VEC to review Borough of Queenscliffe structure

THE Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) has begun a review on the structure of the Borough of Queenscliffe.

For the first time since 2008, the community has an opportunity to have its say on the structure of the Borough during an electoral representation review, which will examine the number of councillors, whether the council should be subdivided into wards, if subdivided, the number of wards, ward boundaries, and the number of councillors per ward.

The review will not consider a council’s external boundaries or whether it should be combined with another council (or separated).

Reviews are generally required at least every 12 years and, according to Electoral Commissioner Warwick Gately, are an important way of ensuring all voters are represented in a fair and equitable way.

“The opportunity to have your say doesn’t come around too often, so it’s important to have a broad range of community members contributing to the
shape of their local democracy,” Mr Gately said.

“If you are interested in the future electoral structure of your local area, I encourage you to get involved.

“Public submissions are a vital part of the review process, providing valuable local knowledge and perspectives.”

A public information session was held last night (Wednesday) and a submission guide outlining the review process and which provides important background information and key dates is available at vec.vic.gov.au.

The VEC will release its preliminary report with proposed options for the council’s electoral structure on April 3.

Any changes to the electoral structure of the Borough of Queenscliffe will apply at the next general election in 2020.