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This first tranche focuses on electoral reform and has been introduced first to ensure the changes will be in effect for the October 2023 ordinary elections.

The first tranche of reforms to the Local Government Act 1995 is progressing through Parliament.

This first tranche focuses on electoral reform and has been introduced first to ensure the changes will be in effect for the October 2023 ordinary elections.

The second tranche of reform is due to be introduced later in 2023.

A key feature of the State Government’s reform agenda is transitioning from first-past-the-post and introducing optional preferential voting in local government elections.

Optional preferential voting will bring local government elections largely in line with the voting system used in State and Federal elections and all other jurisdictions.

Optional preferential voting will prevent the current situation where some councilors are elected with as little as 4.7% of the vote, under the current first-past-the-post voting system.

Optional preferential voting also empowers ratepayers to indicate their preferences for these important local roles.

To find out more about optional preferential voting, including information on how it will be implemented, join us for the second Reform Webinar at 11:00am on 27 April.