Townsville Community Voices

In next weeks council elections, Townsville voters are being asked to elect 12 councillors from a field of 49 candidates, plus one mayor from a choice of 5. For the first time in several decades Townsville Council will be undivided, meaning all voters have the opportunity to vote for all candidates, and there are no wards as in the past.

Gail Hamilton, Greens candidate for the Community Voices team, welcomed this change as an improvement in democracy. "In the past, we have had Townsville City Council dominated by one party, and because of the ward system it is possible that each one of those councillors may have had no more than 50% of the primary vote. That means 50% of voters do not have a chosen representative on council."

An undivided council allows for a better representation of the community, and it is likely that the make-up of the new council will be a healthy mix of people.

The electoral system is to be reviewed prior to the 2012 election, and Ms Hamilton was concerned that both incumbent mayors are promoting a return to the divisional system if they are elected. "Single member divisions are inherently undemocratic and are biased toward major parties, leaving independents disenfranchised." However the 2008 system is also difficult for voters and candidates. "It is unreasonable to expect each voter to become familiar with the policies and personalities of 49 candidates, choose 12 and successfully select them on a 2 foot long ballot paper" said Ms Hamilton. "It is also hard for each candidate to connect with over 100,000 voters in any meaningful way".

In council the Greens will push for a compromise solution of a divided council of 4 divisions with 3 councillors in each. "Having 3 councillors from a division will ensure that our council representative will remain diverse and more accurately reflect the Townsville community, yet make the election much less cumbersome."

The Greens have also attacked the "first-past-the post' system of electing the mayor, asking for preferential voting. Ms Hamilton explained that "in such a system, a candidate could win with 30% of the primary votes even though the other 70% may have had that person as their least preferred. Optional preferential voting avoids that pitfall".

The Greens have a strong commitment to grassroots democracy and have a policy for democratic reform at all levels of government.

Contact Gail Hamilton 47741747 0447032455 Policy document:
http://qld.greens.org.au/policies/Qld-policies/democracy-and-electoral-r...