The 2024 Victorian local elections will be held in October 2024 to elect the councils of the 79 local government areas in Victoria.[1]
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Neither the Labor Party nor the Liberal Party typically endorse candidates for local elections in Victoria. However, local party branches often make their own endorsements.[2][3] The Greens do endorse candidates.[4]
New councillors will be elected in Casey and Whittlesea for the first time since 2016 after the councils were dismissed in February and March 2020 respectively.[5][6]
39 councils are set to be affected as a result of the Local Government Act 2020, which will see a large number of multi-member wards replaced with single-member wards.[7][8]
Background
editIn February 2022, Labor councillor Milad El-Halabi resigned from Moreland City Council after being charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud for allegedly tampering with the council elections.[9] He was replaced via countback in March 2022 by Socialist Alliance's Monica Harte.[10]
On 31 March 2023, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found that El-Halabi was unduly elected. He has denied all allegations.[11]
Two minor parties, the Angry Victorians Party and Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andrews, gained councillors in 2023 via different countbacks.[12]
Greens resignations
editThe Greens have had five of its councillors resign from the party since the 2020 elections, and a further four seats have been lost due to resignations and deaths.
James Conlan (Merri-bek) left the party in solidarity with senator Lidia Thorpe, Amanda Stone (Yarra) resigned in February 2023, and Anab Mohamud (Yarra) resigned in February 2024.[13]
In April 2024, both Greens councillors in Monash − Anjalee de Silva and Josh Fergeus − left the party.[14]
Party changes before elections
editA number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2024 elections, including three councillors who joined the Victorians Party before it dissolved in September 2022.[15]
Between the 2020 and 2024 local elections, Greens councillors dropped from 36 to 28, following a string of resignations from the party, including over 'governance failures and fostering a culture in which members have faced abuse and harassment'.[16] The party also saw a reduction in councillors due to councillors being elected to state parliament, and one incumbent dying, with greens councillors not being re-elected in countbacks.
Council | Ward | Councillor | Former party | New party | Date | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hepburn | Creswick | Tim Drylie | Independent | Greens | Unknown date | ||
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Jason Chang | Team Arron Wood | Independent | 2021 | ||
Banyule | Grimshaw | Rick Garotti | Labor | Independent | 8 February 2021 | ||
Boroondara | Solway | Garry Thompson | Liberal | Independent | Mid-2021 | ||
Moreland | North-West | Oscar Yildiz | Independent | Victorians | 26 November 2021 | ||
Moreland | North-West | Milad El-Halabi | Labor | Independent Labor | 10 February 2022 | ||
Swan Hill | Central | Stuart King | Independent | United Australia | 18 February 2022 | ||
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Philip Le Liu | Bring Back Melbourne | Victorians | 24 June 2022 | ||
Moreland | North-East | Helen Pavlidis-Mihalakos | Independent | Victorians | 24 June 2022 | ||
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Philip Le Liu | Victorians | Bring Back Melbourne | 15 September 2022 | ||
Moreland | North-West | Oscar Yildiz | Victorians | Independent | 15 September 2022 | ||
Moreland | North-East | Helen Pavlidis-Mihalakos | Victorians | Independent | 15 September 2022 | ||
Yarra | Nicholls | Amanda Stone | Greens | Independent | 6 February 2023 | ||
Merri-bek | South | James Conlan | Greens | Independent | 7 February 2023 | ||
Stonnington | East | Joe Gianfriddo | Angry Victorians | Independent | 29 June 2023 | ||
Colac Otway | Unsubdivided | Tosh-Jake Finnigan | Sack Dan Andrews | Independent | 22 December 2023 | ||
Yarra | Langridge | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist | Yarra for All | February 2024 | ||
Yarra | Langridge | Michael Glynatsis | Independent | Yarra for All | February 2024 | ||
Yarra | Nicholls | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist | Yarra for All | February 2024 | ||
Yarra | Langridge | Anab Mohamud | Greens | Independent | 27 February 2024 | ||
Monash | Mount Waverley | Anjalee de Silva | Greens | Independent | 8 April 2024 | ||
Monash | Oakleigh | Josh Fergeus | Greens | Independent | 8 April 2024 |
References
edit- ^ "Local council elections". Victorian Electoral Commission.
- ^ "Labor distances itself from 'Islamophobic' Darebin council candidate". The Age. 8 October 2020.
- ^ "Boroondara City Council – Burwood Liberals". Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ^ "Local Council Representatives". The Greens.
- ^ "Casey City Council". Victorian Electoral Commission.
- ^ "Parliament dismisses the Council". City of Whittlesea. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Local Government Act 2020". Local Government Victoria. 8 May 2023.
- ^ Raue, Ben (26 May 2023). "Victorian council ward reviews eradicating PR in Melbourne". The Tally Room.
- ^ "Councillor resigns following electoral fraud charges as VCAT mulls fresh election". The Age. 10 February 2022.
- ^ "Second socialist elected in Moreland, after Labor property developer steps down". Green Left. 23 March 2022.
- ^ Morgan, Cassandra (31 March 2023). "Votes tampered with in Melbourne council poll: tribunal". The West Australian.
- ^ Perry, Maggie (19 January 2023). "Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andrews Party founder becomes Victoria's first openly trans councillor". 6 News Australia.
- ^ Waters, Cara (7 February 2023). "Merri-bek councillor resigns from Greens in solidarity with Lidia Thorpe". The Age.
- ^ "Greens councillors tear up membership, slam leadership over 'surveillance, disinformation, fear'". The Age. 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Victorians Party announce abrupt exit from state election race, citing finance difficulties". Herald Sun.
- ^ "Greens councillors tear up membership, slam leadership over 'surveillance, disinformation, fear'". 30 April 2024.