the pole, and the nearest street address. Search "report streetlight fault" with the name of your electricity distributor, or check your council's website, which usually says who maintains the lights in your area.
Drains and flooding
Photos during or right after rain are the best evidence. Note whether water reaches private property. A blocked pit is often a quick fix; a drain that is too small for the area is a capital works project that will need councillors' support.
Graffiti and dumped rubbish
Report offensive graffiti as a priority; many councils aim to remove it faster. For dumped rubbish, don't touch anything that might contain asbestos, needles or chemicals. See our guide on how to report illegal dumping.
Street trees
Council trees overhanging your property, dropping branches or lifting paths are covered in our guide to council trees overhanging your property.
Send your letter
Online forms are the right first step. When they don't work, a signed letter to the council, a councillor or your MP is harder to close without a reply. Write it online with Better Letters and we'll print and post it for $3.95, or download the PDF free and post it yourself with your photos. No account is needed, and letters are encrypted and deleted 24 hours after posting.
Write to your council, councillor or MP
Pick a template, add the address from our council directory, sign it, and we'll print and post it for $3.95.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for fixing potholes in Australia?+
Whoever manages the road. Councils look after most local and residential streets. Highways, freeways and major arterial roads are usually managed by the state road authority.
Who do I call when a streetlight is out?+
In many areas streetlights are owned and maintained by the local electricity distributor, which has an online fault report. Some lights belong to the council or state road authority. The pole often carries an ID number: include it in your report.
How do I get council to fix a footpath?+
Report it through the council's online form or phone line with the exact location and a photo, and ask for a reference number. If it's a trip hazard, say so. If nothing happens by the council's stated timeframe, follow up in writing.
What if the council won't fix it?+
Ask why in writing, and whether it's scheduled. Get neighbours to report it too, contact your local councillor, and ask for an internal review. Your state ombudsman and state MP are the next steps.
Can I get speed humps installed on my street?+
You can ask. Councils usually assess requests against traffic counts, speeds and crash history, and some changes need state approval. A request backed by many residents and evidence of speeding carries more weight.
Related guides
How to complain to your council, step by step
How to complain to your local council in Australia: report it, get a reference number, ask for a review, then go to the ombudsman or your state MP.
How to make a pothole damage claim
Pothole damaged your car? How to claim from the council or state road authority in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, the evidence you need, and a claim letter.
How to run a letter writing campaign that politicians notice
Plan, launch and track a letter writing campaign to Australian politicians. Templates, what makes letters count, and real printed letters from $3.45.