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Independent Review of Local Government Elections

The State Government will reform the processes around local government elections in an effort to boost voter turnout at the next elections in October-November 2010.

See the media release from the Hon. Gail Gago, MLC, Minister for State/Local Government Relations.

The Government has accepted 23 of the 27 recommendations in the Final Report of the Independent Review

Government Response to Independent Review of Local Government Elections (Word document - 106 KB)

Government Response to Independent Review of Local Government Elections  (PDF document - 141 KB)

 

The Minister

 

In March 2008, the Final Report of the Independent Review was officially released by the (then) Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Jennifer Rankine, and the (then) President of the Local Government Association, Mayor Joy Baluch.

Background

On 20 April 2007, the then Minister for State/Local Government Relations, the Hon. Jennifer Rankine, and the then-President of the Local Government Association, Councillor John Rich, jointly commissioned an Independent Review of Local Government Elections.

Photo of Independent Reviewer, Margaret Wagstaff
Independent Reviewer
Magaret Wagstaff

The Terms of Reference canvassed an extensive range of issues that may be categorised under three broad headings:

1. Improving Local Government voter participation
2. Improving Local Government representation; and
3. Improving the Local Government election process.


Ms Wagstaff appointed a Reference Group to assist her in drafting three Issues Papers that deal with each of these broad headings.

The Issues Papers and a 10-minute survey were released for public consultation on 6 June 2007, signalling the commencement of nine weeks of community engagement throughout South Australia, that officially ended on 10 August.  

Two aspects of the engagement process (specifically seeking feedback from young persons, and from aboriginal communities) were extended until 31 August 2007.

All feedback received (except two submissions marked confidential) have been published on this website.   Ms Wagstaff wishes to thank all those who have responded. 

After assessing the State-wide feedback, and again consulting her Reference Group, Ms Wagstaff released her Interim Report on 17 October 2007.    The Final Report was officially released on 11 March 2008 by the Minister and the LGA President.

 

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