The ward boundaries for ten Victorian councils will be altered in time for the 2024 elections following a review by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).
The Allan Labor Government has accepted the VEC's final reports and recommendations, ensuring fair and equitable representation through the new ward boundary arrangements.
Under the Local Government Act 2020, the number of voters per councillor in a ward should not vary by more than ten per cent from the average number of voters per councillor for all of the wards.
In February 2023, the VEC advised that ten councils were projected to have at least one ward with councillor to voter ratio imbalances at the time of the October 2024 elections.
In April 2023, in accordance with section 17 of the Local Government Act 2020, the Minister for Local Government asked the VEC to conduct ward boundary reviews for these councils.
The VEC's reviews have been completed in time to allow for candidates and the VEC to implement the necessary planning ahead of the general elections in October this year.
The ten councils that will alter their ward boundaries include:
Bass Coast Shire Council
Baw Baw Shire Council
Boroondara City Council
Cardinia Shire Council
Greater Dandenong City Council
Loddon Shire Council
Murrindindi Shire Council
Pyrenees Shire Council
South Gippsland Shire Council
Wellington Shire Council.
The ward boundary details are available at localgovernment.vic.gov.au/council-governance.
As stated by Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne
"We thank the Victorian Electoral Commission for their extensive work to ensure Victorian communities have fair and equitable representation from their local councils."
"These new ward boundaries will be in place for the local government elections this year, which is an important step in supporting local government to meet community expectations."
