Shire wary of new ward boundaries

THE Surf Coast Shire council does not agree with the proposed ward boundaries suggested by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) ahead of the coming council elections.

There has been considerable population growth in Torquay since the previous election, so the VEC is redividing the shire’s ward boundaries to ensure everyone in the shire is equally represented.

The number of voters per councillor in each ward must be within plus or minus 10 per cent of the average number of voters per councillor across the whole council.

At their February 25 meeting, none of the councillors agreed with how the VEC had broken the wards up. The council then resolved to motion to send a submission to the VEC suggesting changes.

Cr Tony Revell, who moved the motion, said there were a diverse range of communities in the shire and the subdivision should “aggregate people to where they relate to others in that ward”.

The council disputes the VEC’s proposed division of Fairhaven and Aireys Inlet. Cr Revell said this division was misguided as the two towns were “effectively one community”.

Councillors Margot Smith and Heather Wellington both said it was problematic that in some instances rural and coastal towns were placed in the same ward.

However, Cr Wellington was the lone councillor to vote against approving the submission, saying the community should have been consulted on the submission.

“We’re representatives of the community and the community should be driving this, not us.”

Cr Brian McKiterick also expressed “grave reservations” about the subdivision review.

He said a major issue was sections of Torquay being carved out and put in other wards to fit the required percentages.

“With this, the primary school, the CFA, the ambulance station, three or four kindergarten and daycare centres will be moved into an area where the main township is 40 kilometres away.”

He said he would make his own submission to the VEC and encouraged shire residents to do the same.

The VEC is accepting responses until 5pm on March 11 at vec.vic.gov.au.