Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Ellsmore –

It is resolved:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         the City of Sydney Act 1988 (the Act) determines the eligibility of non-residential voters for elections of the City of Sydney Local Government;

(ii)        the Act relates to the enrolment of voters and voting at elections for the City of Sydney Council;

(iii)       in 2014, the City of Sydney Act 1988 was amended to make it compulsory for local non-resident owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees to enrol and vote;

(iv)       the amendment also increased the number of votes given to corporations and partnerships from one to two;

(v)        in the 2012 election prior to the amendment, 1,709 eligible non-residents enrolled to vote in the City of Sydney;

(vi)       in the 2016 election almost 23,000 non-residents were enrolled to vote;

(vii)      the Act states that, “If a corporation is the sole owner, ratepaying lessee or occupier of any rateable land, the corporation may submit a nomination in writing to the general manager of the names of 2 natural persons to be enrolled as electors instead of the corporation”; and

(viii)    the current City of Sydney voting system is unlike any other council in the world; and

(B)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Local Government to advocate for the City of Sydney Act 1988 to be amended to remove all amendments introduced by the City of Sydney Amendment (Elections) Act 2014 and revert to the position immediately prior to the introduction of that amending Act.

Variation. At the request of Councillor Kok, and by consent, the motion was varied, such that it included an additional clause (A)(ix) as follows:

(ix)       the Lord Mayor has written to the Minister for Local Government urging him to urgently repeal the 2014 amendments to ensure their anti-democratic features are removed prior to the 2024 City of Sydney elections;

The motion, as varied by consent, was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)           The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Kok, Scott, Weldon and Worling

Noes (2)          Councillors Gannon and Jarrett.

Motion carried.

X086655

Point of Order

During discussion on Item 15.6, Councillor Davis raised a point of order, stating that Councillors were speaking whilst Councillor Ellsmore had the floor.

The Chair (the Lord Mayor) upheld the point of order.