A joint standing committee of NSW Parliament has recommended several measures to prevent influence of money on the outcomes of the local council elections.
The committee proposed election expenditure caps based on electorate size of a ward, saying that these should apply equally to candidates, or a group of candidates, whether they are endorsed by a party or are independent.
It said expenditure incurred by a political party in a ward should be apportioned to its candidate.
It suggested the following capping:
- $6000 where the number of enrolled electors is smaller than 5001
- $10,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 5000 and smaller than 10,001
- $18,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 10,000 and smaller than 20,001
- $25,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 20,000 and smaller than 30,001
- $36,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 30,000 and smaller than 50,001
- $46,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 50,000 and smaller than 75,001
- $63,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 75,000 and smaller than 125,001
- $72,000 where the number of enrolled electors is larger than 125,000
The committee recommended that the population figure of enrolled electors in a ward or undivided local government areas should be taken 12 months prior to the election for the purpose of calculating expenditure caps.
The committee was appointed to make recommendations in the wake of the 2020 general local government council elections in the state.
“Electoral contest should be a battle of competing visions and ideas, not competing bank balances,” the committee noted in its report.
“The current model for calculating expenditure caps for candidates in local government election campaigns is inadequate. The caps invariably lead to large discrepancies in local government areas in the state.”
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Bathurst Councillor Monica Morse said expenditure capping is a good idea as television advertisements, which are expensive, can reach more people and influence the outcomes of the elections.
She, however, said candidates dont spend large amounts in regional areas.
“This may be the case in areas such as Sydney. My experience in Bathurst has been that a candidate dont spend anything like that amount of money. I cant imagine spending $10,000 of money for getting elected in Bathurst,” Cr Morse said.
“Even a group of five candidates wont spend $10,000 on elections.”
The committee suggested the NSW Government amend the Electoral Funding Act 2018 to introduce a new model, which is more closely linked to the number of enrolled voters in an electorate.
It also suggested the following expenditure caps for mayoral candidates:
In multi‐ward local government areas –
Where the mayoral candidate is also running for councillor, 100 per cent of the cap for the ward in which they are running, plus the sum of 25 per cent of each additional ward in that local government area.
Where the mayoral candidate is not running for councillor, 100 per cent of the cap for the largest ward in the local government area, plus the sum of 25 per cent of each additional ward in that local government area.
In undivided local government areas –
100 per cent of the cap for councillors in that local government area, plus an additional 25 per cent of that cap.
This story NSW lawmakers suggest new expenditure ceilings for local council elections first appeared on Western Advocate.
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