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MOIRA SHIRE COUNCILFebruary 2019
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February 2019
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 MOIRA SHIRE COUNCIL............................15
Map: current boundaries and voter numbers............................................................................16
Map: voter numbers by locality..................................................................................................17
MOIRA 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 Moira 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 Moira Shire Council and sample submissions to help you prepare your own
submission.
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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 6 February 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.
Tuesday 5 February and Wednesday 6 February 2019
Public information sessionsPublic information sessions will be held at:
5.30 pm on Tuesday 5 February 2019 in the Numurkah Presidents Room, 99 Melville Street, Numurkah
7.30 pm on Tuesday 5 February 2019 at the Cobram Civic Centre, Punt Road, Cobram
7.00 pm on Wednesday 6 February 2019 at the Yarrawonga Town Hall, 100 Belmore Street, Yarrawonga.
Anyone interested in making a submission or with questions about the review process is urged to attend.
Wednesday 6 March 2019
Closing date for preliminary submissionsPreliminary submissions must reach the VEC by 5.00 pm on this date.
Wednesday 3 April 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 1 May 2019
Closing date for response submissionsResponse submissions must reach the VEC by 5.00 pm on this date.
Wednesday 8 May 2019
Public hearingA public hearing is scheduled to be held at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 8 May 2019 at the Cobram Civic Centre, Punt Road, Cobram.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, 29 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.
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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
Moira 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
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Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide Moira Shire Council 2019
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?
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Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide Moira Shire Council 2019
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%).
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Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide Moira Shire Council 2019
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
‘Moira 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 Moira Shire 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).
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Structure of the local councilYour submission may also address the structure of Moira 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.
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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
More positive features Less positive features
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.
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Multi-councillor wards
More positive features Less positive features
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
More positive features Less positive features
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Summary of 2007 review of Moira Shire CouncilThe last electoral representation review for Moira Shire Council took place in 2007. Prior to the
review, Moira Shire Council had nine councillors elected from three three-councillor wards.
Following the 2007 review, the VEC recommended that Moira Shire Council consists of nine
councillors and changes to an unsubdivided municipality.
The VEC’s recommendation was based on the following considerations:
the large size of the local council area compared to similar municipalities, and the
population distribution across the Shire
the appropriate number of councillors for municipalities of this size and type
the Shire’s uneven population growth, which centred on the town of Yarrawonga
the need to ensure that the communities of interest tied to the main towns (Cobram,
Nathalia, Numurkah and Yarrawonga) were not divided by new ward boundaries.
The VEC recommended Moira Shire Council retains nine councillors. The VEC considered that
Moira Shire’s population was small for similar municipalities with nine councillors and compared
Moira Shire Council to rural and regional municipalities with seven councillors and municipalities
typically with nine councillors. The VEC found that the Shire’s large area and its fast growing
population meant that it was best for the Shire to continue with the greater number of nine
councillors until at least the next review.
The VEC’s final recommendation was to move to an unsubdivided municipality but the option
preferred in the preliminary report during the review was to retain three three-councillor wards,
with boundary changes to accommodate the growth in Yarrawonga and ensure that the forward
voter projections in each of the wards would remain within the legislated requirement. Moira
Shire Council’s submission highlighted the community’s existing support for a three-ward
structure because it had captured the four main towns and their outlying communities as
individual communities of interest.
Adjustments to the ward boundaries however presented difficulties, notably by dividing these
communities of interest. Uneven population growth meant that the slower growing areas of the
Shire would be much larger as separate wards and could pose a burden on councillors
representing those areas. The VEC considered that while there were features that differentiated
the various town centres, there were also features that united Moira Shire’s population. An
unsubdivided structure would offer scope for the population to elect councillors who could
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represent the entire municipality and ensure that existing communities of interest were not
divided.
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.
