First past the post for council elections

as posted here

WA's local government elections in October will be carried out using the first-past-the-post voting system after State Parliament last night voted for the amendment, two years after Labor scrapped it.

Proportional preferential voting was introduced in 2007 despite criticism from WALGA, which said it was not consulted and the system was too complicated.

Local Government Minister John Castrilli introduced an amendment to return to the old system and called on Parliament to expedite the Bill for the October council elections.

"This important amendment has the capacity to deliver a simpler, less factional-driven electoral process to the local government sector," he said earlier this year.

WALGA has said the first-past-the-post was simpler, it stopped candidates running as a ticket and it helped stop factionalism.

WA Local Government Association President Cr Bill Mitchell today applauded the Government for pushing through the change.

"There was very little time and significant resistance from the various government departments to have this change made in time for the October elections but the Minister has pushed through all that," Mr Mitchell said.

"Given that the legislation had lapsed previously and that the timeframe was down to just two days, the Association was preparing the sector to accept that the change would not be made in time."

Mr Mitchell said under the first-past-the-post system candidates needed only to win the support of their local community whereas under the PPV system there was a greater focus on running mates and back room deals that mostly suit the organised, larger political parties.

"The move back to first-past-the-post returns control of Council elections to the community and lessens the influence and potential manipulation by the major political parties," he said.

The elections will be held on October 17.


as posted here