Local Government Elections

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Elections will be coming up on October 17th, 2009.
This year, instead of voting for nominees for your ward, you will be voting for all the people who put up for council.
That includes any incumbent councillors whose term is up and who are re-nominating. Thank goodness WALGA managed to persuade the Minister for Local Government to push through Parliament the change from the proportional preferential voting system back to first-past-the-post. This not only makes things easier for our staff, but is considered to be more transparent and less likely to be manipulated by anyone including the major political parties.

It is therefore important that as many people as possible vote on election day. This will ensure fair representation of our two communities. At present we have 4 councillors from Pingrup and 4 councillors from Nyabing. This has worked very well over the time I have represented our Shire and a continuation of this balance would be fair and equitable for all.

If you are not on the electoral roll, please make sure that you enrol. Rolls will close on the 28th August, so please get your name down before then. As taken from the Department of Local Government and Regional Development website:

"Local Government Elections
Enrolling to Vote
 
Enrolments for the next ordinary elections on Saturday, 17 October 2009 will close on 28 August 2009.
To be eligible to vote in local government elections, you need to be either a resident, an eligible non-resident occupier of rateable property in the local government district or a nominee of a body corporate that owns or occupies rateable property in the district or ward. You must also be correctly enrolled to vote in State or Commonwealth elections and be at least 18 years of age on election day."

More information, including definitions of the terms 'resident', 'eligible non resident' etc, can be found here.

Nominations for candidacy open on the 3rd September and close on the 10th September. Information about standing for council can be found on the Department of Local Government and Regional Development website: Standing for Council

If you are at all interested in keeping your community strong and vibrant and would like to make a difference, have your say and determine future policy, then I urge you to consider standing for council.

Council isn't just about Rates, Roads and Rubbish. There are many more issues and interests that affect your community. The Kent Shire Council is heavily involved in supporting community groups by allowing free use of our public buildings and recreation grounds, partnering with groups to assist with funding applications and working with groups to improve facilities in our towns.

Now, more than ever, Council are facing tough decisions on the future of our Shire. Structural Reform is the hot topic of the day and Council are advocating for our community. 
Council have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shires of Dumbleyung and Lake Grace, so regional matters will now be on the table more than ever.

If you are interested in having your say at a regional level, please consider nominating for council.