Speaking at the Local Government Association of Tasmania’s (LGAT) Annual Conference in June, Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, announced his intention to implement compulsory voting for Tasmanian council elections.
It is compulsory to vote at all State and Territory elections, however, at Local Government elections there are some differences between the States. In South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, voting or attendance remains voluntary, while in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory it is compulsory.
The Premier’s announcement followed opposition to the move by a majority of Tasmanian councils in a motion during the Association’s General Meeting. He said he believed it was important for all Tasmanians to
have their views recorded in the third sphere of government.
“For a democracy to operate in a healthy way and to maintain its connection and relevance to the community, everyone needs to have their say,” he said. “The cost of conducting compulsory Local Government elections would not be prohibitive. It is a question of representation, not a question of money.
“Compulsory voting will see more people engaged with and in touch with Local Government. Women are still massively underrepresented, with only a quarter of Tasmanian Councillors being female. We should have the same diversity as our society.”
Premier Bartlett will seek endorsement for the move at the ALP’s Tasmanian conference in September.
“I know this will cause debate and discussion and I welcome that,” he said.
