Council divided over ward proposal

BY PATRICK BILLINGS

Voters will decide on Election Day whether the City of Sydney should be divided into wards.

The referendum will propose splitting the city into three wards, with three councillors in each of them.

If a majority of voters tick ‘yes’, the boundary-drawing process will come into effect for the 2012 election.

Wards were meant to have been introduced in time for this year’s election. But after receiving legal advice, the City of Sydney decided wards could only be introduced via a constitutional referendum.

The council will spend roughly $60,000 on informing voters about the referendum in the weeks before the election.

The ward system is currently used in 63 of 152 councils across the state. Greens councillor Chris Harris said while the ward system won’t affect the Greens’ election chances, every tick in the ‘yes’ box is a tick for democracy.

“From a democratic point of view, I think it is much better. All aspects of the community would be represented,” he said.

Wards would also benefit independent councillors who run on a single issue and consolidate votes in a smaller area. “If you get a decent independent running on a good issue, that is when they have got a chance,” Cr Harris said.

Despite initial enthusiasm, the Lord Mayor Clover Moore, is now hosing down the idea. At a community meeting last Wednesday Cr Moore argued the case for keeping the status quo.

“I believe our city is best served by a team approach, with elected councillors equally representing all our community,” she said.

“It is important for you to know that wards would not result in each neighbourhood having its each representative.”

Cr Harris said the Lord Mayor would lose votes under a ward system.

“If we had three wards of three councillors, she would only get one councillor in each ward,” he said.