Information for election candidates

Published on 03 August 2020

Council will go to the polls in October, and you will be provided with a postal ballot pack to cast your vote. This page contains information about the election, and information for candidates.

The Victorian Electoral Commission will carry out the 2020 elections for all of the Councils which are having elections.

Pyrenees has five elected Councillors across five wards; one member in each.

Election campaign donation forms

All candidates are required under Victorian law to provide a completed campaign donation return if you:

Have received donations or gifts, or
Haven’t received donations or gifts
Were successfully elected, or
Weren’t elected

To be included on the form, a donation or gift, including in-kind support, must be:

Individually valued at over $500
Given during the donation period – this is the period starting 30 days after the previous election and ending 30 days after the current election

Under the Local Government Act 2020 all candidates in Victorian council elections must submit a return within 40 days of election day.

Donation return forms are included in candidate information packs distributed by the Victorian Electoral Commission. Forms must be completed and submitted to the CEO of the Pyrenees Shire Council by 3^rd December 2020.

All fields must be filled out and the declaration signed by the candidate. If no gifts were received, this should be indicated in the Details of Gifts section by writing ‘No disclosable gifts’.

Failure to submit a form, or providing false or misleading information on a campaign donation form, can result in prosecution and fines of more than $9,900, by the Local Government Inspectorate.

Important dates:

Election offices open to the public on Wednesday 16 September.
Nomination period opens on Thursday 17 September and closes at 12 noon on Tuesday 22 September 2020.
The election will all be via postal vote and the election date itself is Saturday 24^th October.
Close of voting for postal elections is 6 pm on Friday 23 October.
Postal vote receipt period closes at 12 noon Friday 30 October.
Counting and declarations will take place between Sunday 26 October to Friday 6 November.

The Election Manager for Pyrenees Shire Council (from 16 September to 30 October only) is Alan Dennis, phone 03 8619 1959 or email PyreneesEM@vec.vic.gov.au

The election office is located at 1 Lawrence Street, Beaufort.

The election office is open to the public from 16 September to 23 October. Opening hours are as follows:

Monday to Friday - 9.00am to 5.00pm
Thursday 22 October - 9.00am to 8.00pm
Friday 23 October - 9.00am to 6.00pm
Closed weekends and public holidays.

Information Register
The below is a register of all information requested / provided to candidates during the election period.

Date	Candidate	Request	Response
21/09/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Provision of letter of complaint from a resident regarding pool inspections.	Complaint has been registered and will be managed in accordance with Councils Complaint Handling Policy. Provision of links to information regarding new requirements of pool owners.
21/09/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Request for hard copy information (such as complaint forms) be available at Avoca Information Centre rather than relying on website and Beaufort Office only.	Will investigate current practice. Frontline staff can and do print off hard copy documents for residents where they don’t have access to internet or printers. Community access computers in Avoca and Beaufort Resource Centres are also available for people during opening hours and people can view and print from there when centres are open.
23/09/2020	Cr Damian Ferrari	Can the Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally committee seek an exemption from the planning permit process.	Any committee may seek a fee waiver for a permit as long as they are not for profit. Authorisation is to be sought from the Chief Executive Officer in line with Council's fee waiver policy.
24/09/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of update on: Western Victoria Transmission Network Project, Working for Victoria, Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, Swimming Pool Management and Power Purchase Agreement.
28/09/2020	Cr Damian Ferrari	Request for registration of complaint regarding yards being flooded on Western Highway from Correa Park.	Complaint registered into Customer Action Request system.
28/09/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of update on: website links to community information updates and works and projects occurring across the shire on Pyrenees website and Grant funding.
30/09/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Provision of further information in relation to resident complaint regarding pool inspections.	Confirmation that a response has been provided to resident advising that complaint is under investigation. Further information will be passed onto investigating officer to consider and respond appropriately. It is important that all communication on the matter be directed through a singular point of contact, namely the investigating officer in order to avoid duplication and miscommunication, staff have been instructed to do likewise. Advised that communications in relation to this matter will be included in the Information Register which is required to be maintained as a public document and available on our website in accordance with clause 8.3 of the Election Period Policy 2020.
30/09/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of update on: Commonwealth Bridges to Recovery funding.
02/10/2020	All current Councillors	Email from CEO	Provision of copy of letter to BSHS foundation.
05/10/2020	Cr David Clark	Request for investigation into Local Laws issues raised by Burnbank resident and query regarding glass collection in Burnbank.	Local Laws issues raised will be investigated and registered in Councils Customer Action Request System. As indicated by Cr Clark, the glass collection is due to be reviewed early in the new year, the Waubra site is designed to service Waubra, Lexton and Evansford.
05/10/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Advised that mulch deposited near railway station is apparently full of white ants and has been spread at the Anzac memorial. Residents are concerned the ants will come to their property.	Response provided that it is unlikely that presence of termites is due to transportation of mulch. Research suggests that once mulch is spread it attracts insects due to the high moisture environment that is created. Termites do not form their nests in mulch, it is more likely that termites are present on site and attracted to the mulch. The whole shire is designated termite prone. Anyone concerned that their building/home is being eaten by termites should seek professional advice / inspections.
08/10/2020	Cr Damian Ferrari	Query regarding replacement of collapsed water tank.	Response provided that the water tank is not a Council asset. Provision of link to Council managed emergency water supplies and links to potential funding sources for replacement of the tank.
08/10/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of email from Anne Webster MP outlining various funding programs to Local Government following the Federal Budget 20/21.
09/10/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Requested an update on white ants in mulch.	An update was provided.
12/10/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of update on Council office opening.
12/10/2020	Cr Ron Eason	Query regarding opening Avoca Information Centre	Advised that the opening of Beaufort and Avoca Resource Centres is being investigated.
13/10/2020	Cr Robert Vance	Request investigation of tree debris left on Lexton Ararat Road roadside	Investigation undertaken and found that no culverts were being obstructed, there is no risks to motorists and it will not impede slashing activities. In instances like these it is standard practice to leave limbs on the road reserve.
15/10/2020	All current Councillors	Councillor Update from CEO	Provision of Media Release and signage in relation to partial opening of Avoca and Beaufort Resource Centres
15/10/2020	Cr David Clark	Query regarding re-sealing of Wilcar Drive, Waubra	Advised that the matter is being investigated.
15/10/2020	Cr Damian Ferrari	Query around a 100th birthday	Advised of protocols around attendance during caretaker period.