2016 Victorian local elections

Local government elections in Australia

2016 Victorian local elections

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| <- 2012 | 22 October 2016 | 2020 ->

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|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

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IND

|  |

SOC

Leader  | N/A | Greg Barber | No leader
Party  | Independents | Greens | The Socialists
Last election  |  | 18 seats  | Did not exist
Seats before  |  | 16  | 1
Seats won  |  | 29  | 1
Seat change  |  |  13  |

* * *

| Fourth party  | Fifth party  | Sixth party

RUAP

LDP

Leader  | No leader | None | No leader
Party  | Socialist Alliance | Rise Up | Liberal Democrats
Last election  | 1 seat  | 1 seat  | 0
Seats before  | 1  | 1  | 0
Seats won  | 1  | 1  | 1
Seat change  |  |  |  1

* * *

| Seventh party  |

Leader  | Russell Bate  |
Party  | Country Alliance |
Last election  | 1  |
Seats before  | 1  |
Seats won  | 0  |
Seat change  |  1  |

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

[edit]

A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2016 elections.

Council | Ward | Councillor | Former party | New party | Date

|
|
|
|
|

Campaspe | Kyabram | Robert Danieli  |  | Independent |  | Katter's Australian | November/December 2012
Darebin | Cazaly | Vince Fontana  |  | Labor |  | Independent | 6 December 2012[5][6]
Darebin | Cazaly | Vince Fontana  |  | Independent |  | Mutual | 30 January 2014[7]
Darebin | Cazaly | Julie Williams  |  | Independent |  | Mutual | 30 January 2014[7]
Glen Eira | Rosstown | Neil Pilling  |  | Greens |  | Independent | 20 May 2014[8]
Darebin | La Trobe | Gaetano Greco  |  | Labor |  | Independent | Post-May 2014[9]
Darebin | Cazaly | Vince Fontana  |  | Mutual |  | Independent | 2014
Darebin | Cazaly | Julie Williams  |  | Mutual |  | Independent | 2014
Moreland | North-West | John Kavanagh |  | Democratic Labour |  | Independent | 2014
Moonee Valley | Myrnong | Cam Nation  |  | Independent Liberal |  | No East West Link  | 15 September 2014[10][11]
Moyne | Unsubdivided | James Purcell |  | Independent |  | Vote 1 Local Jobs | October 2014[12]
Greater Bendigo | Lockwood | Elise Chapman  |  | Independent |  | Country Alliance | 15 October 2014[13]
Greater Geelong | Austin | John Irvine  |  | Independent |  | Country Alliance | 16 October 2014[14][15]
Port Phillip | Albert Park | Amanda Stevens  |  | Labor |  | Independent Labor | 26 February 2015[16]
Moyne | Unsubdivided | Jim Doukas  |  | Independent |  | Country Alliance | Mid-2015[17][18][19]
Moonee Valley | Myrnong | Cam Nation  |  | No East West Link  |  | Independent | 2015
Greater Bendigo | Lockwood | Elise Chapman  |  | Country Alliance |  | Independent | 2015
Greater Geelong | Austin | John Irvine  |  | Country Alliance |  | Independent | 2015
Greater Bendigo | Lockwood | Elise Chapman  |  | Independent |  | One Nation | 8 January 2016[20]
Yarra | Langridge | Stephen Jolly |  | Socialist |  | The Socialists | 22 February 2016[21]
Moonee Valley | Rose Hill | John Sipek  |  | Labor |  | Independent | Mid-2016[22]
Darebin | Cazaly | Julie Williams  |  | Independent |  | Labor | Pre-October 2016[23]

## Results

[edit]

Main article: Results of the 2016 Victorian local elections

Party  | Votes  | %  | Swing  | Seats  | Change

|
|
|
|
|

| Independents |  |  |  |  |
| Labor |  |  |  |  |
| Liberal |  |  |  |  |
| Burwood Liberals |  |  |  |  |
| Greens |  |  |  | 29  |  11
| Independent National |  |  |  |  |
| Team Doyle | 27,116  |  |  | 3  |
| Together Melbourne | 6,578  |  |  | 1  |
| Phil Cleary Means Business | 5,667  |  |  | 1  |
| Stephen Mayne T.I.A.E. | 3,666  |  |  | 0  |
| Team Morgan - A City That Works | 3,557  |  |  | 1  |
| Strengthening Melbourne | 1,905  |  |  | 0  |
| Listening To Locals | 1,718  |  |  | 0  |
| An Indigenous Voice On Council | 1,534  |  |  | 1  |  1
| Serving Melbourne With Integrity | 1,519  |  |  | 0  |
| The Light On The Hill Team | 960  |  |  | 0  |
| The Heritage Agenda | 816  |  |  | 0  |
| Melburnian Voice | 808  |  |  | 0  |
| Science | 82  |  |  | 0  |
| Liberal Democrats |  |  |  | 1  |  1
| The Socialists |  |  |  | 1  |  1
| Rise Up Australia |  |  |  | 1  |
| Socialist Alliance |  |  |  | 1  |
| Animal Justice |  |  |  | 0  |
| Independent Labor |  |  |  |  |

