The Local Government Amendment (Mayoral Candidate Eligibility) Act 2014 has officially commenced after receiving Royal Assent.
What this amendment does is allow anyone who stands for council in next month’s Local Government elections to also run for the office of mayor or deputy mayor.
This legislation removes the eligibility requirement that prevented Tasmanians from nominating as a candidate for the office of mayor or deputy mayor unless the person had 12 months experience as a councillor.
It was especially important this amendment came into effect before the upcoming Local Government elections.
This year, Local Government elections move to four-year, all-in, all-out terms, while mayors and deputy mayors will be voted in for four-year terms rather the previous two year terms.
Given the move to four year terms for councillors, without these changes it would effectively mean that a person would need to serve a full four-year term as a councillor before being eligible to nominate for mayor or deputy mayor.
These positions are crucial to local communities and Tasmanians should be able to decide who their leaders are without being hampered by unnecessary and undemocratic rules.
This legislation not only encourages greater democracy but brings Tasmania in line with interstate jurisdictions.
The Tasmanian Electoral Commission will publish the notice of local government elections tomorrow with nominations opening on Monday 15 September for two weeks.
The polling period for the elections starts on Tuesday 14 October and ends on October 28.
More information about the 2014 local government elections is available at the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website at www.tec.tas.gov.au
Peter Gutwein, Minister for Planning and Local Government
