2015-16 representation review guide for … pl… · web viewconstruction and wine production also...

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ContentsONE VOTE, ONE VALUE: WHY THE REVIEW MATTERS..................................1

REVIEW TIMELINE....................................................................................2

TYPES OF SUBMISSION............................................................................3

Stage one: preliminary submissions............................................................................................3

Stage two: response submissions...............................................................................................3

Public hearing..........................................................................................................................3

HOW TO MAKE A SUBMISSION..................................................................4

Submission methods...................................................................................................................4

Submission checklist...................................................................................................................5

ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN YOUR SUBMISSION..............................................6

Number of councillors..................................................................................................................6

Structure of the local council.......................................................................................................8

Unsubdivided councils.............................................................................................................8

Subdivided councils.................................................................................................................9

Single-councillor wards............................................................................................................9

Multi-councillor wards............................................................................................................10

A combination of multi-councillor and single-councillor wards...............................................10

Electoral structures and vote counting......................................................................................11

Communities of interest.............................................................................................................12

Ward boundaries.......................................................................................................................12

Ward names..........................................................................................................................13

HOW RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FORMED.................................................14

Limitations of the review............................................................................................................14

SUMMARY OF 2007 REVIEW OF GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE COUNCIL..............15

Map: current boundaries and voter numbers............................................................................16

Map: voter numbers by locality..................................................................................................17

GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE COUNCIL AT A GLANCE........................................18

Statistical profile.....................................................................................................................21

ANNEX 1: ELECTORAL STRUCTURES OF ALL VICTORIAN COUNCILS............22

ANNEX 2: SAMPLE SUBMISSIONS............................................................29

Stage one: preliminary submission samples.............................................................................29

Stage two: response submission samples................................................................................30

Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide Golden Plains Shire Council 2019

One vote, one value: why the review mattersThe Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is committed to the principle of ‘one vote, one value’,

which is enshrined in the Local Government Act 1989 (the Act). This means that every person’s

vote counts equally. The Act requires the VEC to conduct electoral representation reviews before

every third council election, approximately every 12 years. Unscheduled reviews can also take

place when required.

Representation reviews are a key mechanism to ensure that all voters in a local council have

their concerns and interests fairly and equitably represented. The electoral representation review

will examine:

the number of councillors

whether the structure of the local council should be subdivided into wards or

unsubdivided, and

if subdivided:

– the number of wards

– what the ward boundaries should be

– the name of each ward and

– how many councillors should be elected for each ward.

Input from members of the public is a valued part of the review process. There are three main

opportunities for you to have your say:

1. in a preliminary public submission

2. in a response submission to the preliminary report and

3. if you have requested to speak in your response submission, at a public hearing to be

held in your local area.

This guide outlines the review process and the opportunities for public input, and provides

important information about the issues that submissions may address. It also includes specific

information about Golden Plains Shire Council and sample submissions to help you prepare your

own submission.

Page 1 of 30


Review timelineThis timeline shows the major milestones in the review process. The opportunities for you to

have your say have been highlighted in bold.

Wednesday 30 January 2019

Preliminary public submissions openThe VEC accepts written submissions from the public at the start of the review. All submissions are carefully considered and taken into account before the preliminary report is prepared.Advertisements are also placed in the Herald Sun and local newspapers notifying the public of the review.

Wednesday 30 January 2019

Public information sessionsPublic information sessions will be held at:

6.00 pm on Wednesday 30 January at the Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve, 55 Heales Street, Smythesdale

8.00 pm on Wednesday 30 January at the Bannockburn Shire Hall, 12 High Street, Bannockburn.

Anyone interested in making a submission or with questions about the review process is urged to attend a public information session.

Wednesday 27 February 2019

Closing date for preliminary submissionsPreliminary submissions must reach the VEC by 5.00 pm on this date.

Wednesday 27 March 2019

Preliminary report releasedThe preliminary report outlines the options which provide fair and equitable representation. The report includes consideration of preliminary public submissions. The report is publicly available from the VEC by visiting vec.vic.gov.au or calling 131 832 and also for inspection at Council offices.Response submissions openThe VEC accepts written submissions from the public that respond to the recommendations contained in the preliminary report. You can also nominate to discuss your response submission at a local public hearing.

Wednesday 24 April 2019

Closing date for response submissionsResponse submissions must reach the VEC by 5.00 pm on this date.

Wednesday 1 May 2019

Public hearingA public hearing is scheduled to be held at 6.30 pm on Wednesday 1 May at the Rokewood Recreation Reserve, 14 McMillan Street, Rokewood.Members of the public who have nominated to discuss their response submission will be given the opportunity to expand on their views for up to 10 minutes. The hearing will not be held if there are no requests to speak.

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Final report publishedFollowing the public hearing, the VEC considers all the evidence it has gathered and publishes a final report for the Minister for Local Government containing a recommended electoral structure. The report is publicly available from the VEC by visiting vec.vic.gov.au or calling 131 832, and also for inspection at Council offices. If the VEC’s recommendation is accepted, it will take effect at the next general election in October 2020.

