Jessica Micallef
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is renewing it’s call for the state government to defer this year’s council elections due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the MAV, the pandemic has impacted the ability for candidates to campaign and consult with their communities on “vital” issues.
MAV president Coral Ross and chief executive Kerry Thompson met with newly appointed Local Government Minister Shaun Leane earlier this month to raise the issue.
Cr Ross said many Victorian councillors had provided examples of difficulties currently facing the local government sector brought on by coronavirus.
“Following a survey of all councils and chief executive officer’s earlier this year, the MAV called for a 12-month deferral of council elections, currently scheduled for October 2020,” she said.
“With the current increase in COVID-19 numbers and the subsequent wide-scale lockdown, we are calling on the local government minister to reconsider holding elections.”
MAV’s deputy president Cr Ruth Gstrein said many rural and regional councils were highlighting concerns that some wards may not have enough candidates prepared to run for election in the current environment.
Victorian local government elections are scheduled to go ahead on October 24 via “safe and secure” postal votes.
The state’s chief health officer Brett Sutton advised the state government in May that it was safe for postal elections to proceed.
