Cr Tim Koschel, Allana Condron, Cr Mick Henderson and Chris Ingram got together last week to sort out their group nomination. Photo: Supplied.
Nominations for the local government elections are now officially open and community-minded locals are encouraged to put their hand up ahead of the 14 September poll.
Across the state, there are 128 councils with between five and 15 councillors serving as a voice for their communities.
Wagga City Council has a total of nine councillors, although there is currently a vacant seat after Cr Dan Hayes moved to Wollongong last year.
Seven of the eight serving councillors in Wagga are standing for re-election, with former mayor Rod Kendall confirming that this current term will be his last.
Cr Tim Koschel is sharing a ticket with Cr Mick Henderson and they got together with their candidates last week to prepare their paperwork.
“It does take a bit of time because there’s five parts that you need to fill in and you need to print them out, sign them, and then scan them back in and upload them. So there’s a little bit of double handling,” Cr Koschel explained.
“Not only have you got to submit it, then it’s actually got to be checked, and that can take 24 to 48 hours, and then it’s got to be accepted, or otherwise they send it back to you for reworks.
“Don’t leave it to the last minute, because I know there were two groups that missed out last time because they didn’t have their paperwork finalised.”
No formal qualifications are needed to become a councillor, just a passion to achieve outcomes for the community and, if elected, councillors will receive training and guidance from the Office of Local Government.
You can register as an individual or as part of a ticket that must comprise at least half the number of councillors to secure a box ”above the line”.
“In Wagga, you need to have five on your ticket and candidates need to request a group voting square above the line in order to appear on the ballot paper,” Cr Koschel said.
“You don’t have to be part of a group, but realistically, you need to have a box above the line if you actually want to get in.”
Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said running for council was a chance to have a real impact on your community.
“Having been a mayor for more than 30 years myself, I can confidently say that serving your community as a councillor is a great honour and a deeply rewarding role,” he said.
“I have always been a passionate believer in local government because I know what a wonderful difference effective councils with strong leadership can have on the community.”
Candidates Nin-Nin Sang-Dong, Megan Norton, Pascale Vythilingum, Karissa Subedi and Dallas Tout fill a ”Community First” ticket for the upcoming Wagga Wagga local government elections. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout said that it had been an honour to serve, and explained that his group was focused on the community first rather than locking in on particular issues.
“We are about getting the right information, working with the WWCC staff and making sure that we are fully informed so we can make decisions based on their merits,” he said.
“I’ve seen people announce policies early before and ultimately end up in a pickle because they can’t deliver on them.”
Cr Tout confirmed that he would stand for mayor again if re-elected and said that working together was the key to success in local government.
“The conversation we had at the beginning of last term was, whatever the issue is, do your research, do your votes, vote as you wish or as you see fit on merit,” he said.
“Once you’ve voted on that, move on to the next item and continue having conversations.
“It’s never about looking at a topic and worrying about who voted or didn’t vote against this or that. Just move on and work together.”
The NSW Government is encouraging more diversity among candidates. Currently in NSW, 39 per cent of councillors are women, 10.1 per cent are linguistically diverse, 3.9 per cent are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 2.2 per cent identify as having a disability.
“The elections next month are an opportunity for renewal and for newly elected councils across the state to shape the future of their local area,” Mr Hoenig said.
“We need diverse voices on council to reflect the diversity within our communities, so I encourage people of all backgrounds and ages to nominate as a candidate.”
Candidate nominations are now open and will close at midday on Wednesday, 14 August.
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