Page 2 of 30

https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/

https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/


Types of submissionAny person or group, including the Council itself, can make a submission to the VEC.

The VEC accepts submissions at two stages of the review process:

Stage one: preliminary submissionsPreliminary submissions should address the number of councillors and the electoral structure of

Golden Plains Shire Council. At this stage, the VEC welcomes suggested models that consider

the issues outlined in the ‘Issues to consider in your submission’ section of this guide.

Stage two: response submissionsResponse submissions must address the models proposed by the VEC in the preliminary report.

Generally, other models will not be considered at this stage.

Examples of public submissions made in previous reviews can be found in Annex 2 of this guide.

However, it is important to note that your submission can be in any format and address any of

the relevant issues in the proposed options.

Public hearingResponse submissions should indicate whether the person making the submission wishes to

speak at a public hearing in support of their submission. At this hearing, those who have

nominated to discuss their submission will be given 10 minutes to speak. The hearing will not be

held if there are no requests to speak.

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How to make a submissionAll submissions, including those sent by post, must be received at the VEC by 5.00 pm on the

day of the submission deadline, as detailed in the ‘Review timeline’.

The VEC can only accept submissions that include a full name, address and contact number.

All submissions will be published on the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au and made available for

public inspection at the VEC office (Level 11, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne). The VEC will

remove personal information such as address, contact number, and signature, if applicable, from

all public copies. However, the full name and locality of submitters will be displayed.

See the ‘Submission checklist’ on the next page for a quick guide to the possible content of a

submission.

If you complete your submission online, you will also have the opportunity to use the VEC’s

Boundary Builder. This web application allows users to define local council ward boundaries and

numbers of councillors using actual voter numbers to ensure that there is fair representation in

your proposed model.

Submission methodsSubmissions can be made via:

The online submission form at vec.vic.gov.au

Email at [email protected]

Post toVictorian Electoral CommissionLevel 11, 530 Collins StreetMelbourne VIC 3000

Page 4 of 30

mailto:[email protected]

http://vec.vic.gov.au/


Submission checklistThis checklist provides you with an idea of the range of issues you might consider in your

submission. See the ‘Issues to consider on your submission’ section on the next page for an

explanation of these steps.

Before you send your submission:

Have you included your full name, address and a contact number?

(If you are completing an online submission you will be prompted to include this information after writing your submission.)

Do you understand that your submission will be made public, including your full name and locality?

If you are making a submission about the number of councillors (see page 6)

Does your submission suggest a number of councillors between 5 and 12?

If the number of councillors you have suggested varies substantially from numbers in similar local councils, have you explained why?

If you are making a submission about the electoral structure (see page 8)

Have you indicated whether you want the local council to be subdivided or unsubdivided?

Have you explained why your preferred structure would best suit the local council?

If you think that the local council should be subdivided into wards (see page 9)

Have you indicated whether you want single-councillor wards, multi-councillor wards or a combination of both?

Have you indicated where the ward boundaries should be located and provided reasons for these proposed boundaries?

Have you considered the number of voters in the proposed wards?

If you have suggested ward names, have you given reasons for those names?

If you are making a response submission to the preliminary report

Does your submission address the options recommended in the preliminary report?

Have you indicated whether or not you would like to speak about your submission at the public hearing?

Page 5 of 30


Issues to consider in your submissionYour submission may address one or both of the following issues:

the number of councillors (between 5 and 12), and

the structure of the electorate (subdivided or unsubdivided).

You may make a submission in support of the current structure in the local council, or in support

of a different electoral structure and/or number of councillors. It is important that your submission

provides reasons for your preferences.

This section provides an overview of issues for you to consider before making your submission.

Number of councillorsWhen making a submission about the number of councillors, there are three important guidelines

that the VEC follows that you need to bear in mind. These are that:

1. The number of councillors is between 5 and 12.

The Act allows for a local council to have between 5 and 12 councillors. As the number of voters

in each local council varies significantly, and as populations change over time, the VEC applies

the requirements for fairness and equity in a logical way—those local councils that have a larger

number of voters generally have a higher number of councillors.

2. The number of voters represented by each councillor is fair and equitable across the local council.

If the local council is divided into wards, the number of voters represented by each councillor

must be within 10% of the average number of voters per councillor across the local council. This

is called the ‘legislative equality requirement’, which ensures the principle of ‘one vote, one

value’.

EXAMPLE 1:

A subdivided local council has 100,000 people eligible to vote and a total of 10

councillors. The ward boundaries for this local council should be structured to ensure

that each councillor represents the equivalent number of voters, approximately 10,000

(plus or minus 10%).

Page 6 of 30


EXAMPLE 2:

A local council is subdivided into two wards, with 21,000 people eligible to vote and a

total of seven councillors. Ward A has a voting population of 12,000 and Ward B has a

voting population of 9,000. On this basis, Ward A should have four councillors, and

Ward B should have three councillors. Each councillor then represents the equivalent

number of voters (3,000).