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Electoral profile
Current estimate of voters 25,086
Voter density (voters/km2) 6.2
Average number of voters per councillor 2,787
Local Council Representation Review - Submission Guide Moira Shire Council 2019
Map: voter numbers by localityThe map below details the voter numbers by locality. This information is useful if your submission
considers ward boundaries.
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Moira Shire Council at a glanceThe Shire of Moira is a predominantly rural landscape with residential areas. It is located in
Victoria’s north-east, about three hours’ drive from Melbourne. Moira Shire Council covers 4,045
square kilometres and is home to an estimated 29,112 people.1
Moira Shire Council is bounded by the Murray, Goulburn and Ovens Rivers, and Barmah
National Park. It is served by the Goulburn Valley Highway and the Murray Valley Highway.
Natural attractions include Barmah National Park (the world’s largest red gum forest), the Lake
Mulwala foreshore and Broken Boosey State Park.2
Moira Shire Council incorporates a large part of the Murray Valley and is known for its primary
industries. The region is a major fruit growing, dairying and beef district, with a food processing
industry and range of agribusinesses supporting its primary industries. Tourism also drives the
local economy, with Yarrawonga located by the Murray River and within reach of Lake Mulwala
being the tourism hub. While irrigation farming covers a large area, there are some differences in
land use across the Shire. The northern irrigated areas are the basis for horticulture and
viticulture while areas to the south and east are used for grazing (dairy in irrigated areas and
sheep or cattle in dry land areas).3
Yarrawonga is Moira Shire Council’s largest town, with an estimated population of 7,930;
followed by Cobram at 6,014, Numurkah 4,477 and Nathalia 1,880.4 The remaining population is
dispersed across 18 smaller communities. While the Shire’s population is expected to decline in
rural districts, strong growth is projected to continue in the east, centred on Yarrawonga.5
The Shire attracts many empty-nesters and retirees and this is reflected in the median age of its
residents. The median age in Moira Shire is approximately 46 years, while Yarrawonga’s median
age is 50 years, Cobram is 47 years, Numurkah is 47 years and Nathalia is 45 years. These
median ages are all higher than the average age of approximately 42 years for rural and regional
Victoria.6
Moira Shire is varied economically, socially and culturally, and these variations are reflected in
demographic differences between the four main towns.
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census.2 Moira Shire Council, Moira Shire Council Plan, 2017–2021, Moira Shire Council, 2017, pp. 4-5.3 Moira Shire Council, Council Plan, 2013–2017, Moira Shire Council, 2013, pp. 1-2; Know Your Council, ‘Moira Shire’, Local Government Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, http://knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au/councils/moira, accessed 24 January 2019. 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics ‘2016 Census Quickstats: Moira (S)’, http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA24900?opendocument, accessed 24 January 2019. See also Quickstats for Yarrawonga, Cobram, Numurkah and Nathalia. 5 Moira Shire Council, Moira Shire Council Plan, 2017–2021, p. 4.6 Australian Bureau of Statistics ‘2016 Census Quickstats: Moira (S)’. See also Quickstats for Yarrawonga, Cobram, Numurkah and Nathalia.
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Workforce participation for Moira Shire’s population as a whole is 52% of the population.7 The
Shire’s unemployment rate is 5%, below the average of 6% for regional Victoria. This differs
slightly across the main towns. Cobram registered a higher rate of unemployment at 6%,
Yarrawonga (5.4%), Numurkah (5%) and Nathalia (4%).8
Across Moira Shire, the top three industries of employment include: agriculture, forestry and
fishing (employing 16.2%), manufacturing (12.9%) and health care and social assistance
(11.3%). While agriculture and food processing supports the Shire as a whole, there are
differences in the balance of industries in each town. Yarrawonga is defined by tourism and its
residents are also employed in aged care residential services in the area. Explosives
manufacturing in Benalla and across the state border in Mulwala also provides employment to
Yarrawonga residents. Horticulture and dairying are important in Cobram, which is home to the
Murray Goulburn Co-operative. Established in 1949, the co-operative is one of Victoria’s largest
milk producers. In addition to its primary industry, Numurkah is known for processing oilseed and
for its rail freight service.9
Moira Shire residents have a lower median weekly income for rural and regional Victoria. The
median personal weekly income for residents is $524 compared to $576 for regional Victoria.
