Yesterday, Saturday 24 July, the NSW Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock made an Order postponing the Local Government elections a further three months until 4 December 2021.

With nominations due to open on Monday 26 July and the number of COVID cases still on the rise in the Greater Sydney area and a handful of other hotspots, the Government made the call to delay the elections until they can be held safely.

As legislation is required to alter the date of an election, a Gazettal Notice was issued revoking the Order made on 26 June 2020 which postponed the election requirements of the Act for NSW councils for 12 months and appointing 4 December 2021 as the day on which the ordinary elections are to be held. 

The announcement was met with a quick response from Local Government NSW President Linda Scott, concerned about the impacts of further delaying council elections.

“COVID safe local government elections must be held by the end of the year, to uphold democracy and ensure renewal,” Ms Scott said.

“Public health and safety must always come first, but we do not want to reach a situation in which democracy delayed is democracy denied.

“This latest three-month deferral comes on top of an existing deferral of 12 months from September 2020, with no guarantee further delays won’t be incurred.

“Delaying elections further is a risk to democracy," she said.

*ABOVE: Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, President of Local Government NSW Linda Scott and Deputy Premier John Barilaro.

Clr Scott said a significant number of existing councillors, who had already been asked to extend their term by 12 months, had already chosen not to stand for a further term.

“The need for local government leaders has never been greater, as communities and their local economies struggle with the impact caused by going into, out and back into lockdown again,” she said.

“Local governments need energetic, dedicated local leaders as mayors and councillors."

Ms Scott voiced what many in regional areas as yet untouched by the virus will almost certainly be thinking.

"Regional NSW local governments are particularly eager for safe NSW elections to proceed, with many areas of NSW without a single COVID exposure.

“Why should the rest of NSW have to suffer because of COVID cases in Sydney?

“The NSW Government must publish the NSW health advice that underpins this decision.

“Delaying elections further is a risk that the strong candidates we need and deserve cannot dedicate the time and money required to continue their campaigns for a further three months.”

Clr Scott said council elections took up to 12 months to organise, with the newly-announced rescheduling likely to burden councils with further resourcing and administrative costs.

“Unfortunately these additional costs will divert council funding from the hard work they are doing to drive a locally-led recovery, not just from the economic impacts of the pandemic but also the floods and bushfires that preceded it.”