Councillors can still vote on planning decisions that stand to deliver them a financial windfall, almost three years after the state government conceded there were problems with the laws.

The special pecuniary interest provisions in the Local Government Act have not been changed despite correspondence showing they have been under review by the Division of Local Government for almost as long.

The controversial amendments, introduced in 2012, have come under renewed scrutiny in light of widespread public interest in the life and times of Auburn's deputy mayor, property developer Salim Mehajer.

Cr Mehajer, along with fellow Auburn councillor and property developer Ronney Oueik, voted in 2012 in favour of a planning proposal to increase the density and height permitted in the Auburn and Lidcombe town centres – where they both owned undeveloped properties.

Under the amendments to section 451 of the act, the two councillors were permitted to vote on planning controls where they stood to benefit – as long as a particular measure, like a local environment plan, covered all or a "significant part" of the council's area and they declared their interest up front.