Council
2 March, 2024
Seven councillors into six won't go / One person to lose / out in Warrack ward
Yarriambiack shire residents - and councillors - are still wrapping their heads around the implications of upcoming changes for the October local government elections.
Yarriambiack shire residents - and councillors - are still wrapping their heads around the implications of upcoming changes for the October local government elections.
In a move which has baffled most and upset many, the shire will lose one of its seven councillors.
And if existing councillors in the Warracknabeal ward were to stand again, one of them would lose - either Karly Kirk, Graeme Massey or mayor Kylie Zanker.
The municipality will in October be split into three wards, each represented by two councillors.
It is the first change in the council make-up since 2005, when nine councillors in five wards were reduced to seven in three wards.
And while the ward names will remain the same - Warracknabeal, Hopetoun and Dunmunkle - their boundaries will shift.
The announcement concluded a protracted government review process which began in October 2022.
At the last review in 2015, the make-up of the three wards was 2577 electors in Warracknabeal, 1855 in Dunmunkle and 1662 in Hopetoun.
New boundaries will see each of the three wards with a more equitable number of electors, between 1803 and 1949, based on elector numbers in November 2022, which were 500 fewer.
This means one of three seats in the council chamber currently representing the Warracknabeal ward will go.
Potential changes were flagged as part of a statewide review of 39 local government electorates by the Victorian Electoral Commission.
In her preliminary submission on behalf of council on February 1 last year, Cr Zanker raised "several concerns" with the VEC.
While in favour of retaining the existing wards, she argued the chamber required seven councillors to provide "proactive representation" across the shire, not least because a reduction in numbers would "significantly increase the workload and could be a deterrent for people nominating".
The VEC Electoral Representation Advisory Panel was tasked with examining the council's composition, assessing whether an appropriate number of councillors was in place, and determining whether it should be unsubdivided or subdivided.
This was to ensure compliance with the Local Government Act 2020.
In its preliminary findings, released in March last year, panel proposed three models under which Yarriambiack Shire Council would be split:
1: An unsubdivided electoral structure with seven councillors
2: A subdivided electoral structure with six councillors, three wards, and two
councillors per ward
3: A subdivided electoral structure with seven councillors, seven wards, and one
councillor per ward
Cr Tom Hamilton was not impressed, suggesting the VEC conduct a postal plebiscite instead of conducting limited public consultation.
"This electoral boundary revision is possibly the most important chance (sic) in local government in our area post amalgamations," he wrote.
"I believe the sample size shows a lack of engagement more than anything."
Jennifer Turnbull of Beulah offered the only other written submission in response to the preliminary findings, supporting Model 2, which was last month accepted by the Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne.
The panel found this model was closest to the existing structure and uses "strong boundaries to create an urban ward around Warracknabeal and two rural wards to capture communities of interest."
Information sessions are now planned to assist prospective candidates in understanding the roles and expectations of a councillor, along with outlining the candidate nomination
process.
A candidate can nominate for any ward in the council area in which they are enrolled to vote, but can only nominate in one ward for that election.
Yarriambiack CEO Tammy Smith said details would be released in the coming months, and anyone interested in standing was encouraged to contact Ms Smith through the Warracknabeal Shire Office customer service team.
Reports and submissions to the VEC, plus a map of the approved changes, can be accessed on the website: vec.vic.gov.au/yarriambiack
Local council elections across the state are scheduled for October 26.
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HOW TO BECOME A CANDIDATE
Candidates must lodge their nominations with the Victorian Electoral Commission between September 19-24.
However, the only mandatory training for would-be councillors is a one-hour course run by Local Government Victoria.
A candidate handbook for the 2024 elections will be published later this year, although previous versions are available for reference on the VEC website.
The candidate handbook provides a detailed overview of the nomination process, including the legal requirements.
The VEC also runs candidate information sessions ahead of each election, and will provide a "candidate information kit" with all the relevant forms.
To be a candidate for a local council election, you must:
1. Be an Australian citizen
2. Be aged 18 years or more
3. Be enrolled on the voters' roll for the council in which you wish to stand
4. Have completed the mandatory Local Government Candidate Training
5. Not be disqualified from being a councillor
Further information on the election will be made available on the VEC website.