The VEC also takes into account likely population changes to ensure ward boundaries provide

equitable representation until the next review is conducted (reviews take place approximately

every 12 years). Population and development forecasts for the local council are provided in the

‘Golden Plains Shire Council at a glance’ section of this guide.

3. A consistent, State-wide approach is taken to the total number of councillors.

When reviewing a council, the VEC is guided by its comparisons with local councils of a similar

size and category (Metropolitan Melbourne; Interface; Regional Centres; and Country Victoria).

Please see the tables in Annex 1 for relevant data on Golden Plains Shire Council and similar

local councils.

The VEC also considers any special circumstances that may warrant the local council having

more or fewer councillors than similar local councils. These might include:

significant population growth within the local council

an especially mobile or transient population

cultural and linguistic diversity within the community

socio-economic disparities

a large proportion of one demographic who may have special interests and needs

the number of non-residents and company nominees

a wide geographic distribution of voters within a large local council

a large number of communities of interest (see ‘Communities of interest’ section).

Page 7 of 30


Structure of the local councilYour submission may also address the structure of Golden Plains Shire Council, which can be:

unsubdivided, with all councillors elected ‘at large’ by all of the voters in the local

council, or

subdivided into wards, with one or more councillors elected by the voters in each ward.

If the local council is subdivided, your submission may also address:

– the number of wards

– what the ward boundaries should be

– the name of each ward and

– how many councillors should be elected for each ward.

This section provides information about these different electoral structures.

Unsubdivided councils

More positive features Less positive features

Promotes the concept of a council-wide focus with councillors being elected by, and concerned for, the local council as a whole, rather than parochial interests.

May lead to significant communities of interest and points of view being unrepresented.

Gives residents and ratepayers a choice of councillors to approach with their concerns.

May lead to confusion of responsibilities and duplication of effort on the part of councillors.

Each voter has the opportunity to express a preference for every candidate for the Council election.

Large numbers of candidates might be confusing for voters.

Removes the need to define internal ward boundaries.

May lead to councillors being relatively inaccessible for residents in parts of the local council.

If a councillor resigns or is unable to complete their term, a replacement councillor is elected through a countback system, negating the need for a by-election.

May be difficult for voters to assess the performance of individual councillors.

If only a few candidates contest the general election, the countback system may elect a candidate who only polled a small percentage of the vote.

Page 8 of 30


Subdivided councilsThere are three ways to divide a council into wards:

single-councillor wards with just one councillor representing each ward

multi-councillor wards with several councillors representing each ward

combinations of the two.

Unsubdivided Single-councillor Multi-councillor Combination

Single-councillor wards


Councillors are more likely to be truly local representatives, easily accessible to residents and aware of local issues.

Councillors may be elected on minor or parochial issues and lack a council-wide perspective.

Major geographical communities of interest are likely to be represented.

Ward boundaries may divide communities of interest and may be difficult to define.

Voters may have a restricted choice of candidates in elections for individual wards.

Small populations in each ward may make ward boundaries more susceptible to change as a result of population growth or decline.

Where major groups support candidates in multiple wards, it is possible that one group can dominate the council.

Page 9 of 30


Multi-councillor wards


Can accommodate a large community of interest.

Groups may form within the council leading to possible division between councillors.

Focus on issues may be broader than in single councillor wards (though councillors may have a more local focus than in an unsubdivided local council).

Very specific local issues may not be addressed.

Councillors may be more accessible than in an unsubdivided local council. Electors have a choice of councillors.

In very large wards, councillors may not be accessible for residents in parts of the ward.

Councillors may share workloads more effectively.

Duplication may occur if councillors do not communicate or share their workloads.

Ward boundaries should be easy to identify and less susceptible to change as a result of population growth or decline than in single councillor wards.

A combination of multi-councillor and single-councillor wards


A large community of interest can be included within a multi-councillor ward and a smaller community of interest can be included within a single-councillor ward. This structure accommodates differences in population across a local council, and allows small communities to be separately represented.

Electors in single-councillor wards may feel under-represented because they only have one councillor, leading to a perception of unfairness.

Clear ward boundaries are more likely. Different vote counting systems within the same local council may seem inconsistent.

Different quotas would be required to elect councillors in multi-councillor and single-councillor wards, leading to a perception of inequality

Page 10 of 30


Electoral structures and vote countingAccording to law, the structure of the council determines the vote counting system. You may

wish to consider the impact of these counting systems in making your submission.

In single-councillor wards, the preferential system applies, which means a candidate must

achieve an absolute majority (50% plus one) of the formal votes to be elected, otherwise the

outcome will be determined based on preferences.

In multi-councillor wards or in unsubdivided local councils, proportional representation applies,

and candidates are elected in proportion to their support within the electorate. The required

quota of votes is reached by dividing the total number of formal votes by the number of

vacancies plus one. Therefore, unlike the preferential vote counting system where only the

candidate with the majority of votes is elected, other candidates representing groups or issues

that have significant minority support may also be elected.

EXAMPLE: An unsubdivided local council has seven councillor positions and therefore

uses proportional representation. In this local council, any candidate achieving greater

than 12.5% of the vote will be elected.

