In-person nomination requirement contributed to zero East Ward candidates, says Shire of East Pilbara chief

The Shire of East Pilbara chief executive has said the requirement to nominate for council in person may have contributed to the fact zero nominations were received for the Shire’s vast East Ward. The claim comes after the Shire was forced to call an extraordinary election to fill the position. Given the size of the ward, chief executive Steven Harding said the in-person nomination rule may have been a barrier to some residents pursuing the role. “A challenge the Shire and all local governments covering vast areas faced in this election was the requirement that nominations from candidates be received in person or by an appointed agent of the candidate,” he said. “This constraint may have added a layer of difficulty for prospective candidates living in communities across this vast district. “The Shire will be evaluating all aspects of the in-person voting method following the election on 21 October 2023, which will be considered by council prior to the East Ward Extraordinary Election.” After the Shire division restructure earlier in the year, which saw the number of wards cut from six to three, the East Ward received a second council position. The only current East Ward councillor is Annabell Landy and the extraordinary election will seek to fill the additional position. At 372,571sqkm the Shire of East Pilbara is the largest local government area in the world. The Ward extends to the Northern Territory border and contains the remote Punmu, Parnngurr, Kunawarritji, and Kiwirrkurra communities. The date of the extraordinary election has not yet been determined but will follow the local government elections in October.