Only 40 per cent of Melbourne Council voters live in city

February 06, 2009

Only 40 per cent of voters who helped elect Lord Mayor Robert Doyle live in the city, and thousands don’t even live in the country.

More than 5600 people given compulsory votes in the Melbourne City Council election in November live overseas.

Victorian Electoral Commission figures showed that about 25,000 people who returned their votes in November lived in suburbs within the Melbourne City Council catchment area. 

Just over 61,000 people voted – about 62 per cent of the eligible enrolment — with about 36,000 votes from business directors and people with commercial properties.

The municipality of Melbourne is dominated by the commercial zone, so the city’s business community gets a compulsory vote.

Even if those owners and directors live as far away as Iceland they are entitled to vote and shape Melbourne Town Hall.

Company directors of city businesses are entitled to two votes per company.

In other municipalities business owners receive an optional vote.

Councillors have called for a review of Melbourne City Council’s electoral system, which is unique in Victoria, and Local Government Minister Richard Wynne is considering a review.

Coalition of Residents and Business Associations spokeswoman Jackie Watts said that residents were waiting to hear whether the review would be done.

“We are yet to hear of Mr Wynne’s response,” she said. “The issue is still very much alive and CoRBA remains deeply concerned about the process, which is both unrepresentative and undemocratic.”

Melbourne Cr Kevin Louey said the review would need to balance the needs of all people who paid rates in Melbourne, including commercial operators.

The Herald Sun last year exposed flaws in the electoral system where people with car spaces in the city were given votes, and the City of Melbourne Act was changed to close the loophole.

Cr Jennifer Kanis said a further investigation was needed to ensure that only those who were entitled to vote were given ballot papers.