State government to allow local council elections to go ahead as planned on October 24
Pressure on the state government to delay council elections scheduled for October has been intense due to coronavirus restrictions. But the polls will go ahead as planned.
Victoria
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UPDATE.
VICTORIAN council elections will go ahead as scheduled in October, despite claims they will be compromised by pandemic restrictions.
As revealed by the Herald Sun on Wednesday afternoon, the state government has given the green light for the October 24 polls after seeking advice from the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office and Chief Health Officer.
“The Chief Health Officer has advised that October represents a period when risk is likely to be substantially lower than at present, and there are no compelling public health grounds for the elections to be delayed,’ said Local Government Minister Shaun Leane.
“The Chief Health Officer has also worked closely with the Victorian Electoral Commission, and is satisfied that appropriate physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene and workforce planning have all been considered and integrated into the VEC’s COVIDSafe plans.”
But Municipal Association of Victoria president Coral Ross said the October postal vote elections had been seriously compromised by COVID-19, and should have been delayed.
“With the ongoing restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and rural and regional Victoria, we face the very real proposition that many exceptional candidates will not nominate,” she said.
“Current stage four and three restrictions also make campaigning very difficult and costly.”
“Minister Leane’s announcement today means that the elections will not have the quality and diversity of candidates that Victoria deserves.”
Opposition local government spokesman Tim Smith said the Victorian Liberal Nationals had always believed the council election date should not be moved.
“Finally the Government has given councillors, candidates and local communities the certainty that they have been seeking for months,” he said.
Mr Leane said a set of safe campaigning guidelines had been developed in consultation with health authorities to help candidates.
“The Government has also launched its candidate training course online, which all prospective candidates will need to complete,” he said.
“It covers how councils are run,support available to councillors, the councillor code of conduct, conflict of interest guidelines and election donation rules.”
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