18 August 2026

Three Victorian councils pioneer shared services model to strengthen services for regional communities

Regional Victoria’s Warrnambool City Council, Moyne Shire Council and Corangamite Shire Council have come together under the Coastal Connect initiative to create a shared services model that allows them to work effectively together while maintaining each council's independence.

The Coastal Connect initiative was derived to address the increasing pressure to do more with less, the model provides a practical way to share resources, build resilience and continue delivering high-quality services to their communities.

Through TechnologyOne's OneCouncil Software-as-a-Service solution, all three councils have now transitioned from on-premise systems to unified SaaS environments delivered with common business processes across finance, people, assets, spatial and records keeping functions. The platform enables staff to collaborate more effectively, share expertise and automate manual processes, helping councils deliver faster, more consistent services to residents while maximising limited resources. With Property, Rating and Customer requests set to go live in early 2027, the councils will extend the range of services delivered through the platform, creating a more seamless and consistent experience for residents across key council services.

Warrnambool City Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Mason, said: “Regional councils have a responsibility to continually look for better ways to serve their communities. Coastal Connect demonstrates how collaboration and innovation can help local government respond to growing challenges while building a stronger and more sustainable foundation for the future.”

Moyne Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, Mark Everstyn, said: “By joining forces with our neighbouring councils, we can access technology, skills and support needed to meet growing needs and continue to deliver services, manage assets and deliver projects. This is a pragmatic and sensible approach that will provide greater value for ratepayers and community.”

Corangamite Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, David Rae, added: “Serving communities across such a large and diverse region requires strong systems and partnerships. Coastal Connect is laying the foundation for councils to work together more effectively, helping us build the capability, resilience and shared approaches needed to deliver better outcomes for ratepayers and communities into the future.”

TechnologyOne EVP Local Government, Ben Malpass, said “Regional councils across Australia are under increasing pressure to deliver high-quality services with less. Coastal Connect has demonstrated how councils can successfully transition from separate on-premise systems to our OneCouncil SaaS platform, creating a more sustainable operating model. Importantly, it shows how regional councils can use modern technology and shared services to strengthen capability, improve efficiency and deliver better outcomes for their communities.”