Visit the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au/Elections/CountingTheVotes.html for more detailed

information on the preferential and proportional counting systems.

Page 11 of 30

https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/Elections/CountingTheVotes.html


Communities of interestCommunities of interest are groups of people who share a range of common concerns or

aspirations. They are different from ‘interest groups’ or ‘pressure groups’ that identify themselves

based on a limited number of issues.

Communities of interest may occur where people are linked with each other geographically (e.g.

a town or valley) or economically (e.g. people working in similar industries or mutually-dependent

industries). Communities of interest may also appear where people share a number of special

needs because of similar circumstances, such as new immigrants (who may not have strong

English language skills, and require assistance with housing and finding employment); particular

ethnic groups; retirees; or job seekers.

Communities of interest are an important consideration in electoral representation reviews as

they have particular needs from their local council. In such cases, it is important the communities

of interest have the opportunity to be fairly represented by their council. There are a number of

ways to take account of communities of interest, depending on how they are distributed

geographically.

If a community of interest… Then fair representation may be achieved by:

is in the same geographic area (e.g. a town)

creating a ward with boundaries reflecting that community of interest.

is widespread across the local council (e.g. job seekers)

creating multi-councillor wards with proportional representation.

is one of a number of small communities of interest

combining the communities of interest via an unsubdivided structure, so that any elected councillor would be responsible to all of these groups.

Ward boundariesWard boundaries must ensure that the statutory equality requirement is met—the number of

voters represented by each councillor must be plus or minus 10% of the average number of

voters per councillor across the local council.

Because representation reviews are scheduled approximately every 12 years, population growth

areas often need to be spread across a number of wards to ensure that the voter-councillor

ratios remain acceptable during this time. Fewer wards mean a larger average number of voters

per ward and a greater tolerance to population changes.

Boundaries should always take into account communities of interest and should follow clear lines

(major roads, rivers, significant landmarks and existing locality boundaries where possible).

Page 12 of 30


Ward namesThe VEC welcomes suggestions for ward names. The names must be relevant and specific to

the ward to avoid any possible confusion with other wards. Some popular approaches include

using:

place names

compass directions

historic buildings

natural features present in the ward

names of pioneers and former prominent citizens

Aboriginal names

native flora or fauna.

Page 13 of 30


How recommendations are formedThe VEC is an impartial statutory authority and conducts the reviews independently of councils

and the State Government.

Public submissions are an important part of the review process, but there are several other

important considerations. The recommendation is not based on a ‘straw poll’ of the number of

submissions supporting a particular option, but holistically takes into account:

internal research specifically relating to the local council under review

the VEC’s experience conducting previous electoral representation reviews of local

councils and similar reviews for State elections

the VEC’s expertise in special analysis, demography and local government

careful consideration of all input from the public in written and verbal submissions

received during the review and

advice from consultants with extensive experience in local government.

Limitations of the reviewIt is important to note that an electoral representation review cannot deal with the external

boundaries of a local council or decide whether a local council should be divided or

amalgamated with other local councils.

In addition, a review cannot consider the vote counting system used in local council elections.

The counting system is determined by the structure of the local council—in single-councillor

wards, the preferential system applies, and in multi-councillor wards or in unsubdivided local

councils, proportional representation applies. See the ‘Electoral structures and vote counting’

section.

Page 14 of 30


Summary of 2007 review of Golden Plains Shire CouncilThe last electoral representation review for Golden Plains Shire Council took place in 2007. Prior

to the review, Golden Plains Shire Council had nine councillors elected from nine wards.

Following the 2007 review, the VEC recommended that Golden Plains Shire Council change to

seven councillors elected in an unsubdivided municipality.

The VEC’s recommendation was based on the following considerations:

the size and distribution of the population;

the appropriate number of councillors for municipalities of this size and type;

the broad communities of interest in Golden Plains Shire; and

forecasted population growth from 2007 to 2016.

The VEC recommended that the number of councillors on Golden Plains Shire Council reduces

to seven. The VEC received five preliminary submissions and 10 response submissions, with

most of the response submissions in support of retaining nine councillors. Golden Plains Shire

Council’s submission pointed out that the Shire was one of the fastest growing regional

municipalities; it was characterised by many small and dispersed communities; and there was a

dual focus of residents to the adjoining regional centres of Ballarat and Geelong, which meant

councillors had the additional task of ensuring residents were represented in regional meetings

and forums.

The VEC compared Golden Plains Shire Council with seven-councillor and nine-councillor

municipalities and found that the Shire was typical of rural and regional municipalities with seven

councillors. The VEC acknowledged Golden Plains Shire’s forecast population growth but found

that it was unlikely to reach a point where additional councillors would be required in the period

to the next review.

The VEC assessed an alternative option to subdivide the municipality into two three-councillor

wards and one single-councillor ward, which would have captured the broad communities of

interest in the Shire. These included the Ballarat-focused communities and the Geelong-focused

communities, as well as the sparsely populated broad acre farming communities in the centre of

the Shire. Several submissions opposed the alternative option as it would reduce representation

for farming communities. The VEC found that the ward representing farming communities would

also be geographically very large and difficult for a single councillor to adequately represent. The

VEC concluded that an unsubdivided municipality would offer the best scope for a range of

Page 15 of 30


communities of interest to be represented and encourage councillors to take a municipality-wide

approach to representing residents.

