These two local state MPs have strongly welcomed a move to bans the use of private election providers in local government elections.
The Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda, and the Member for Leppington, Nathan Hagarty, say the reforms are a necessary step to restore integrity, consistency, and public confidence in how local elections are run across NSW.
The two Labor MPs are close to the two metropolitan councils, Liverpool and Fairfield, that hired private election providers instead of using the NSW Electoral Commission in 2024.
The Minns Labor Government has now introduced legislation to the parliament that will ban the use of private election providers in local government elections.
The reforms come in direct response to widespread concern and controversy surrounding the conduct of last year’s local government elections, in councils that opted to contract private providers rather than the independent NSW Electoral Commission.
Those councils were marred with allegations of three-hour delays, ballot paper shortages, vote tabulation errors, and the closure of polling booths at short notice.
Under the proposed amendments to the Local Government Act 1993 introduced by minister for local government Ron Hoenig the option for councils to engage alternative providers will be removed entirely, making the NSW Electoral Commission the sole body authorised to conduct council elections.
“After last year’s Council elections, I was contacted by numerous residents who experienced unacceptable waiting times just to exercise their democratic rights,’’ says Charishma Kaliyanda.
“Cecil Hills High School is one of our largest polling centres, so when it was closed with little notice, thousands of voters were redirected to the much smaller Cecil Hills Public School causing confusion, long queues, and chaos on the day.
“Elections should be run by trusted professionals, not outsourced to the lowest bidder. These reforms will restore faith in the way our councils are elected and prevent a repeat of the chaos endured in 2024,’’ Ms Kaliyanda said.
Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty echoed her sentiments.
“This legislation will put an end to the privatisation of democracy,’’ he said.
“The use of private election providers in last year’s local elections failed to meet the standards our community expects.
“I was contacted by many residents who were frustrated by the issues they faced, from problems with postal vote applications to errors in how polling places were run and even the sudden closures of polling booths.
“These issues left people feeling like their votes were undervalued and undermined trust in the system.
“The new legislation makes sure that only the independent NSW Electoral Commission can run our council elections.
“That’s the right way to guarantee that everyone can vote easily, that their vote will count, and that elections are fair and transparent.”
