City of Whittlesea underwent an electoral structure view and is awaiting the Minister for Local Government’s decision.
The Minister will decide whether to accept the recommendation with any changes published in the Government Gazette and expected to apply at the next council general election in October 2024.
As required under Victoria’s Local Government Act 2020, City of Whittlesea will adopt a single-councillor ward structure.
The panel – Frank Vincent AO, Liz Williams, and electoral commissioner Sven Bluemmel – considered appropriate number of councillors and wards, location of boundaries and ward names.
The report was finalised Wednesday, December 20 following information sessions and public submissions.
Currently City of Whittlesea is divided into three wards with 11 councillors – one ward with three councillors and two wards with four each.
Three models were submitted for consideration.
Liberal Member for Northern Metropolitan Region Evan Mulholland and Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Region Wendy Lovell penned a joint submission disagreeing with the large North Ward stating future growth was underestimated.
“Subsequently the population increase in Donnybrook alone will take the proposed North Ward across all three models’ boundary up to around 16,668 electors/residents,” they said.
“[Our] recommendation to the Whittlesea Electoral Representation Advisory Panel is to carefully consider the population growth of the northern half of the City of Whittlesea, contrasted to the established parts, in which very little growth is happening.”
Doreen resident Kim Kotas also said the North Ward should be divided due to population growth.
“This modelling fails to take into account the population growth between now and October 2024,” she said.
“At the October 2024 elections, these boundaries must leave as much room for growth as possible, whilst remaining compliant with the Act to ensure that through 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 the Donnybrook, Whittlesea and Mernda areas are not grossly underrepresented as population projections expect.
“As such the committee should break up North Ward and recognise the former North Ward as it was at the 2016 council election, is not an accurate blueprint for future ward boundaries.”
The two other submissions received supported model one.
Wollert resident Lawrie Cox said it aligned most communities of interest.
“The North Ward is a consistent model across the three proposals and gives the population required as a predominately rural area,” he said.
“The inclusion of Donnybrook enables significant future population growth.
“The area of Mernda would be better to include [in] the area west of Sackville Street across to the Darebin Creek as the pocket is remote from the proposed Kirrip Ward.”
John Fry also said model one achieved keeping communities together.
“The boundaries for North, Mernda and Painted Hills Wards in model one seem the most logically consistent from a local perspective, given the legislative restrictions imposed by the process the panel was operating under when dealing with a growth corridor,” he said.
Mr Fry supported the naming of wards with Aboriginal names however, believed this should occur after community consultation.
“In relation to the naming of the Wards there are a number that have a history and a logical reason to them for example Mernda and Morgan,” Mr Fry said.
“On the other hand, Ganbu Gulinj and Kirrip wards have no such history.
“Whilst they seem to be based on new community centre names, these have very little status in the community, and I question the community consultation in relation to their naming by council.
“At this stage I would suggest more generic geographic names, but with a recommendation that council conducts proper consultation with the effected communities to come up with Aboriginal names that resonate with the community for the following election.”
Mr Cox proposed initially naming Kirrip ‘Darebin’ and Ganbu Gulinj ‘Merri’ based on the creeks in those areas.
“I do support the changing of all ward names into the future to Aboriginal identified names but after consideration and community input rather than through this review,” he said.
