Rural Ratepayers hit by Proposed Electoral System Changes

We are now five months out from Local Government Elections and it is time to review the performance of our councillors and counncil.

It used to be they represented the ratepayers. Today, they represent the State Government. If you doubt this, show me the RCoW ratepayers who asked for a combined Government Centre. Show me the RCoW ratepayers who asked for portfolios to be abolished.

Grass roots democracy is no longer with us in local government. Local Council is now the beauracratic tool of an authoritarian State that prevents cattle grazing in the high country and prohibits your grandchildren from helping out on the farm.

With the State government removing the ward system in the Rural City of Wangaratta and the Council abolishing the portfolio system, we now face changes to the electoral system, as reported (26 Jun 05) in The Age article Fury on council electoral changes that will "disenfranchise voters, lead to a higher informal vote and would lift the barrier for entry to genuine independent candidates in the community that wish to stand for local government, particularly in rural areas".

"Candidates in local government elections would be banned from criticising councils or listing their how-to-vote preferences in candidate statements, under proposed changes to electoral regulations." This follows confidentiality rules placed on councillors last October.

In his right wing ramblings, The Other Cheek - Andrew Landeryou's Blog of Freedom, a comparison to Castro's communist state is made.

All of these changes make it most unlikely that rural ratepayers can expect any representation until the next council review in eight years time.

If rural ratepayers are to be heard, they need a new forum. They need a Rural Ratepayers Association to discuss the needs of their communities. They need an association to present a united front to the Council as well as the State and Federal governments on matters of concern to the rural ratepayer.

Let's make it happen!

NOTE This article has also been posted on the The Watchdog Forum. Register and you can add your thoughts on establishing a Rural Ratepayers Association