Report recommends subdividing Colac Otway Shire

THE Colac Otway Shire has expressed surprise at the recommended changes to its ward boundaries by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) but is waiting on the Local Government Minister’s final decision.

Earlier this year, the VEC’s electoral representation review asked community members to consider the number of councillors in the shire and whether the council should be subdivided into wards.

The three options outlined in the preliminary report were:

• A: The existing arrangement of seven councillors in an unsubdivided ward

• B: Seven councillors in three wards (two three councillor wards and one single councillor ward), and

• C: Nine councillors in four wards (one four councillor ward, one three councillor ward and two single councillor wards).

The VEC’s preliminary report recommended retaining the status quo of option A but the final report recommended option B.

In its final report, the VEC stated that although it recognised the council’s commitment to the whole shire as an important feature promoted by the existing electoral structure, many submitters in the review commented on the lack of local representation for Apollo Bay and the coastal area.

“In the present review, the VEC has also found that the main industries in the Otway Ranges and Apollo Bay have shifted to include a greater emphasis on hospitality and tourism, increasing the differences between the south, and Colac and the north.

“The VEC now considers that a subdivided electoral structure is preferable because a structure with internal wards is more likely to recognise the geographic communities of interest in the shire as well as ensure a spread of representatives from across the shire.

“As many submitters pointed out, there are no councillors from any of the coastal towns and just one councillor from the southern part of the shire, from Lavers Hill in the Otway Ranges.”

Colac Otway chief executive officer Peter Brown said his council was “surprised” by the recommendation that the shire should have three wards, given that Option A in the preliminary report supported Colac Otway remaining unsubdivided.

“We accept the VEC’s final report but are yet to understand any potential organisational impact to accommodate three wards if the Minister decides to introduce the proposed ward system.”

If the changes are accepted, they will take effect at the October 2020 elections.