The 2016 Victorian local elections were held on 22 October 2016 to elect the councils of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.[1][2]
The elections saw the largest-ever amount of Greens councillors elected, with the party increasing their local government representatives from 17 to 29.[3] The Labor Party and Liberal Party did not endorse any candidates.[4]
Party changes before elections
A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2016 elections.
On 8 November, Melbourne councillor-elect Brooke Wandin (An Indigenous Voice On Council) stood down from her position amid an investigation by the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate into her eligibility.[24] Wandin and former councillor Richard Foster were later charged with electoral fraud, with prosecutors alleging Wandin did not live at the Kensington address she had nominated when registering for election.[25] Both parties plead guilty to charges of electoral fraud; Foster received a 12-month good behaviour bond, while Wandin was placed onto a diversion program. Nic Frances Gilley was declared elected in Wandin's place.[26]
Additionally in Melbourne, Phil Cleary Means Business councillor Michael Caiafa lost his seat in March 2017 after it was determined he was not duly elected. Team Doyle's Susan Riley was declared elected in his place.[27]
In April 2017, hundreds of people reported receiving infringement notices for allegedly having not voted, despite claiming that they had.[28]
By-elections and countbacks
The Victorian Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections and countbacks to fill vacancies on councils after the 2016 elections up until the 2020 elections.
Casey City Council was sacked on 18 February 2020 before two countbacks could occur.[29]
↑Schetzer, Alana (11 December 2012). "Darebin's Fontana dumps Labor". Issuu. Melbourne Times Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2024. Cr Fontana, who was re-elected to council in October, wrote his letter of resignation to state secretary Noah Carroll on December 6, relinquishing his membership immediately.
↑Taylor, Josh (29 June 2016). "Batman begins: Darebin councillors join the fray". Crikey. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2024. Fontana left the Labor Party in 2012, saying at the time he "could no longer be associated with the party at any level"
↑Irwin, Julia (21 May 2014). "Darebin Mayor brands Labor rates cap policy 'populist politics'". Herald Sun. Northcote Leader. Retrieved 12 November 2024. Cr Greco said he was concerned now the Labor Party, of which he was a member, had announced the policy, the Liberals would also adopt the idea.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
