FAQs

In a letter dated 20 September 2022, the Minister for Local Government advised the intention to introduce the electoral reforms component in a bill to Parliament in the first half of 2023 to enable those reforms to be introduced in time for the 2023 ordinary local government elections. 

The Minister’s reforms include the following changes: 

• the introduction of optional preferential voting; 

• directly elected Mayors and Presidents for band 1 and 2 local governments; and 

• Councillor numbers based on population.

In October 2022, Council resolved to change the method of electing the President to the method by general election and conduct a Ward and Representation Review.

Following community feedback, a report will be presented to Council who will make a recommendation of a final report to the Local Government Advisory Board.