ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION REVIEW Mount Alexander Shire Council Preliminary Report March 2011 2 Preliminary Report Contents SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 4 BACKGROUND 5 Legislative basis 5 The VEC and Electoral Representation Reviews 5 Profile of Mount Alexander Shire 5 Current electoral structure 6 The Electoral Representation Review process 6 VEC research 7 THE VEC’S APPROACH 8 Number of councillors 8 Electoral structure 8 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 10 Public information 10 Advertising 10 Media release 10 Public information session 10 Information brochure and poster 10 Helpline 10 VEC website 11 Guide for Submissions 11 Preliminary Submissions 11 Analysis of Submissions 11 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13 Number of councillors 13 Electoral structure 15 Current structure 15 Ward boundaries 16 3 Ward names 17 Unsubdivided municipality 17 Recommendation — Option A (Preferred Option) 17 Recommendation — Option B (Alternative Option) 17 NEXT STEPS 18 Where should I send my submission? 18 Public access to submissions 18 Public access to reports 19 APPENDIX ONE: LIST OF PRELIMINARY SUBMITTERS 20 APPENDIX TWO: OPTIONS MAPS 21 Summary of Recommendations The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) recommends: Option A (Preferred Option) That the Mount Alexander Shire Council consist of seven councillors, to be elected from one three-councillor ward and four single-councillor wards, with unchanged ward boundaries. Option B (Alternative Option) That the Mount Alexander Shire Council consist of seven councillors, to be elected from an unsubdivided municipality. 4 Preliminary Report Background Legislative basis The Local Government Act 1989 (the Act) requires the VEC to conduct an Electoral Representation Review of each municipality in Victoria at least every 12 years. The Act specifies that the purpose of a representation review is to recommend the number of councillors and the electoral structure that provides ‘fair and equitable representation for the persons who are entitled to vote at a general election of the Council’.1 The Act requires the VEC as part of an Electoral Representation Review to consider: the number of councillors in a municipality; whether a municipality should be unsubdivided or subdivided; if it should be subdivided, whether ward boundaries: o provide for fair and equitable division of the municipality; o ensure equality of representation through the number of voters being represented by each councillor being within 10% of the average number of voters represented by all councillors; and, if it should be subdivided, the number of councillors that should be elected for each ward. The VEC and Electoral Representation Reviews The VEC has conducted Electoral Representation Reviews since 2004 at the request of local councils. In recognition of the VEC’s independence and impartiality, the Act was changed in 2010 to define the VEC as the only agency authorised to undertake the reviews. The VEC draws on its experience in mapping and boundary modelling and also engages 5 consultants with experience in local government to provide advice on specific local representation issues during the review. Profile of Mount Alexander Shire Mount Alexander Shire was formed in 1995 by the amalgamation of the City of Castlemaine, the Shire of Newstead and parts of the Shires of Maldon and Metcalfe. At the 2006 census, the Shire recorded a population of 17,067 people. According to the Department of Planning and Community Development’s Victoria in Future projections, the population of Mount Alexander Shire will grow by 13.56% by 2020. This growth will be fairly even across the Shire. 1 Section 219D of the Local Government Act 1989. Current electoral structure The last Electoral Representation Review for Mount Alexander Shire Council took place in 2004–2005. Following the review, the Minister for Local Government determined that the structure of Mount Alexander Shire Council would be: seven councillors; divided into five wards — Calder Ward, Castlemaine Ward, Coliban Ward, Loddon Ward and Tarrengower Ward; with three councillors from the Castlemaine Ward and one councillor from each of the remaining wards. Previously, the Shire comprised seven single-councillor wards, with the urban area of Castlemaine divided into three wards. The VEC recommended creating a three- councillor Castlemaine Ward to represent that community, while retaining single- councillor wards for the local communities outside Castlemaine. The Electoral Representation Review process To achieve the purpose of the Electoral Representation Review, the VEC proceeds on the basis of three main principles: 1. To ensure the number of voters represented by each councillor is within 10 % of the average number of voters per councillor for that municipality. Populations are continually changing — they grow in some areas and decline in others. Over time these changes can lead to some wards having larger or smaller numbers of voters. As part of the Electoral Representation Review, the VEC needs to correct any imbalances. The VEC also tries to ensure the boundaries it sets will 6 continue to provide equitable representation until the next review by taking account of likely population changes. 2. To take a consistent, State-wide approach to the total number of councillors. The VEC is guided by its comparisons with municipalities of a similar size and category to the council under review. The VEC also considers any special circumstances that warrant the municipality having more or fewer councillors than similar municipalities. 3. To ensure communities of interest are as fairly represented as possible. Each municipality contains a number of communities of interest and, where practicable, the electoral structure should be designed to take these into account. This is important for assisting the elected councillors to be effective representatives of the people in their particular municipality or ward. Preliminary Report The VEC bases its recommendations on: internal research specifically relating to the municipality under review; VEC experience from its work with other municipalities and in similar reviews for State elections; VEC expertise in mapping, demography and local government; and, careful consideration of all input from the public in written and verbal submissions received during the review. Public submissions are an important part of the process, but are not the only consideration during a Review. The VEC’s recommendations are formed through careful consideration of all submissions and analysis of other factors, such as the need to give representation to communities of interest. VEC research In addition to the information provided by submitters, the VEC creates a profile of the municipality based on population trends and demographic indicators. The VEC uses the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 census community profiles, the Victoria in Future population projections and voter statistics from the Victorian electoral roll. The VEC also undertakes field work, viewing current and possible boundaries for each of the options to evaluate their effectiveness. 7 The VEC’s approach The Act requires the VEC to consider two matters as part of an Electoral Representation Review: the number of councillors for the municipality; and, the electoral structure of the municipality. The VEC approaches each of these matters in a consistent way. Number of councillors The Act allows for a municipality to have between five and 12 councillors2, but does not specify how to decide the appropriate number. However, in considering the number of councillors for a municipality, the VEC is guided by the Victorian Parliament’s intention for fairness and equity in the local representation of voters under the Act. The VEC considers that there are three major factors that should be considered: the diversity of the population; councillors’ workloads; and the desirability of preventing tied votes. The VEC considers that municipalities with large populations are more likely to be diverse both in the nature of their communities and the issues of representation. Geographic factors, particularly in rural municipalities, can also affect diversity. In addition, councillors’ workloads may be affected by the nature and complexity of services provided by the Council, geographic size and topography, population growth or decline and social diversity including social disadvantage and cultural mix. 8 To reduce the risk of tied votes, the VEC generally recommends an uneven number of councillors. Electoral structure The Act allows for a municipality: to be unsubdivided — with all councillors elected ‘at large’ by all voters; or, to be subdivided into a number of wards. If the municipality is subdivided into wards, there are a further three options available: single-councillor wards; multi-councillor wards; and, a combination of single-councillor and multi-councillor wards. 2 Section 5B(1) of the Local Government Act 1989. Preliminary Report A subdivided municipality must have internal boundaries that provide for a fair and equitable division of the municipality and the wards must ensure equality of representation through the number of voters represented by each councillor being within 10% of the average number of voters per councillor for the municipality. In considering the electoral structure of a municipality, the VEC considers the following matters: communities of interest where people share a range of common concerns, such as a common geographic, economic or cultural link; and, the longevity of the structure, aiming to