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CHANGE OF COUNCIL ELECTION DATE COULD JEOPARDISE DEMOCRACY - February 11th, 2008
A group of independents on the Northern Beaches of Sydney claim that an earlier than scheduled Council election date could jeopardise the democratic process.
The Wake Up Warringah group is calling on the NSW State Government to confirm the date of the poll, claiming that if the election is brought forward from its scheduled date of September 27th, then they and a significant number of other newly registered political parties will be ruled ineligible from nominating candidates.
The call comes as speculation continues to mount that the State Government is set to move the date of the elections, following a request from the NSW Shires Association who raised concerns with the vote being held during school holidays.
“Our biggest worry is that if the State Government choose to move the elections forward, then many new parties, who are predominantly independently aligned like us, will be ineligible for nominating candidates” said Michael Regan, a C Ward candidate for the Wake Up Warringah team.
The NSW Electoral Commission informed groups last year that if they intended to nominate candidates for the 2008 election, then they needed to be registered by August 27th 2007.
The Wake Up Warringah group were one of many who were registered ‘en masse’ on August 26th 2007, which would make them eligible for running.
“Essentially, you need to be registered for 13 months prior to an election to run candidates – an election day any earlier than September 27th this year, will rule us out of running as we fail to meet that 13 month criteria” said Mr Regan.
“We went through that registration process in good faith. We were even happy to wait to be registered with all the other groups, even though we were ready much sooner”
“We need the Government to commit to holding the elections after September 27th or to agree to show some leniency for newly registered parties, if the legislation allows for it.”
“If the election is held early and the 13 month deadline is enforced, then the Government will have to explain themselves to a significant number of angry candidates across the State”.
Wake Up Warringah’s B Ward candidate, Bronwen Thomas referred to the potential political ramifications of new parties being ruled ineligible.
“This could be interpreted as an attempt to exclude minor parties and independents from the democratic process” the Harbord resident said. “We just want to make sure that everyone has an equal footing, and that there is no perception that the major parties are being unfairly advantaged”
“Here in Warringah, we’re excited about the return to democracy. It’s been nine years since we last voted in Council elections and we want to make sure that we don’t return to the bad old days of party politics destroying the decision making process.”
“A big step towards that end is seeing independents contesting the elections; we don’t want to be excluded from the process” Miss Thomas said.
“There is a real potential here for conflict. The State Government needs to clear up the uncertainty, confirm a date and let democracy run its course”.
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