## Aftermath

[edit]

Further information: 2020 Victorian local elections § Party changes before 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

[edit]

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]

### By-elections

[edit]

Council  | Ward  | Before  | Change  | Result after preference distribution

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|

Councillor  | Party  | Cause  | Date  | Date  | Party  | Candidate  | %
Northern Grampians | South West | Sharon Telford  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 5 October 2017  | 17 February 2018  |  | Independent | Stephen Gardner | 52.17
| Independent | Christine Fitzgerald  | 47.83
Pyrenees | Beaufort | Michael O'Connor  |  | Independent | Death  | 15 May 2018  | 17 August 2018  |  | Independent | Damian Ferrari | 51.16
| Independent | Barbara Blamey[a] | 32.56
Knox | Collier | Jackson Taylor |  | Labor | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 6 December 2018  | 30 March 2019  |  | Independent | Marcia Timmers-Leitch | 53.04
| Independent | Robert Williams[a] | 28.87
Hepburn | Coliban | Sebastian Klein  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 18 December 2018  | 5 April 2019  |  | Ind. Labor | Licia Kokocinski | 58.82
| Independent | John McLaren  | 41.18
Swan Hill | Murray-Mallee | Gary Norton  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 2 January 2019  | 29 March 2019  |  | Independent | Nicole McKay | 63.61
| Independent | Allen Ridgeway  | 36.39
Swan Hill | Robinvale | John Katis  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 14 January 2019  | 29 March 2019  |  | Ind. National | Jade Benham | N/A
| Elected unopposed
Surf Coast | Anglesea | Libby Coker |  | Labor | Election to Australian Parliament | 15 June 2019  | 30 August 2019  |  | Independent | Tony Revell | 62.24
| Independent | Harry Rosson  | 37.76
Moorabool | Woodlands | Pat Toohey  |  | Independent | Death  | 19 September 2019  | 14 December 2019  |  | Independent | Lawry Borgelt | 50.10
| Independent | Ally Giofches[a] | 36.88
Strathbogie | Honeysuckle Creek | Kate Stothers  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 24 December 2019  | 21 March 2020  |  | Independent | Chris Raeburn | 53.29
| Independent | Tom Maher[a] | 21.71
Corangamite | Central | Wayne Oakes  |  | Independent | Death  | 19 April 2020  | 27 June 2020  |  | Independent | Geraldine Conheadyn | 57.85
| Independent | Michael Emerson  | 42.15

### Countbacks

[edit]