Visit the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au to access a copy of the 2007 review final report.

Map: current boundaries and voter numbersThe map below details the current boundaries and voter numbers.

Page 16 of 30


Map: voter numbers by localityThe map below details the voter numbers by locality. This information is useful if your submission

considers ward boundaries.

Page 17 of 30


Golden Plains Shire Council at a glanceGolden Plains Shire Council is located in Victoria’s south-west, between the two regional centres

of Ballarat and Geelong. It incorporates a predominantly rural landscape as well as growing

residential areas. Golden Plains Shire covers 2,704 square kilometres, with an estimated 21,688

population in 2016.

Many residents commute to Ballarat and Geelong for employment, education and services, and

proximity to these regional centres has contributed to the Shire’s population growth. Golden

Plains Shire is the fifth fastest growing municipality in regional Victoria.1

While Golden Plains Shire is distinguished by numerous small towns and villages, Bannockburn

in the south-east, closer to Geelong, is its largest town. About a quarter of the Shire’s population

resides in Bannockburn, which had an estimated 5,283 residents in 2016.2 Other towns with

larger populations are located in the north of the municipality closer to Ballarat. Smythesdale in

the north-west had an estimated population of 1,032 in 2016.

Golden Plains Shire is known for its agricultural industry, which focuses on wool and grain

growing, and intensive poultry and pig farming. Construction and wine production also contribute

to the local economy.3 The ‘Golden Plains Food Production Precinct’, in the south of the Shire, is

planned to become one of Victoria’s premier areas for intensive agriculture.4

Golden Plains Shire has been attracting young couples, young families as well as older adults

and empty nesters looking for an affordable semi-rural lifestyle within reasonable distance to

Ballarat, Geelong and Melbourne. In 2016, couples with children comprised 50.7% of family units

in the Shire, while couples without children comprised 37.7%.5

The median age in Golden Plains Shire is 39 years, which is below the average age for regional

Victorians of 42 years. There is also a lower proportion of persons at post-retirement age (65+

years) in the Shire’s population at approximately 13% compared to 19.6% for rural and regional

Victoria.

Golden Plains Shire has a lower unemployment rate overall, at 4.7%, compared to 6% for

regional Victoria. While the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors continue to provide 1 Know your council, ‘Golden Plains’, State Government of Victoria, http://knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au/councils/golden-plains, accessed 14 January 2019. 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics ‘Quickstats – Bannockburn (Vic.)’, http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC20132?opendocument, accessed 14 January 2019.3 Know your council, ‘Golden Plains’.4 Golden Plains Shire Council, ‘Investment Boom in Golden Plains’, Golden Plains Shire Council, https://www.goldenplains.vic.gov.au/news/investment-boom-golden-plains, accessed 14 January 2019. 5 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘Quickstats – Golden Plains (S)’. http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA22490?opendocument, accessed 14 January 2019.

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http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA22490?opendocument

http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA22490?opendocument

https://www.goldenplains.vic.gov.au/news/investment-boom-golden-plains

http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC20132?opendocument

http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC20132?opendocument

http://knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au/councils/golden-plains


employment to residents, the major industries that employ Golden Plains Shire residents are:

health care and social assistance (13.7%), construction (11.5%), retail trade (9.8%) and

manufacturing (8.9%). The health care and social assistance and construction sectors,

respectively, have grown in recent years.6

Compared to the state median weekly incomes of $1,419 (household) and $644 (personal), the

Golden Plains Shire population had a similar median household weekly income at $1,448 and

median personal weekly income at $628. Median weekly incomes were higher in Golden Plains

than median weekly incomes for rural and regional Victoria overall.

Census statistics indicate some variations in experiencing socio-economic disadvantage across

Golden Plains Shire. The SEIFA index is used to reflect disadvantage such as low income, low

educational attainment and high unemployment. A higher score indicates a lower level of socio-

economic disadvantage. While some areas, such as ‘Bannockburn and District’ scored higher on

the index (indicating that they tended to experience a lower level of disadvantage), some of the

other areas in the Shire scored lower on the index (indicating higher levels of socio-economic

disadvantage).7

Most people in Golden Plains Shire were born in Australia. Approximately 9% were born

overseas, with about 3% of residents speaking a language other than English. Italian, German

and Croatian were the top three languages other than English spoken in the Shire.8

The traditional custodians of the area are the Wadawurrung peoples.9 The Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander population made up about 1% of the Shire’s total population. This population is

slightly smaller than average for municipalities across rural and regional Victoria.

