Transparency in local government in WA
ARE political registers necessary in local government in WA? The cities of South Perth, Belmont and Bayswater think so. They have moved to have elected and committee members declare their political affiliations as they do with gifts, travel and political donations.
South Perth is the latest local authority to require councillors to disclose if they are members of or work for a political party.
Mayor Greg Milner told StreetWise: “When I’m out and about in the community, one of the most common questions residents ask is, ‘What political party do you belong to?’. I’ve never belonged to a political party, but it’s clearly a question a lot of people have for their elected members. Last month, the City of South Perth Council voted to provide that information to the public.”
Voted in 7/1, South Perth Councillor Mary Choy’s motion referred to the State Government’s proposed local government changes: “One of the reforms proposed is the replacement of the current first-past-the-post voting system with preferential voting for local government elections. If this proceeds, this will bring WA’s local government voting system in line with the State and Federal voting system and with other states. Local government elections in other states often experience political parties running candidates and handing out tickets on how to preference their votes during the campaign period. Preferential voting can therefore result in politicisation at the local government level and bring party politics into local government.”
Council agreed a political interest register will ensure, “an extra layer of transparency”, ahead of any government reform and election period. If the proposed reforms did not proceed, the register will still serve to, “increase council’s level of transparency and accountability to the community”.
It added: “The community has an interest and right to know about their councillor’s formal political affiliations and associated employment and how that may influence their decision making, whether perceived or otherwise.” This was evident after concerns were raised over whether Brad Pettitt used his mayoral office to benefit his campaign for a Greens seat in parliament and whether Fremantle ratepayers could believe Labor mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge when she stated she was not interested in entering politics at the mayoral candidate debate last year.
Opposition Local Government Minister Shane Love says such ‘policies’ were an extra layer of red tape that could lead to formal participation by political parties in local government.
He has said forcing councillors to reveal which political party they have an affiliation with may persuade voters to choose candidates based on their party membership, which had nothing to do with important community issues.
He added while transparency is key in any level of government, a person’s links with and support for a political party is irrelevant to the operation of a local authority in WA.
Local Government Minister John Carey also has opposed the move, voicing concerns it could increase partisan politics in councils.
* Voting in local government elections in Tasmania is now compulsory. Former Liberal Premier Peter Gutwein said: “By making voting compulsory, we will lift community’s perception of local government and its importance by bringing local council elections into line with State and Federal elections. We also want to lift the community’s engagement with the local government sector, and I am confident the passing of this legislation will do that.” Voting is compulsory in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Northern Territory, not in WA and South Australia.
