Liverpool Council dumps NSW Electoral Commission for private company to run next election

A southwest Sydney council has opted against using the NSW Electoral commission after a “series of disasters and misinformation” at the most recent local government election.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun moved a motion to use a private company instead of the NSW Electoral Commission for future council elections. Picture: Daily Telegraph/Monique Harmer

A southwest Sydney council has dumped the NSW Electoral commission after a “series of disasters and misinformation” on polling booth rules and IT failures during the last local government election two years ago.

Liverpool City council mayor Ned Mannoun moved a motion on March 1 during an ordinary council meeting to stop using the NSW Electoral Commission and instead opt for a private provider to run the next council election.

The move was supported by councillors Mel Goodman, Fiona Macnaught, Karress Rhodes and Mazhar Hadid, and rejected by councillors Betty Green, Peter Harle, Charishma Kaliyanda and Ali Karnib.

Independent councillor Karress Rhodes said the 2021 council election “lacked consistency” for polling booth rules in Liverpool.

“Something just fell apart with the NSW Electoral Commission’s management of the Liverpool local government area,” Cr Rhodes said. “There was one booth that was set up as a dual booth where locals could vote for both wards but it changed on election day and nobody knew so you had people turn up to vote and they couldn’t.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun moved a motion to use a private company instead of the NSW Electoral Commission for future council elections. Picture: Daily Telegraph/Monique Harmer

“At different booths they had problems with their electrical equipment and they lost their connection to the network and therefore they had to do all their voting by hand so people were held up in line.”

Cr Rhodes said another booth had an “illogical” rule of only electoral commission workers allowed to pick up destroyed or fallen corflutes.

The cost and the private company to be run the local government election remains unknown, but Cr Rhodes said council would not be considering using a private company if there were any risks to the community.

“We’re aware our neighbouring council at Fairfield has always gone with an alternative provider (for council elections) and they didn’t have any of those issues,” she said.

Independent councillor Peter Harle voted against the motion, despite experiencing problems during the last election.

Mr Harle was told he could only hand out pamphlets 100m from the entrance of Hoxton Park High School which lead to confusion on “who has actually voting and who was walking down the street”.

Liverpool councillor Charishma Kaliyanda opposed the motion to stop using the NSW Electoral Commission.

“I’m against it (using a private company) on the basis that the NSW Electoral Commission is an unbiased organisation while a private company can be biased,” he said.

“I did have some reservations about the electoral commission because the previous council election was badly organised but overall I’d prefer to go with the commission.”

A NSW Electoral Commission spokeswoman said due to safety risks with the pandemic in 2021, the Electoral Commissioner was authorised under legislation to make special determinations limiting the handing out of material and the placement of posters within 100 metres of a polling place.

“These determinations were published on the Electoral Commission’s website – for example, placement of posters and handing out electoral material,” she said.

“The rules were the same across all local government areas in NSW for which the Electoral Commissioner was appointed as election manager.”

New Liverpool Labor MP and councillor Charishma Kaliyanda said she was “uncomfortable” with the council’s decision to “move away from a trusted institution”.

“I’m not satisfied that the issues were such that it warranted moving away from a trusted independent institution and a lot of questions were not answered,” she said.

“My concern is making sure that whatever organisation runs the election will make sure that our community is aware of their right to vote and make sure our elections are conducted in a fair manner.”

Only three councils across the state will not engage the NSW Electoral Commission to run the September 2024 local government elections

The commission will still remain responsible for providing roll services to Liverpool Council, regulate electoral funding laws and in the event an offence is committed, the commission may take enforcement action.

Liverpool Council CEO John Ajaka said the matter was discussed by council in confidential session.

“After examining the options, council determined to appoint a private provider,” he said.