Council elections 2020: State Government forces move to single-member wards

A move to force eight Melbourne councils to move to single-member wards has been met with fury, with a mayor describing the decision — which ignored VEC recommendations — as a backwards step for democracy.

The State Government is changing council elections before they take place this year.

The State Government is under fire for forcing councils to change their electoral structure, flying in the face of independent recommendations.

As part of the Local Government Act 2020, the State Government is forcing eight councils to move to single-member wards, where only one councillor will represent a certain area.

The Government’s preference for single-member wards will be applied to all councils by 2024.

In the last 27 reviews conducted by the VEC, Victoria’s independent electoral authority, there has never been a recommendation for a council to change to single-member wards.

Minister Somyurek said it would give voters more confidence in councillors.

Under the act, Bayside, Cardinia, Darebin, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, Manningham, Maroondah and Whitehorse councils will move to single-member wards.

All of these councils were reviewed by the VEC in the past 12 months and all were recommended to remain multi-member wards.

Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek said single-member wards supported accountability and a closer connection between councillors and the public.

“This is about giving people more confidence in local government, because strong councils build strong communities,” he said.

VEC reports noted single-councillor wards could lead to uneven workloads, uncontested elections and didn’t cater for population growth.

Municipal Association Victoria president Coral Ross said they did not support the “one-size-fits-all approach” taken by the State Government.

“There is no research or evidence base to justify the shift towards single-member wards,” she said.

Darebin Council Mayor Susan Rennie said the decision was a backwards step for democracy.

“The Local Government Minister’s preference for single-member wards goes against the recommendations of the VEC and the community’s wishes,” she said.

“It is a retrograde step for democracy and the representation of women and diverse communities in Darebin.”

The VEC is now tasked with applying the recommendations before council elections later this year.

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