By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS, JESSE GRAHAM AND PETER DOUGLAS
YARRA Ranges councillors have expressed their doubts over a pending change of wards for this year’s election, with multi-councillor wards introduced for the first time in the shire.
The Victorian Electoral Commission handed down its final report in a review of the Yarra Ranges’ electoral representation late last year, recommending a change to three large wards, each with three councillors.
The planned new ward structure will combine the existing Streeton and Lyster wards with parts of the current Chandler and Walling wards to create a new Streeton Ward that covers the Dandenong Ranges.
The Mail spoke with seven of the nine councillors last week, asking how they felt about the proposed shake-up to the ward structure and what it would mean or them and their communities.
While none of the councillors were entirely in favour of the change, some were more positive than others in their reaction to the restructure.
The main concerns raised by the councillors focused on the cost of campaigning to such large areas and working in communities they don’t that also don’t know them.
Current Lyster Ward Councillor Mike Clarke said he would have preferred to continue with a nine-ward structure.
“I don’t think it’s an ideal way to operate,” he said of the new system.
“One can’t be across all aspects of such a large ward, especially in the new Streeton ward; it just doesn’t make sense.”
Cr Clarke raised concerns over politically biased alliances being formed between the councillors in the new wards.
“The cost for a candidate to stand will be tripled and that will lead to fewer candidates and parties funding three councillors.
“I think at a council level, it’s better to be independent,” he said.
Representative of the current Walling Ward Cr Len Cox shared Cr Clarke’s concerns about politically biased teams pushing their agenda at election time.
“The difficulties inherent in the preferential system will be further enhanced,” Cr Cox said.
Cr Noel Cliff of the current Streeton Ward said he also disagreed with the restructure but had a more positive response to the restructure compared to the other two proposed wards.
“If I was to stand again, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of difference for me,” he said.
“Those wards together have a common interest and that makes a difference that doesn’t apply to the other new wards.
“I think we have the better deal out of the three,” he said.
“I think it’s an open and fair democracy and that’s a great thing for us to have.” – Cr Jim Child
The other Yarra Ranges Councillors including Cr Fiona McAllister, Cr Maria McCarthy and Cr Jason Callanan also said they disagreed with the planned restructure of the wards.
The main issues raised between all the councillors we spoke with was the cost of campaigning increasing drastically and the lack of familiarity the councillors have with their new regions.
Cr Jim Child was the only member of council we spoke to who had an overall positive outlook on the restructure despite making submissions against the change.
“I’ll probably cop criticism from my fellow councillors but believe honestly we can work with both,” he said.
“I think it’s an open and fair democracy and that’s a great thing for us to have,” he said.
The Mail contacted Minister for Local Government Natalie Hutchins’ office about whether the m, and whether she would consider the sentiments of councillors against the change.
A spokesperson for the minister said a decision on the matter would be made in the “coming months”.
The next general council election for Yarra Ranges Council will be held in November of this year.
To read about the Yarra Valley’s O’Shannassy ward, click here.
To read about Mount Evelyn’s Billanook ward split, click here.
