- An appeal to community members to nominate for 2023 local government elections
- Promotional campaigns underway to increase the diversity of council representation
- Nominations open on 31 August and close 7 September 2023
Members of the Western Australian community are being urged to consider nominating for the upcoming local government elections to be able to influence the decisions being made that potentially impact the lives of thousands of residents.
Local Government Minister David Michael said, by standing for local council, candidates will make a valuable contribution to local democracy by putting forward policies and highlighting issues they believe are important to them and their community.
A promotional campaign by the Cook Government, in partnership with the WA Local Government Association, will aim to promote diversity in local government representation with the hope it will result in greater involvement of a wider range of candidates from Aboriginal and multicultural backgrounds, as well as young people and people with disability.
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries has also teamed up with the Youth Affairs Council of WA to conduct a campaign specifically targeting the 18-24 age group to boost the interest of young people in getting involved in local government.
To provide incentives for people to nominate, the local government reform package includes measures to support a diverse range of people who serve on councils, such as new parental leave entitlements, and changes to enable local governments to pay superannuation and educational allowances to council members.
Nominations for the local government elections to be held on 21 October will open on 31 August and close on 7 September 2023.
For more information about nominating for your local council, visit the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ website where there is also a free induction course that candidates will need to complete. Nominations can be lodged online at the WA Electoral Commission website.
As stated by Local Government Minister David Michael:
“Councillors play a major part in representing the interests of their ratepayers and residents, making decisions to reflect the needs and wishes of their community and shaping policies that align with a council or shire’s future vision and direction.
“The role of a councillor is an important one they lead and guide the community, decide how money is spent and propose ideas to make their part of the State a great place to live.
“It’s important that local councils are representative of the people they serve. That’s why we need people of all backgrounds and life experiences to have a voice and put their hand up to serve their community.
“Women are particularly under-represented in local governments, so I would encourage more women to get involved so we can achieve a better gender balance on councils.
“When I was 25, I was elected to the City of Stirling where I served for 12 years, including as Deputy Mayor, and I am still proud of the projects and service improvements achieved while I was on council. I speak from personal experience when I say that the job of a councillor can be very rewarding.
“If you are considering running in this year’s local government elections, I encourage you to lodge a nomination before the closing date and make a valuable contribution that will be beneficial to you and your community.”
