The ward boundaries for 10 Victorian councils will be altered in time for the 2024 elections following a review by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, announced today.
The Victorian 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 10% from the average number of voters per councillor for all of the wards.
In February 2023, the VEC advised that 10 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.
“We thank the Victorian Electoral Commission for their extensive work to ensure Victorian communities have fair and equitable representation from their local councils,” said Minister Horne.
“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.”
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 10 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.
