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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-10 Daily Xml
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

The Hon. M. PARNELL (15:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about transparency in local government elections.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M. PARNELL: At the annual general meeting of the Local Government Association on 29 October last year, a resolution was passed calling for an amendment to the Local Government Elections Act 1999. The resolution asked for an amendment to:

...include a requirement consistent with that which applies to elected members through the Register of Interest provisions of the Local Government Act 1999 that all candidates in local government elections must declare in their nomination information consistent with the Register of Interest requirements under the Local Government Act including membership of professional bodies and political parties in the preceding two years and that this disclosure be publicly available for the information of electors.

My question to the minister is: will the government be proposing such legislation and if so when might we expect to see the bill?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (15:20): I know this is a matter that is of concern to some honourable members, as to whether or not those who are standing for election in local government are declaring whatever political affiliations they may have. It is not unexpected that a lot of those who are involved in local government are, of course, involved in political parties on all sides of the political spectrum.

What I think is important is that we have free and fair elections which are fairly and rigorously conducted. There are candidates who decide to publicise the political affiliations they have, if indeed they have them, and there are others who do not. What I think it is important to recognise is that councillors are declaring those areas where there might be a potential conflict of interest. Of course, that is what the regulatory framework aims to ensure.

I would have concerns about seeing local government become party politicised the way it is in some other states, where people are indeed endorsed for local government positions. Personally, I would not like to see it come to the position where we would have Labor and Liberal candidates running in elections. Certainly, there are many candidates who run for local government and who serve in local government who have party political affiliations, and that is their democratic right under the system.

As members would be aware, the Attorney-General has issued a discussion paper regarding public integrity which does cover some matters concerning local government. I do not think at this time it is a recommendation in that discussion paper that party political membership be declared by candidates for local council. Obviously, as members would be aware, the consultation period for that discussion paper is open until 25 March, from memory, so if the honourable member or any of those who believe this is something that needs to be considered want to make a submission to the review of the discussion paper which will be the subject of further report to the other house by the Attorney-General, they are certainly able to do that.

I am sure the honourable member will be aware that the Local Government Association has considered this matter, particularly in relation to those who are employed by members of parliament or ministers or what have you, being local government representatives. Again, I am sure that the honourable member is aware of the Victorian Ombudsman inquiry involving the Brimbank City Council which touched on these issues.

It is not my intention at this point to introduce legislation which will particularly address the issue he has raised, but I would say that, as I have indicated, the government is reviewing public integrity structures, including those in local government. This is a matter that touches on that, so I would encourage the honourable member and anyone else concerned with the matter to make a submission to that review.

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