The Battles For Councils
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday March 4, 2004
At first glance, the record number of candidates contesting the March 27 local government elections marks a contagion of democracy, a breakout of community selflessness, a pre-poll grassroots triumph over the colonisation of municipal affairs by the big political parties. Undoubtedly, these factors have influenced the turnout of more than 5000 candidates across 142 councils, compared with 166 councils in 1999.
Some candidates have been provoked by local grievances, others by their perception that local government should be defended against the Carr Government's belated vigour in rationalising the sector by forcing amalgamations and other boundary changes. Some are angry at what they see as the blight of over-development. Some believe political parties should keep to state and federal arenas and leave the most localised of politics to government by ``the people".
One factor distinguishing these elections from their predecessors is a seemingly innocuous statutory mechanism driving a substantial number of additional candidate nominations. Electors retain the option of discharging their voting obligation by allocating their first preference only for a registered political group above the ballot paper line. (They can also allocate other preferences above the line.) Or they can complete all preferences below the line.
The advantage of being a candidate above the line is obvious it gives prominence to the candidate and it's less arduous for the voter to vote above the line. It's why political parties push through this form of voting. The difference this time is that qualifying for placement above the line has become harder. In these elections, political groups must field as many candidates as there are council positions to fill. A five-councillor ward, for instance, requires five members on the same ticket to contest above-the-line. Independent and political parties have had to recruit more allies to build sufficient numbers for group status. It's just a lot easier with a political machine at your back.
Fortunately, politics turns on more than rule changes. The woes of the Premier, Bob Carr, are likely to have more of an impact than any decline in federal support for the Coalition. Local issues and local ambitions also will play their part. Among the 5000 candidates will be the aggrieved, the altruistic, the opportunistic, the cranks and the pranksters. But democracy is healthier for all this competition. If a record number of candidates think a place on council is worth doing battle over, it might just be that a record number of voters will think their democratic obligations are worth taking seriously.
© 2004 Sydney Morning Herald