Council  | Ward  | Before  | Change  | After

|
|
|
|

Councillor  | Party  | Cause  | Date  | Date  | Councillor  | Party
Queenscliffe | Unsubdivided | Helene Cameron  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 2 November 2016  | 21 November 2016  | Bob Merriman  |  | Independent
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Brooke Wandin  |  | Indigenous Voice On Council | Not eligible to stand  | 8 November 2016  | 14 March 2017  | Nic Frances Gilley  |  | Indigenous Voice On Council
East Gippsland | Unsubdivided | Linette Treasure  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 16 January 2017  | 14 February 2017  | Jackson Roberts  |  | Independent
Casey | Mayfield | Rex Flannery  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 8 March 2017  | 3 April 2017  | Gary Rowe |  | Liberal
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Michael Caiafa  |  | Phil Cleary Means Business | Not duly elected  | 14 March 2017  | 14 March 2017  | Susan Riley  |  | Team Doyle
Whitehorse | Elgar | Tanya Tescher  |  | Burwood Liberals | Resignation  | 3 April 2017  | 9 May 2017  | Blair Barker  |  | Burwood Liberals
Whittlesea | North | John Butler  |  | Liberal | Death  | 6 September 2017  | 4 October 2017  | Tom Joseph  |  | Independent
Wangaratta | City | Ruth Amer  |  | Independent | Death  | 5 October 2017  | 13 November 2017  | Ashlee Fitzpatrick  |  | Independent
Wellington | Northern | Keith Mills  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 23 October 2017  | 15 November 2017  | Carmel Ripper  |  | Independent
Mount Alexander | Castlemaine | Tony Bell  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 9 October 2017  | 22 November 2017  | Dave Petrusma  |  | Independent
Moreland | South | Samantha Ratnam |  | Greens | Elected to Victorian Parliament  | 11 October 2017  | 22 November 2017  | Jess Dorney  |  | Greens
Ararat | Unsubdivided | Paul Hooper  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 1 November 2017  | 29 November 2017  | Bill Braithwaite  |  | Independent
Melbourne | Unsubdivided | Tessa Sullivan  |  | Team Doyle | Resignation  | 15 December 2017  | 15 January 2018  | Beverley Pinder-Mortimer  |  | Team Doyle
Mount Alexander | Castlemaine | Robin Taylor  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 13 February 2018  | 7 March 2018  | Max Lesser  |  | Independent
Ararat | Unsubdivided | Glenda McLean  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 20 April 2018  | 21 May 2018  | Fay Hull  |  | Independent
Ararat | Unsubdivided | Darren Ford  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 9 May 2018  | 6 June 2018  | Frank Deutsch  |  | Independent
Maroondah | Wyreena | Michael Macdonald  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 25 June 2018  | 16 July 2018  | Tasa Damante  |  | Liberal
Pyrenees | Beaufort | Darren Ford  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 9 May 2018  | 6 June 2018  | Frank Deutsch  |  | Independent
Colac Otway | Unsubdivided | Terry Woodcroft  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 6 August 2018  | 27 August 2018  | Brian Crook  |  | Independent
South Gippsland | Tarwin Valley | Maxine Kiel  |  | Independent | Resignation | 26 September 2018  | 22 October 2018  | Rosemary Cousin  |  | Greens
Greater Bendigo | Whipstick | Julie Hoskin  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 21 September 2018  | 23 October 2018  | Malcolm Pethybridge  |  | Independent
South Gippsland | Tarwin Valley | Meg Edwards  |  | Liberal | Resignation | 30 October 2018  | 5 November 2018  | James Fawcett  |  | Independent
Mildura | Unsubdivided | Max Thorburn |  | Independent | Death  | 18 October 2018  | 13 November 2018  | Gavin Sedgmen  |  | Independent Liberal
Dandenong | Paperbark | Meng Heang Tak |  | Labor | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 27 November 2018  | 8 January 2019  | Sophie Tan  |  | Labor
Corangamite | Central | Bev McArthur |  | Liberal | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 6 December 2018  | 18 December 2018  | Wayne Oakes  |  | Independent
Mildura | Unsubdivided | Ali Cupper |  | Independent | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 7 December 2018  | 15 January 2019  | Helen Healy  |  | Independent
Maribyrnong | Stony Creek | Catherine Cumming |  | Justice | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 11 December 2018  | 21 January 2019  | Megan Bridger-Darling  |  | Labor
Glen Eira | Tucker | Nina Taylor |  | Labor | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 12 December 2018  | 9 January 2019  | Anne-Marie Cade  |  | Independent
Wodonga | Unsubdivided | Tim Quilty |  | Liberal Democrats | Elected to Victorian Parliament | 12 December 2018  | 14 January 2019  | Brian Mitchell  |  | Independent
South Gippsland | Strzelecki | Lorraine Brunt  |  | Independent | Resignation | 28 February 2019  | 1 April 2019  | Frank Hirst  |  | Independent
South Gippsland | Tarwin Valley | James Fawcett  |  | Independent | Resignation | 28 February 2019  | 1 April 2019  | No candidate declared elected
South Gippsland | Tarwin Valley | N/A |  | N/A | No candidate declared elected  | 3 April 2019  | 8 April 2019  | Steve Finlay  |  | Independent
Yarra | Nicholls | Mike McEvoy  |  | Greens | Resignation  | 3 April 2019  | 8 May 2019  | Bridgid O'Brien  |  | Victorian Socialists
South Gippsland | Coastal-Promontory | Jeremy Rich  |  | Independent | Resignation after drug charges | 22 April 2019  | 27 May 2019  | Matthew Sherry  |  | United Australia
Melton | Coburn | Melissa De Santis  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 9 May 2019  | 12 June 2019  | Yvonne Sebire  |  | Independent
Surf Coast | Winchelsea | Carol McGregor  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 3 June 2019  | 2 July 2019  | James McIntyre  |  | Independent
Buloke | Lower Avoca | John Shaw  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 13 August 2019  | 17 September 2019  | Bronwyn Simpson  |  | Independent
Greater Bendigo | Whipstick | Yvonne Wrigglesworth  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 12 September 2019  | 8 October 2019  | Susie Hawke  |  | Independent
Greater Dandenong | Paperback | Roz Blades  |  | Labor | Resignation  | 12 October 2019  | 11 November 2019  | Peter Brown  |  | Independent
Queenscliffe | Unsubdivided | Tony Francis  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 7 November 2019  | 2 December 2019  | Robert Minty  |  | Independent
Strathbogie | Lake Nagambie | Debra Bower  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 17 December 2019  | 20 January 2020  | Robert Gardner  |  | Independent
Gannawarra | Patchell | Mark Arians  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 3 February 2020  | 14 February 2020  | Jenny Fawcett  |  | Independent
Gannawarra | Yarran | Sonia Wright  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 3 February 2020  | 2 March 2020  | Andrew Gibbs  |  | Independent
Warrnambool | Unsubdivided | Peter Hulin  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 12 February 2020  | 11 March 2020  | Peter Sycopoulis  |  | Liberal
Casey | Springfield | Rex Flannery  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 14 February 2020  | Council sacked before countback
Casey | Edrington | Timothy Jackson  |  | Independent Labor | Resignation  | 14 February 2020  | Council sacked before countback
Brimbank | Grasslands | Lucinda Congreve  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 1 March 2020  | 30 March 2020  | Janev Aziz  |  | Independent
Ararat | Unsubdivided | David Pettman  |  | Independent | Resignation  | 3 April 2020  | 7 May 2020  | Bernadine Atkinson  |  | Independent

