Alpine electoral review
The Victorian Electoral Commission is reviewing the electoral system in Alpine Shire to determine the number of councillors and whether ridings should be introduced. The commission’s web site is here.
I’ve made a submission that Alpine should have seven or eight councillors serving an unsubdivided municipality. Here is the detail of my submission:
Five councillors is not enough
The previous Bright and Myrtleford Shires before amalgamation had, I believe, nine or more councillors each. That means representation in Alpine Shire reduced from 18 or more councillors to five.
This increased the workload of councillors and reduced the representation of communities and minority interest groups.
Having reviewed the voter-to-councillor ratios for regional shires in the Guide for Submissions, I note that seven or eight councillors in Alpine would be consistent with other rural municipalities.
My personal preference is for eight councillors, as I believe this would ensure the widest possible representation. I don’t consider the even number a disadvantage, as the Mayor can exercise a casting vote.
Remain unsubdivided
Alpine Shire has four distinct communities of interest:
- Upper Kiewa Valley
- Myrtleford and district
- Upper Ovens Valley
- Dinner Plain.
There are, however, smaller communities of interest within these sub-regions and I believe this argues against creating wards or ridings.
For example, a logical ward boundary would cut between Myrtleford and Bright somewhere near Eurobin or Ovens. This would place Porepunkah in a ward with Bright. The Upper Ovens ward would presumably elect two councillors in a seven-member Council or perhaps three in an eight-member council.
The likelihood is that sheer numbers in Bright would return all councillors from that town at the expense of smaller communities like Porepunkah, Wandiligong and Harrietville.
It can also be argued that Porepunkah has a community of interest with Myrtleford as well as Bright, given it’s the larger shopping centre and place of employment for many people.
In principle I also believe it’s better that councillors represent the entire municipality, rather than geographic sections. This will ensure they take a broader view when making decisions.
In past practice there has been a fairly even spread of geographic representation across the shire. In the first two terms there were two councillors each from the Bright and Myrtleford districts and one from Mount Beauty. Only in the current council has the geographic spread been distorted, with just one councillor from the Bright district.
Increasing the number of councillors to seven or eight will help ensure a fair geographic spread and representation for a wider range of views.
Other issues:
I realise these following comments are outside the scope of the review, but I take this opportunity to enter them on the public record.
Direct election of Mayor
I believe the Local Government Act should be amended to provide for the direct election of Mayors. The current system favors shady deals and excludes the public from any say in deciding the most important position on Council.
Change of boundaries
Alpine Shire currently includes Dinner Plain, which was formerly in the Shire of Omeo. Most of the former Shire of Omeo is now in the Shire of East Gippsland.
At the time of amalgamation there was an expectation that the Mount Hotham and Falls Creek Resorts would become subject to local government administration through Alpine Shire. This has never eventuated and it appears the resorts will remain independent of local government.
It makes sense today for Dinner Plain to become part of East Gippsland Shire or the Mount Hotham Resort area.
Although Dinner Plain is supposedly a cost/revenue neutral geographic unit within Alpine Shire, I believe it’s inclusion within the municipality adds a burden to management, conflicts with the general shire population and adds no benefit to the shire unless the resorts later become part of the shire.
Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