There are an estimated 18,567 voters in Golden Plains Shire, with a ratio of about 2,652 voters

per councillor. The Shire’s population is forecasted to increase at a rate of approximately 2% per

annum to reach over 28,000 by 2031.10 It is likely that population growth in the Shire will continue

to be uneven, with Bannockburn representing the greatest increase.11 Bannockburn has been

growing at a faster rate (4.5%) than the rest of the Shire (2.5%).12

6.id, ‘Golden Plains Shire: industry sector of employment’, .id, https://profile.id.com.au/golden-plains/industries?WebID=10, accessed 16 January 2019. 7.id, ‘Golden Plains Shire: SEIFA by profile area’, .id, https://profile.id.com.au/golden-plains/seifa-disadvantage-small-area?WebID=150, accessed 16 January 2019. SEIFA stands for Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas.8 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘Quickstats – Golden Plains (S)’.9 See interactive map at: Aboriginal Victoria, ‘Welcome to country and acknowledgement of traditional owners’, State Government of Victoria, https://achris.vic.gov.au/weave/wca.html, accessed 14 January 2019. 10 Know your council, ‘Golden Plains’.11 .id, ‘Golden Plains Shire: dwellings and development map’, .id, https://forecast.id.com.au/golden-plains/dwellings-development-map, accessed 17 January 2019.12 Golden Plains Shire Council, Annual Report, 2017-18, Golden Plains Shire Council, 2017, p. 21.

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https://forecast.id.com.au/golden-plains/dwellings-development-map

https://achris.vic.gov.au/weave/wca.html

https://profile.id.com.au/golden-plains/seifa-disadvantage-small-area?WebID=150

https://profile.id.com.au/golden-plains/seifa-disadvantage-small-area?WebID=150

https://profile.id.com.au/golden-plains/industries?WebID=10


Golden Plains Shire is known for its gold-mining history and heritage. Natural attractions include

Brisbane Ranges National Park, Enfield State Forest and Moorabool River

Electoral profile

Current estimate of voters 18,567

Voter density (voters/km2) 6.9

Average number of voters per councillor 2,652

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Statistical profile

Golden Plains Shire Council Rural/Regional Vic*

SizeArea (km2) 2,704 217,503

Population 21,688 1,458,785

Population density (people/km2) 8.1 6.7

Forecast population annual growth rate 2011-2031 (%)^ 2.1 1.1

Forecast population 2031^ 29,000 1,674,500

Population profileBorn overseas (%) 9.3 11

Language other than English spoken at home (%) 3 6

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%) 1 1.6

Median age 39 42.2

Age groups (% of total population)0–14 years 23.1 18.615–24 years 11.6 1225–44 years 24.6 2345–64 years 28 26.865+ years 12.7 19.6

Economic profileWorkforce participation (% of population aged 15+) 63.8 56.1

Unemployment rate (% of workforce) 4.7 6

Median personal weekly income 628 576

Low income earners—$499 gross or less per week (%) 30.2 33

High income earners—$2,000 gross or more per week (%) 5.1 4.5

Major industries (% of workforce)Health care and social assistance 13.7 14.3Retail trade 9.8 10.6Manufacturing 8.9 8.1Construction 11.5 8.8Education and training 8.2 8.7Agriculture, forestry and fishing 7.2 7.7Accommodation and food services 4.3 7Public administration and safety 6.1 6.1Transport, postal and warehousing 5.1 3.9Professional scientific and technical services 4.1 4.2Financial and insurance services 1.7 1.9

All data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) unless indicated.^ Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria in Future 2016, 2016.* The Greater Melbourne and Rural/Regional Victoria (Rest of Vic) regions are defined by the ABS as Greater Capital City Statistical Areas and are designed to represent the functional extent of capital cities. They include the people who regularly socialise, shop or work within the city, but live in the small towns and rural areas surrounding the city. Within each State and Territory, the area not defined as being part of the Greater Capital City is represented by a Rest of State region.

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Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide - Golden Plains Shire Council 2019

Annex 1: Electoral structures of all Victorian councilsThe tables below are sorted by current estimates of voters in descending order for each category (Metropolitan Melbourne; Interface; Regional Centres; and Country Victoria).

Metropolitan Melbourne

Local Council Area (km2)Population

(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review

Current estimate of voters as at

2018

Number of councillors

Number of voters per councillor

Electoral Structure

Brimbank City 123 194,319 127,517 135,931 11 12,3571 two-councillor ward

3 three-councillor wards

Boroondara City * 60 167,231 125,742 133,357 10 13,335 10 single-councillor wards

Moreland City 51 162,558 109,744 132,790 11 12,0711 three-councillor ward

2 four-councillor wards

Monash City 81 182,618 120,779 123,695 11 11,2451 two-councillor ward


Kingston City * 91 151,389 105,316 120,893 9 13,432 3 three-councillor wards

Melbourne City 36 135,959 104,929 119,595 9^ 13,288 Unsubdivided

Knox City 114 154,110 116,335 118,678 9 13,186 9 single-councillor wards

Whitehorse City * 64 162,078 111,384 115,486 10 11,548 5 two-councillor wards

Darebin City * 53 146,719 96,334 114,820 9 12,757 3 three-councillor wards

Frankston City 131 134,143 95,979 109,662 9 12,184 3 three-councillor wards

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Metropolitan Melbourne continued


