By Laura Wakely
RESIDENTS have spoken out against the return of councillors to Brimbank City Council calling for “quality not quantity.”
Residents voiced their concerns at a Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) meeting last week where the VEC heard submissions to their review of council wards and councillor numbers.
The VEC has recommended that Brimbank have three councillors in Taylors, Grasslands and Harvester wards, with two councillors in Horseshoe Bend ward when council elections are held next year.
One resident speaking at last week’s meeting said they were “disturbed” the VEC had recommended the same structure as it had in 2009 when the councillors were sacked and replaced with administrators.
“What we experienced and endured last time… it didn’t work,” the resident said.
“The administrators have suggested the council can operate with less councillors. What we would like is for the administrators to continue.”
A second resident backed up those sentiments, claiming that the administrators had “proved they’re doing a good job”.
“We’ve had a bad experience with 11 and good experience with three,” the resident said.
“I would first stress for quality, then for quantity.”
A representative for the Greens said the VEC’s suggested structures wouldn’t work.
“We may find the return of democracy to Brimbank short-lived or not what we hoped for,” the representative said.
The Greens have proposed nine councillors equally divided across three wards.
“We think this option is like the Brownlow medal option, it’s best and fairest,” he said.
Other submitters, including former Keilor MP George Seitz, did not choose to speak on their submissions to the VEC.
In his submission Mr Seitz claimed the “Anglo Saxon Celtic” dominated council were discriminating against the “179 different nationalities” in Brimbank.
Other submitters wrote that it would be a “travesty of justice” to keep the same ward structure as was in 2009.
“Brimbank needs the same system as Melbourne City Council, nine elected councillors and the mayor to be elected by the residents,” the submitter wrote.
Public submissions to the review are now closed, with the report available from Wednesday 26 October.
