Kyogle, here is a Yes and No case on the referendum

Susanna Freymark

The answer to the Kyogle Council election referendum question is simple – Yes or No.

The problem is the question itself isn’t simple and is complicated by bringing two concepts together that have only answer – Yes or No.

Here’s the question you will be asked to answer on September 14:

Do you favour the election of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term with the number of wards reduced from three to two, each ward comprising of four councillors, plus a popularly elected Mayor?

I disclose that I live in Ward C. I’d like to vote for a popularly elected mayor, rather than councillors doing it but having lived in Ward C for three years, I don’t want to see the abolition of  Ward C and the LGA cut down the middle with A and B Ward only.

The referendum does not allow me to answer each concept separately. It is clumsy and convoluted in its structure.

When you live in C Ward, the township of Kyogle can be up to an hour and a half away, and the issues of people living in this spread out, geographically isolated area need representation – preferably by councillors living here.

To help you make up your own mind, below are the cases for a Yes and No.

Resident Graeme Gibson lives in the town of Kyogle and is in favour of a yes to the referendum question – here’s his letter explaining why.

“After years of occasional discussion about the method of election of the mayor, Kyogle Council resolved in March this year to hold a referendum allowing voters to decide.

The current system has the councillors voting among themselves to elect a mayor for a two year period.

The alternative method is for voters to directly elect the mayor. This would also mean a change in the ward system.

The outcome of the referendum is binding on the council, not optional.

At the candidates forum in Kyogle, eight candidates were opposed to the change, and eight said they had no opinion but would accept the result. None were in favour.

Council has provided the case for and against the change in an information sheet. Several of the points both for and against are, arguably, pretty flimsy. The sort of points you search for when padding out an argument.

There is one point that is entirely overlooked. And I think it’s a hugely important point.

And this is that giving voters the power, and the responsibility, to elect the mayor increases the likelihood that they will pay attention, get engaged and (hopefully) stay engaged.

 At the 2020 election the voters of Kyogle LGA were faced with the dismal prospect of 12 candidates for nine positions. In one ward the only candidates were existing councillors who were elected unopposed. This does not present a realistic choice for voters, or a contest of ideas.

Now, with a turbulent period behind, we find increased public interest in the election and we see 17 candidates for nine positions. Much healthier.

We live in a time when public trust and support for government and the institutions of society is declining. Politics is a turn-off to many people. To say this has implications for social cohesion could be an under-statement.

Local government, the level closest to the people, is well placed to reverse this, to rebuild support and entrench engagement. And that matters.”

Deputy mayor and candidate for Ward C Tom Cooper is a firm no and here are his reasons for that.

“The number one reason (against a popularly elected mayor) is it leads to party politics in local government. (An example is the latest debacle of the Liberal party.)

A Yes will lead to the abolition of C Ward. It matters because A and B Ward already share the population of Kyogle. This leaves the council more likely to be represented by people east of the range so there would be far less representation of villages west of the range.

With the system we’ve got, the mayor has to have the majority of councillors’ votes and after two years, the councillors have the opportunity to install another mayor if it’s not working.

A popularly elected mayor is for four years.

We’ve got a Westminster system, and we don’t have a popularly elected Prime Minister or Premier. The party puts you in – the same as the council. We’ve seen a PM lose support of his party and be removed.

We make the decision on September 14.

Here are the arguments for and against as listed on the Kyogle Council website.

Read all stories related to the Kyogle Council Election here.