22 local government areas to contest 2008 elections with internal boundaries

Queenslanders in 22 local government areas will go to the 2008 council elections voting in divisions.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said today that of the 24 councils provided with internal boundaries by the Electoral Commission of Queensland, five would revert to ‘undivided’ electoral arrangements.

Two of these five councils are new regional local government areas ­– the Central Highlands Regional Council and the Mackay Regional Council.

“The shires merging to form the Central Highlands council (Emerald, Peak Downs, Bauhinia and Duaringa) provided the Department of Local Government with unanimous agreement to revert to an undivided electoral system.

“The Mackay Regional Council was a unique case, where all councillors on two of the three existing councils (Sarina and Mirani) unanimously voted to return to undivided, while Mackay City Council’s vote was deadlocked.

“Mackay City’s casting vote in favour of remaining divided was at variance with the expressed view of the mayor, and also it was not a case of a smaller council’s community of interest being preserved when being absorbed as part of a larger regional council.

“Considering these circumstances I have decided to accept the majority view of the councils and councillors concerned to have an undivided electoral system”, Mr Pitt said.

The remaining 14 amalgamated local government areas will contest the March elections on the internal boundaries determined by the Electoral Commission.

In these areas, amalgamating councils either chose to remain divided on the boundaries provided by the Electoral Commission’s, or were unable to reach unanimous agreement to revert to an undivided electoral system.

Boulia and Etheridge shires (not impacted by boundary change) and Cook Shire (minor boundary adjustment) have all chosen to conduct the next elections as undivided councils.

Mr Pitt said the new Torres Strait Regional Council and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council would remain divided along existing council boundaries.

Brisbane City would also remain divided on the basis of the Electoral Commission’s review of its internal boundaries, which commenced earlier in the year, separate to the local government reform process.

Mr Pitt said the divisions developed by the Electoral Commission of Queensland were based on the key democratic principle of ‘one vote one value’.

Maps displaying the internal divisions are available on the ECQ website –www.ecq.qld.gov.au. Larger scale maps are being prepared by the Department of Natural Resources and Water showing the divisional boundaries in greater detail.

Councils provided with internal boundaries by the Electoral Commission of Queensland

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819