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Second-placed on primary vote as the by-election did not require preference distribution.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2016 council election results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024.
2. ^ "Victorian council elections 2016: everything you need to know". Herald Sun.
3. ^ "VICTORIAN GREENS CELEBRATE RECORD-BREAKING COUNCIL ELECTIONS". Victorian Greens.
4. ^ Schneiders, Ben; Millar, Royce (12 November 2017). "Labor in bid to claw back local heartland lost to Greens". The Age. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
5. ^ 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."
6. ^ 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""
7. ^ a b Irwin, Julia (30 January 2014). "Darebin councillor Vince Fontana among former mayors getting ready for state election". Northcote Leader. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
8. ^ Kellett, Andrea (20 May 2014). "Glen Eira's first Greens mayor Neil Pilling cuts party ties". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
9. ^ Irwin, Julia (21 May 2014). "Darebin Mayor brands Labor rates cap policy 'populist politics'". Herald Sun. Northcote Leader. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. 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."
10. ^ Wallace, Rick (16 September 2014). "Melbourne's East West link drives wedge through the middle". The Australian. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
11. ^ Lucas, Clay (15 September 2014). "Anti-East West Link councillor's ties to Liberal Party questioned". The Age. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
12. ^ Begg, Peter (16 December 2014). "Vote 1 Local Jobs party's James Purcell elected to Upper House". Geelong Advertiser. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
13. ^ "Bendigo councillor Elise Chapman to run for Country Alliance in Bendigo West". ABC News. 16 October 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
14. ^ "ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
15. ^ "Bellarine – Victoria 2014". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
16. ^ Willingham, Richard (26 February 2015). "Michael Danby challenger Amanda Stevens banned for Labor 'disloyalty'". The Age. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
17. ^ McComish, Sean (2 November 2012). "Doukas wins third term as mayor". The Standard. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
18. ^ Sinnott, Alex; Woolley, Jarrod (29 September 2015). "Jim Doukas announced as Country Party candidate". The Standard. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
19. ^ Country Alliance [@CountryAlliance] (2015-10-21). "Vote 1, Jim Doukas" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2024-11-12 - via Twitter.
20. ^ Lenaghan, Peter (8 January 2016). "Bendigo anti-mosque protester Elise Chapman named as lead One Nation candidate for Victoria". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
21. ^ Preiss, Benjamin (23 February 2016). "Stephen Jolly leads mass resignation from Socialist Party over allegations of abuse cover-up". The Age. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
22. ^ Stuchbery, Madeleine (7 March 2018). "Moonee Valley councillors to make public their travel claims and donations". Herald Sun. Moonee Valley Leader. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
23. ^ Schelle, Caroline (31 October 2016). "Greens ready to take control of new-look Darebin Council". Herald Sun. Preston Leader. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
24. ^ "Indigenous Melbourne City Councillor Brooke Wandin stands down amid questions about eligibility". ABC News. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
25. ^ "Melbourne Council candidates Brooke Wandin, Richard Foster charged with electoral fraud". ABC News. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
26. ^ Younger, Emma (19 April 2018). "Former Melbourne councillor avoids conviction over illegal nomination". ABC News. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
27. ^ "City of Melbourne councillor Michael Caiafa loses seat in unprecedented decision". The Age.
28. ^ "Victorians dispute fines for not voting in 2016 local government elections". ABC News.
29. ^ "Casey councillors desert ship as investigator recommends their sacking". The Age.

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