Monday, October 29, 2012

Moreland Council Elections 2012

The Federal Labor member for Wills, Kelvin Thomson today called for Moreland City Council to act to return to single member wards as was introduced at its establishment in1996.

Mr Thomson said that the number of candidates running in the North/East and North/ West Wards was excessive and very confusing for voters.

The North East Ward fielded 24 candidates and the North West Ward had 17 candidates.

“Many people conveyed to me that this method of electing councillors was confusing and that the number of elected positions in each of the wards reduced the accountability of individual councillors to ratepayers.  The system of single wards ­- Glencairn, Grandview etc – which operated when the City of Moreland was originally established, should be returned”.
Posted by Kelvin Thomson MP at 2:51 PM

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 29, 2012 at 3:04 PM

    Multi-member wards allow for a greater diversity of views to be presented on council. An example - NW ward looks likely to have one independent rep, and one from each of the ALP, DLP and Greens. This diversity is healthy.

    If the ALP had endorsed candidates, the number of ALP linked candidates would have been drastically reduced, and voters would have had a far clearer picture of candidate loyalties. This would be a better way to go than a return to single member wards.

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  2. MozOctober 29, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    Isn't a choice of candidates the whole point? Single member wards strongly favour the major party candidates, but people don't need party backing to be effective councillors. We can see that in the current council.

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