Median household income is also lower at $1,014 compared with $1,124 for regional Victoria.
There are differences across the four main towns. Cobram registered the lowest median
personal weekly income at $497 in the 2016 Census. Nathalia had the highest median personal
weekly income at $546.10
Overall, a greater percentage of couples without children live in the Shire. Couples without
children comprised 47% of the population and couples with children comprised 36% of the
population. This ratio is similar for each of the four main towns. Yarrawonga has the highest
percentage of couples without children at close to 51%.11
Across Moira Shire, approximately 82% of people were born in Australia and about 88% of
people only spoke English at home. While the Shire largely presents as culturally and
linguistically homogenous, there is a strong Indigenous community in the west, around the
Barmah forest. About 2% of the population in the town of Nathalia are people of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander heritage (compared to 1.7% of the total Shire population). There is also a
strong Italian community in the region dating back to the major irrigation programs in the 20th
Century and the development of horticulture and viticulture in the area. This community is
7 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census.8 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘2016 Census, Quickstats: Moira’. See also 2016 Census Quickstats results for Yarrawonga, Cobram, Nathalia and Numurkah.9 Moira Shire, Council Plan, 2013–2017, p. 1.10 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘2016 Census, Quickstats: Moira’. See also 2016 Census Quickstats results in the category for Yarrawonga, Cobram, Nathalia and Numurkah.11 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘2016 Census, Quickstats: Moira’. See also 2016 Census Quickstats results in the category for Yarrawonga, Cobram, Nathalia and Numurkah.
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centred in Cobram, as well as the regional city of Shepparton outside Moira Shire. Italian is
spoken by 4.1% of Cobram’s population. In recent years, an Arabic-speaking population has
settled in the region. Approximately 2% of Cobram’s population registered as speaking Arabic at
home, and Iraq was within the top five birthplaces for Cobram residents born overseas.
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Statistical profile
Moira Shire Rural/Regional Vic*
SizeArea (km2) 4,045 217,503
Population 29,112 1,458,785
Population density (people/km2) 7.3 6.7
Forecast population annual growth rate 2011-2031 (%)^ 0.7 1.1
Forecast population 2031^ 32,000 1,674,500
Population profileBorn overseas (%) 9.2 11
Language other than English spoken at home (%) 4.6 6
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%) 1.7 1.6
Median age 45.9 42.2
Age groups (% of total population)0–14 years 18.1 18.615–24 years 11 1225–44 years 19.8 2345–64 years 27 26.865+ years 24 19.6
Economic profileWorkforce participation (% of population aged 15+) 51.9 56.1
Unemployment rate (% of workforce) 5.1 6
Median personal weekly income 524 576
Low income earners—$499 gross or less per week (%) 36.1 33
High income earners—$2,000 gross or more per week (%) 2.9 4.5
Major industries (% of workforce)Health care and social assistance 11.3 14.3Retail trade 10 10.6Manufacturing 12.9 8.1Construction 8.4 8.8Education and training 6.9 8.7Agriculture, forestry and fishing 16.2 7.7Accommodation and food services 7.2 7Public administration and safety 3.2 6.1Transport, postal and warehousing 3.9 3.9Professional scientific and technical services 2.8 4.2Financial and insurance services 1.1 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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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
3 three-councillor wards
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
Metropolitan Melbourne continued
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
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
3 three-councillor wards
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
1 three-councillor ward
Maribyrnong City 31 82,288 52,543 65,202 7 9,3142 two-councillor wards
1 three-councillor ward
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Interface
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
3 single-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward
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
3 single-councillor wards1 four-councillor ward
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
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
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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