By JESSE GRAHAM, VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS AND PETER DOUGLAS
YARRA Ranges councillors have expressed their doubts over a pending change of wards for this year’s election, with multi-councillor wards introduced for the first time in the shire.
The Victorian Electoral Commission handed down its final report in a review of the Yarra Ranges’ electoral representation late last year, recommending a change to three large wards, each with three councillors.
If the change is accepted, the Yarra Valley’s Ryrie and O’Shannassy wards, and parts of Billanook and Chandler wards, will all be combined to make a new O’Shannassy ward, which stretches from beyond Healesville and Warburton to Mount Evelyn.
Last week, the Mail canvassed the opinions of Yarra Ranges councillors about the changes and what it would mean or them and their communities.
Out of the seven councillors who responded, Councillors Fiona McAllister and Jason Callanan – all of whom would contest the Yarra Valley-wide O’Shannassy Ward – raised concerns about the change.
Cr McAllister said that the mailing and travel costs of campaigning for election – both for current councillors and new candidates – would be significantly higher under the larger wards.
“This is a reminder to the community that we’re not paid politicians like other levels of government,” she said.
“Whatever you spend to get elected, you’re not getting that back, and people forget that.”
She said another issue was ensuring communities were represented, and questioned the choice to have Mount Evelyn included in the O’Shannassy Ward.
“I think, ultimately ‘What will give our community, or the communities of Yarra Ranges, the best representation?’ should always be the fundamental question,” Cr McAllister said.
“People will say ‘It is what it is’, and ‘You as a councillor need to adjust to that’, but given the population and the issues that we have in the rural areas, I’m certainly not convinced that people will get better representation.”
Cr Callanan, who made submissions in favour of keeping the council’s nine wards, nine councillors make up, also raised the issue of cost, and said campaigning in a new, larger area was also a challenge.
“It’s establishing new contacts, new connections, understanding what that community wants or needs,” he said.
“A lot of us new, first-term councillors, we faced that challenge four years ago, so we’re still relatively fresh – but it will just be on a bit of a bigger scale, really, especially for the O’Shannassy ward.”
However, Cr Child, who made submissions against the change last year, said councillors would have to “appreciate” the views of the public, many of whom supported the VEC’s recommendation.
“If the community believe they’re going to have a better representation, I think, as councillors, we’ve got to appreciate that,” he said.
“I’ll probably cop some criticism from my fellow councillors, but I believe, honestly, we can work with both.”
When asked about the potential for political parties to fund candidates for the elections, Cr Callanan said it could be a possibility for November’s election.
“If you’re an independent running, that’s very difficult, but if you were aligned with a party and had supporters, it makes it a bit easier,” he said.
‘What will give our community, or the communities of Yarra Ranges, the best representation?’ should always be the fundamental question.” – Cr Fiona McAllister
Cr Child said that, in the end people would choose who would represent them in council.
“You’re going in there and you fight a campaign with your credentials,” he said.
“If you’re honest, reliable and fair, you take that to the constituents at the election, and the electorate makes their decision.
“I don’t think you can do it any other way.”
Cr Maria McCarthy, whose Billanook ward may be split between the urban Chirnside ward and the Yarra Valley’s O’Shannassy ward, said she would wait for Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins’ decision before announcing where she will stand for re-election.
Cr Callanan said the council was working with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and councillors from shires with multi-councillor wards to discuss the challenges and benefits of the change.
Cr McAllister, Cr Callanan and Cr Child acknowledged that Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins had yet to sign off on the VEC’s recommendation.
The Mail contacted Ms Hutchins’ office with questions about whether the Minister would accept the VEC’s recommendation, and whether she would consider the sentiments of councillors against the change.
A spokesperson for the minister said a decision on the matter would be made in the “coming months”.
To read about the Dandenong Ranges’ new Streeton ward, click here.
To read about Mount Evelyn’s Billanook ward split, click here.
