Believe it or not, we’re only months away from the NSW local government elections. All NSW residents will go to the polls on 8 September 2012 to elect their local Council for the next four-year term. While it is my intention to stand again, most of the current Palerang councillors have indicated that they will not be seeking re-election. This election therefore promises the best opportunity since the formation of the Palerang LGA to elect a Council with a unified view of the shire, and a genuine community focus, but this opportunity can only be realised if the right candidates come forward.
If you think that you may be interested in nominating as a candidate for election to Council, the NSW Electoral Commission, in conjunction with the Electoral Funding Authority, will be holding a candidate information evening in Queanbeyan on Tuesday 29 May (check the Electoral Funding Authority website for details). If you want to have a chat about what it’s like on Council, feel free to give me a call.
At this election, Palerang residents will also be asked whether or not they would like Council elections to be conducted in wards, formerly known as ridings. Wards are effectively electoral sub-districts. Palerang Council’s nine councillors are currently elected in a single area. A flyer presenting the cases for and against a ward system were forwarded with rate notices in 2010, and a comprehensive discussion on the subject is provided elsewhere on this website under the Palerang InfoZone.
[Stop Press: At it’s May GM, Council resolved to cancel the above mentioned referendum. I’ll comment further on that in another post.]