Tate Papworth
The Municipal Association of Victoria is calling for the Victorian local government elections to be deferred for 12 months.
The elections were due to be held in October, but MAV president Coral Ross said with COVID-19 restrictions in place, a deferment is needed.
“We are calling on the state to legislate the deferral by no later than the end of May so as to avoid unnecessary cost to councils and to provide the community with certainty,” Cr Ross said.
“We acknowledge that there are both pros and cons to deferring the election, but in our view the pros far outweigh the cons.
“In the current climate, community health and safety must be the overriding consideration.”
She said that holding an election at such a time would be irresponsible.
“Councils do not want to put residents, council candidates, electoral officers and scrutineers at risk by proceeding with the elections this year.
“Given the economic implications of coronavirus for councils, it is also critical that Councils stay focused on organisational recovery and future planning, rather than election campaigning.
A 12 month deferral will allow for fairer elections and also enable the state and councils to implement important reforms provided for by the Local Government Act.