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Glen Eira City 38 140,875 97,582 106,440 9 11,826 3 three-councillor wards

Greater Dandenong City * 130 152,050 93,970 103,754 11 9,432

1 two-councillor ward


Banyule City * 63 121,865 90,094 97,447 7 13,921 7 single-councillor wards

Moonee Valley City 44 116,671 88,394 94,682 9 10,520 3 three-councillor wards

Stonnington City 25 103,832 77,494 93,754 9 10,417 3 three-councillor wards

Port Phillip City 20 100,863 85,439 93,106 9 10,345 3 three-councillor wards

Manningham City * 114 116,255 85,748 87,820 9 9,757 3 three-councillor wards

Maroondah City * 61 110,376 77,739 86,282 9 9,586 3 three-councillor wards

Yarra City 20 86,657 65,512 81,669 9 9,074 3 three-councillor wards

Bayside City * 36 97,087 67,702 77,557 7 11,0792 two-councillor wards

1 three-councillor ward

Hobsons Bay City 65 88,778 63,363 69,683 7 9,9542 two-councillor wards


Maribyrnong City 31 82,288 52,543 65,202 7 9,3142 two-councillor wards


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Interface


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Casey City * 407 299,301 165,057 212,291 11 19,2991 single-councillor ward5 two-councillor wards

Mornington Peninsula Shire 723 154,999 153,332 161,497 11 14,681

3 single-councillor wards1 two-councillor ward2 three-councillor wards

Wyndham City 541 217,122 104,278 151,786 11 13,7981 three-councillor ward2 four-councillor wards

Whittlesea City * 489 197,491 110,011 148,487 11 13,4981 three-councillor ward2 four-councillor wards

Hume City 503 197,376 112,157 144,959 11 13,1781 three-councillor ward2 four-councillor wards

Yarra Ranges Shire 2,447 149,537 113,596 118,812 9 13,201 9 single-councillor wards

Melton Shire 527 135,443 85,682 99,690 9 11,0761 two-councillor ward1 three-councillor ward1 four-councillor ward

Cardinia Shire * 1,281 94,128 53,794 77,196 9 8,5771 two-councillor ward1 three-councillor ward1 four-councillor ward

Nillumbik Shire * 435 61,273 45,659 48,969 7 6,995 7 single-councillor wards

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Regional Centres


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Greater Geelong City 1,247 233,429 188,585 200,616 11 18,2371 two-councillor ward3 three-councillor wards

Greater Bendigo City 3,048 110,477 78,399 91,665 9 10,185 3 three-councillor wards

Ballarat City 740 101,686 77,625 84,783 9 9,420 3 three-councillor wards

Latrobe City 1,426 73,257 53,817 58,849 9 6,5381 single-councillor ward2 two-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward

Greater Shepparton City 2,422 63,837 44,701 46,359 9 5,151 Unsubdivided

Mildura Rural City 22,330 53,878 39,443 41,305 9 4,589 Unsubdivided

Mitchell Shire * 2,864 40,918 29,817 33,781 9 3,753 3 three-councillor wards

Wodonga City 433 39,351 29,002 32,230 7 4,604 Unsubdivided

Warrnambool City 120 33,655 26,116 27,497 7 3,928 Unsubdivided

Wangaratta Rural City 3,639 28,310 22,094 23,168 7 3,309

3 single-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward

Horsham Rural City 4,249 19,642 16,048 16,454 7 2,350 Unsubdivided

Benalla Rural City * 2,375 13,861 10,934 12,131 7 1,733 Unsubdivided

Ararat Rural City * 4,230 11,600 9,141 9,311 7 1,330 Unsubdivided

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Country Victoria


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Bass Coast Shire 864 32,804 42,592 46,280 9 5,142 3 three-councillor wards

Wellington Shire 10,989 42,983 42,355 43,171 9 4,796 3 three-councillor wards

East Gippsland Shire * 20,931 45,040 38,318 43,123 9 4,791 Unsubdivided

Baw Baw Shire 4,031 48,479 37,654 42,184 9 4,687 3 three-councillor wards

Macedon Ranges Shire 1,747 46,100 33,175 38,413 9 4,268 3 three-councillor wards

Surf Coast Shire 1,560 29,397 29,535 34,547 9 3,8381 single-councillor ward2 two-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward

Campaspe Shire * 4,519 37,061 28,118 30,984 9 3,4423 single-councillor wards2 three-councillor wards

South Gippsland Shire 3,305 28,703 27,654 29,505 9 3,278 3 three-councillor wards

Moorabool Shire 2,110 31,818 21,487 27,856 7 3,9793 single-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward

Moira Shire * 4,045 29,112 22,307 25,086 9 2,787 Unsubdivided

Colac Otway Shire * 3,433 20,972 19,198 20,750 7 2,964 Unsubdivided

Golden Plains Shire * 2,704 21,688 14,228 18,567 7 2,652 Unsubdivided

Glenelg Shire * 6,212 19,557 16,333 17,570 7 2,510 Unsubdivided

Mount Alexander Shire 1,529 18,761 15,411 16,826 7 2,403

4 single-councillor wards1 three-councillor ward

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Country Victoria continued


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Hepburn Shire * 1,470 15,330 13,649 15,727 7 2,2463 single-councillor wards2 two-councillor wards

