The city of Sydney is unusual and different from other Australian cities because there are impediments to allowing the business owners who contribute the major portion of the rates from exercising their right to vote. Those on the electoral role are tipped out before each election - and required to go through the process of reapplying for their vote. In contrast, other residents simply stay on the roll indefinitely.
A bill is progressing through the state parliament to correct this imbalance, and Sydney council is going to fight it tooth and nail - using council funds to prevent the democratic process applying to what many see as a gerrymander that has kept Mayor Clover Moore in office for the past ten years. It will be ratepayers funds that will be used to buy newspaper and other media publicity, fund flyers and generally promote opposition to the bill by holding a vast public meeting.
The fact that eight out of the ten councillors approved this misuse of ratepayers funds illustrates the imbalance in representation - and explains why this is seen by many as an anti business council, more interested in pursuing multi coloured road painting and bike paths that clog traffic lanes than serving the interests that make this city the business capital of Australia.
There is even disagreement about what percentage business owners contribute to the rates total. One side of the debate claims 78.5% and the other 32%. Surely the council's books are subjected to normal accounting practice - and that issue should be settled by reference to published official accounts. It is also claimed that the number of business owners currently on the electoral roll is a low 2.13% of the vote, and if this is correct it hardly supports the principle of democracy that we hold so dear.
The other impediment is the practice of restricting the opportunity to lodge a vote to just a few polling stations in the inner city centre - and denying Sydney city voters the right to an absentee or a postal vote. Those are standard practice at state and Federal elections, and there seems no valid reason why they should be denied in a city poll - except to artificially impose a reason for voters to abandon what is really a civic duty.
By law, citizens are required to cast a vote in Federal, state and council elections and face a fine for an omission. Stopping business owners from registering to vote is a way of disenfranchising a portion of the population that has that right being disallowed. This law change will make it mandatory for business owners to register - and vote at each council election.
The most likely outcome will be a council that has new horizons. The cosy coterie presently running the show desperately wants to preserve the status quo - and will dip into council funds to keep democracy at bay !
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