A Moorabool resident is unhappy with council’s community asset committee nomination process and has questioned its “democratic process.”
Community asset committees (CACs) have been operating since the implementation of the Local Government Act 2020 and were formerly known as ‘committees of management.’
Community meetings are held by council for each of its CACs prior to nominating members of the committee, in order to establish community support for nominees.
Elaine Recreation Reserve Committee member Shane Dunne said that at a community meeting for the Elaine Recreation Reserve, he was informed by council officers that those interested in joining the CAC would need over 50 per cent of support from those in the room in order to be nominated.
He said two members nominated by council did not receive this support.
“If we had … known if it’s not really an election, then we wouldn’t have turned up. There’s no point,” Mr Dunne said.
“There’s no reason to add two extra people when there’s plenty of people on that committee already,” he said.
“If we can’t have the basic principle of democracy in these elections, then what is the point of having an election?
“What authority have they got to just go and add more members at their will? It all comes down to governance and governance is not followed.”
Moorabool chief executive Derek Madden said council “conducted an expression of interest process consistent with its Community Asset Committee Guidelines 2025”.
“The community vote forms only part of the committee process, with the final decisions on memberships to the CACs remaining a council decision,” Mr Madden said.
“This process was made clear at all community meetings across all 10 CAC locations. Two nominees fell just short of the [50 per cent] community vote in Elaine but council made the decision to include them on the recreation reserve committee,” he said.
“Council remains committed to transparent and inclusive community engagement and thanks all community members who participated in the process.”
A total of 14 people were nominated for the Elaine Recreation Reserve Community Asset Committee at Moorabool’s June 4 council meeting.
