Push to change polling systems by 2020 looking uncertain Vote shake-up delay

CONTROVERSIAL plans to overhaul the council voting system ahead of the March 28 local government elections are in limbo.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe was poised to scrap the “just vote 1” optional preferential voting system in favour of requiring voters to number every box on the ballot, in line with state and federal voting practices.

But the compulsory preferential voting reforms, which sparked outrage among councils, now look set to be delayed, with the Minister’s office declining to confirm if the changes will be introduced from next election as planned.

News Corp Australia understands the State Government is now considering whether to delay the new voting system until after the 2020 local government elections.

“The legislation currently before the House includes consideration of compulsory preferential voting, which will be the subject of debate in Parliament,” a spokeswoman for Mr Hinchliffe said when asked if the Government intended to have the reforms in place by the election.

It follows a letter from Mr Hinchliffe, tabled last month, in which he told Parliament he would delay the Government’s response to a parliamentary committee assessment of the CPV legislation until as late as December 20.

That would leave just a few months to finalise the reforms before voters went to the polls.

The Local Government Association of Queensland said it would welcome a change of heart from the Government.

Electoral commissioner Pat Vidgen insisted the Electoral Commission Queensland would be able to adopt the changes in a timely manner.

“(CPV) is used at state elections so the ECQ is already well prepared to implement the system at the local government level if Parliament decides to do so,” he said.

A delay to the reforms would likely be a blow to Labor’s chances in the Brisbane City Council election.

The Greens have previously acknowledged that the proposed changes would boost their chances in marginal wards, while the LNP has vehemently opposed CPV.