Ratepayers face $100,000 by-election bill if Yarra Ranges councillors win state seats

YARRA Ranges ratepayers will pay at least $100,000 for two by-elections if two councillors running as candidates in the state election are successful.

2006 State Election. Steve Bracks on the morning of voting, for Victorians in his electrate. Premier Steve Bracks places his vote in the ballot box.

YARRA Ranges ratepayers will pay at least $100,000 for two by-elections if two councillors running as candidates in the state election are successful.

Jim Child.

Samantha Dunn.

Lyster Ward Councillor Samantha Dunn is running as a candidate for The Greens in the Eastern Metropolitan Region, and O’Shannassy Ward Councillor Jim Child is running as a candidate for The Nationals in the seat of Eildon.

If elected, both will have to give up their council positions and a by-election would need to be held.

SHOULD STANDING LOCAL COUNCILLORS BE ALLOWED TO RUN IN STATE ELECTIONS? TELL US BELOW

Troy Edwards, the council’s director of corporate services, said the average cost of a by-election in Victoria was about $50,000 a ward, however as the wards in Yarra Ranges were significantly larger than average, they expected that figure could be even higher.

Cr Child said he believed the Coalition Government was showing strong leadership in Victoria .

He said the commitment of the Coalition, led by the National Party with the Regional Growth fund, would deliver a $7.88 million plan to bring natural gas to Warburton.

He said he would be lobbying for some “crucial projects” for rural Yarra Ranges, including a Coldstream recycling water project involving a 15km pipeline delivering water to 25 farmers in the Gruyere area, and the Warburton Mountain Bike destination project.

“We have to be doing those types of projects that get great outcomes, and that are sustainable in getting jobs,” Cr Child said.

Cr Samantha Dunn said due to her experience in local government, she saw there were many issues where the State Government was “not headed in the right direction” and said she wanted to be part of a change.

Public transport, the threat to solar energy installations, the impact on the TAFE system losing funding, and the implementation of the Great Forest National Park were key issues in the electorate, Cr Dunn said.

She said knowing she would have to give up her council role if elected was a tough decision.

“It is not a decision I took lightly, because I really do love my role in local government, and enjoy being a community representative,” Cr Dunn said.