Business ratepayers at Dubbo could one day be forced to cast two votes in council elections in a proposal with the potential to change the future political landscape.
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The suggestion people who pay business rates to Dubbo City Council - more than 1300 people - could double their power at the ballot box sparked mixed reactions yesterday after it came “out of nowhere”.
The leader of the peak body for local government said they could not support it with so little detail known but a business lobby group welcomed the bid.
Local government minister Paul Toole confirmed on Tuesday a bill to be introduced this week making it compulsory for businesses to vote in the City of Sydney elections “could be rolled out to other parts of the state”.
Mr Toole said the reforms would be modelled on the City of Melbourne, where a business owner was entitled to two votes and the landlord of their premises also had two votes.
Currently in NSW a person who operates a business in one council area but lives in another may choose to vote in both of those councils’ elections - but only if they enrol before every poll.
Prior to the 2012 local government election Dubbo City Council reported it had 1375 business ratepayers on its books.
Local Government NSW president Keith Rhoades said the bill had “come out of nowhere” and prompted him to make an immediate phone call to Mr Toole.
“I expressed my total dismay that Local Government NSW has had no, repeat, no consultation from the state government on the contents of this bill,” Cr Rhoades said.
The president spoke to the Daily Liberal yesterday before meeting Mr Toole.
“I will be seeking a commitment from the minister that when the bill is introduced this week that the government use its numbers to defer further debate until such time as the local government sector has been consulted,” Cr Rhoades said.
NSW Business Chamber Central West Orana regional manager Vicki Seccombe said rolling out the measures across the region would be a positive step for business owners who did not live where their business was located.
“Business owners contribute the vast majority of council rates,” she said.
“However at each and every election, non-resident businesses have to re-apply to be put on the council roll in order to have a say on how that money should be spent.”
Far too many businesses put voting “in the too-hard basket due to the rigorous process”.
“Improving the process... will help ensure a far more engaged business sector and a more responsive local council,” she said.