Swan Hill Rural City * 6,117 20,584 14,386 14,749 7 2,107


Murrindindi Shire * 3,889 13,732 13,727 14,570 7 2,081 7 single-councillor wards

Moyne Shire * 5,478 16,495 12,420 14,424 7 2,060 Unsubdivided

Indigo Shire 2,044 15,952 12,920 13,725 7 1,960 Unsubdivided

Corangamite Shire 4,407 16,051 13,397 13,584 7 1,9404 single-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward

Southern Grampians Shire * 6,652 15,944 13,151 13,436 7 1,919 Unsubdivided

Alpine Shire 4,787 12,337 11,562 11,929 7 1,704 Unsubdivided

Central Goldfields Shire 1,534 12,995 11,017 11,446 7 1,635


Northern Grampians Shire * 5,918 11,439 10,540 10,882 7 1,554

2 single-councillor wards1 two-councillor ward1 three-councillor ward

Strathbogie Shire 3,302 10,274 9,268 10,182 7 1,4543 single-councillor wards2 two-councillor wards

Mansfield Shire * 3,843 8,584 9,429 10,014 5 2,0023 single-councillor wards1 two-councillor ward

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Country Victoria continued


(2016 Census)

Number of voters at

last review


2018



Electoral Structure

Gannawarra Shire 3,732 10,549 9,031 9,044 7 1,2922 single-councillor wards1 three-councillor ward1 four-councillor ward

Loddon Shire 6,694 7,516 7,669 7,651 5 1,530 5 single-councillor wards

Pyrenees Shire 3,433 7,238 7,145 7,497 5 1,499 5 single-councillor wards

Yarriambiack Shire 7,158 6,674 6,094 6,024 7 8602 two-councillor wards1 three-councillor ward

Buloke Shire * 8,004 6,201 6,149 5,773 7 8242 two-councillor wards1 three-councillor ward

Towong Shire 6,673 5,985 5,512 5,525 5 1,105 Unsubdivided

Hindmarsh Shire 7,527 5,721 5,040 4,913 6 818 3 two-councillor wards

Queenscliffe Borough * 36 2,853 4,245 4,400 5 880 Unsubdivided

West Wimmera Shire 9,107 3,903 3,890 3,824 5 764 Unsubdivided* The local council is undergoing an electoral representation review by the VEC during 2019–20, the current estimate of voters is based on information provided by council in 2018.^ Councillors other than the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor.

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Annex 2: Sample submissionsAny person or group can make a submission to the VEC. There are many matters to be

considered when determining the electoral structure of a local council and you might like to take

all issues into account or just focus on one issue you wish to bring to the attention of the review.

The sample submissions below should be considered as examples only to assist you in

preparing your own submission. Submissions discussing or proposing ward boundaries can

include maps or diagrams, but this is not required. Remember, there are no right or wrong ways

to develop your submissions—just be sure your submission is limited to the scope of the review

and includes reasons for your preferences.

Stage one: preliminary submission samples

Sample 1

The current number of councillors is appropriate for the local council under review, and is

sufficient to provide fair and equitable representation for locals. The number of councillors is

consistent with comparable regional local councils, and there are no major forecasts in

population growth or increased communities of interest that would justify more councillors.

In terms of electoral structure, I strongly support the continuation of the unsubdivided structure.

In 2004, before the Council was unsubdivided, there were seven single-member wards. One of

the key issues with this structure was a tendency toward there not being a whole-of-Shire

development agenda. Having five councillors who look after the needs of the entire Shire has

greatly improved strategic planning and development for all areas of the Shire.

Sample 2

The council currently has five councillors, which is not enough to serve the current population—

increasing to seven councillors would be more representative. Similarly, an electoral structure

that includes multi-wards or is unsubdivided would allow for greater representation for the public.

The current structure comprises five single-councillor wards. My experience has been that when

a councillor is overworked or not interested in an issue, going to a councillor outside the ward is

the only option.

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Stage two: response submission samples

Sample 1

I support the preferred option outlined in the preliminary report that recommends increasing the

number of councillors from seven to nine, and changes the electoral structure to include three

wards, each with three councillors. This electoral structure reflects the growing population of the

council area, and the three wards will ensure that all voters are fairly represented in the

electorate. I don’t wish to propose ward name changes. I don’t wish to speak at the public

hearing.

Sample 2

I do not agree with the preferred option outlined in the preliminary report, which recommends

creating two two-councillor wards and one three-councillor ward—rather than the current seven

single-councillor wards. I believe this does not accurately reflect the communities of interest in

the council area, which are determined largely by location. Each ward represents a unique part

of the council area and voters know which councillor to go to. I believe this would be lost under

the proposed structure. I would like to speak at the public hearing in support of my submission.

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