❓ Question regarding low voter turnout in the Town of Port Hedland local government election and measures to ensure legitimacy, answered by the Leader of the House on behalf of the Minister for Local Government.
AnsweredQoN 1110Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TOWN OF PORT HEDLAND —
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION
1110. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Local Government:
I ask this question on behalf of Hon
Jacqui Boydell, who is away on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the recent ABC Pilbara
Facebook post that states just 1 542 of the 8 428 ballots for the upcoming
local government election in the Town of Port Hedland have been returned.
(1) What
engagement has the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural
Industries provided to the local community to ensure a strong local turnout to
the election?
(2) Was an audit
conducted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission or DLGSC to determine
the legitimacy of the 8 428 ballots sent?
(3) Given the
urgency to ensure a better turnout for the election, what is the department
doing to encourage voter turnout?
(4) What
guidelines are in place to ensure the legitimacy of the newly elected council,
given the concerns raised about previous local government results in Port
Hedland?
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION
1110. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Local Government:
I ask this question on behalf of Hon
Jacqui Boydell, who is away on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the recent ABC Pilbara
Facebook post that states just 1 542 of the 8 428 ballots for the upcoming
local government election in the Town of Port Hedland have been returned.
(1) What
engagement has the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural
Industries provided to the local community to ensure a strong local turnout to
the election?
(2) Was an audit
conducted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission or DLGSC to determine
the legitimacy of the 8 428 ballots sent?
(3) Given the
urgency to ensure a better turnout for the election, what is the department
doing to encourage voter turnout?
(4) What
guidelines are in place to ensure the legitimacy of the newly elected council,
given the concerns raised about previous local government results in Port
Hedland?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) The
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries undertakes a broad,
statewide promotional campaign preceding the
normal biennial election cycle, rather than directly, for a specific local government extraordinary election. The department has engaged directly with the
Town of Port Hedland's chief executive officer and the commissioner
regarding the promotion of the upcoming election. This included the director
general of the department meeting in Port Hedland with the CEO and commissioner
in late August 2020 to develop a community awareness and participation strategy
for the election. The town's
commissioner and CEO have actively promoted the election and encouraged the
community to be involved. At the opening of nominations, the Minister
for Local Government's media statement, dated 3 September 2020, called
for quality candidates, community participation in the election and quality
ongoing representation.
(2) The WA Electoral Commission is
responsible for the conduct of the town's election.
(3) The
current level of returns for postal ballots is relatively normal for local
government elections. Voting envelopes can be delivered in person until 6.00 pm
on Saturday, 17 October 2020, so the final level of voter turnout cannot be
determined until voting closes.
(4) The WA Electoral Commission is
responsible for the conduct of the town's election.
some notice of the question.
(1) The
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries undertakes a broad,
statewide promotional campaign preceding the
normal biennial election cycle, rather than directly, for a specific local government extraordinary election. The department has engaged directly with the
Town of Port Hedland's chief executive officer and the commissioner
regarding the promotion of the upcoming election. This included the director
general of the department meeting in Port Hedland with the CEO and commissioner
in late August 2020 to develop a community awareness and participation strategy
for the election. The town's
commissioner and CEO have actively promoted the election and encouraged the
community to be involved. At the opening of nominations, the Minister
for Local Government's media statement, dated 3 September 2020, called
for quality candidates, community participation in the election and quality
ongoing representation.
(2) The WA Electoral Commission is
responsible for the conduct of the town's election.
(3) The
current level of returns for postal ballots is relatively normal for local
government elections. Voting envelopes can be delivered in person until 6.00 pm
on Saturday, 17 October 2020, so the final level of voter turnout cannot be
determined until voting closes.
(4) The WA Electoral Commission is
responsible for the conduct of the town's election.
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