Nominate to be a Councillor
The Town of Port Hedland Council has a vacant position after Councillor David Eckhart resigned. One and a half year were remaining on the term from the commencement of Mr Eckhart’s service in October 2021.
The WA Electoral Commission advised that a by-election needs to be held, with the date 8 March 2024. It advised it was not possible to fill the vacant seat with the next unsuccessful candidate as it has been more than 12 months since the elected in which Mr Eckhart was successful.
Want to represent your community and be part of making the decisions for Hedland? You can nominate to become a local Elected Member candidate!
To stand for election as a Councillor, you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be an elector of the district (if you are only an elector because you are a nominee of a company then you are not eligible to stand)
- If you are a current Council member, have a term that ends on Election Day
You are not eligible to nominate if you:
- Are an elected member of another council
- Are a candidate for another vacancy of Councillor on the council (except for that of Mayor)
- Are a Member of Parliament
- Are an insolvent
- Are currently an elected member for the local government whose term does not expire on election day except if nominating for Mayor
- Have been convicted of a crime and are in prison for that crime
- Have been convicted in the previous 5 years of a “serious local government offence”
- Are a nominee of a body corporate owner or occupier
- Have been found personally liable of misapplying local government funds or property in the previous five years.
Candidate Information Session
The Town hosted a public Candidate Information Session at 4:00pm on Tuesday 16 January 2024 in Council Chambers at the Civic Centre.
The session covered:
- Town organisational structure and function
- Town of Port Hedland's Code of Conduct
- Information and parameters to campaigning
- Disclosure of gifts by candidates
- Mandatory training for public members intending to nominate
- Nominating to be a Councillor
Information Presentation available here.
Election Candidate Webinar
The WA Electoral Commission, WALGA and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) presented an Election Candidate Information Briefing webinar.
The webinar informed prospective candidates about the election process, the roles and responsibilities of local government, elected members and the council, together with the role of the DLGSC as the regulator of local government in WA.
To view the Election Candidate Webinar, click here.
Code of Conduct for Candidates
The Local Government Act 1995 requires the Town to adopt a code of conduct for council members (elected members), committee members and local government election candidates.
The code sets out principles and standards of behaviour candidates must observe and is intended to promote accountable and ethical conduct.
The Town’s Code of Conduct reflects the mode code of conduct prescribed by the Local Government Act 1995 which includes:
- General principles to guide behaviour of candidates
- Requirements relating to behaviour of candidates.
- Provisions specified to be rules of conduct for candidates.
Prior to Submitting a Nomination
Prior to nominating, candidates must:
When to Submit a Nomination
Formal nominations to become a Councillor occur during nominations week.
Nominations Week for 2024 runs from Wednesday 17 January 2024 to 4:00pm Wednesday 24 January 2024
Nominations are to be received by the Returning Officer and occur at the Town of Port Hedland’s Civic Centre at 13 McGregor Street, Port Hedland.
How to Nominate
If you decide to nominate:
- You must complete the nomination form
- The completed nomination form must be received by the Returning Officer before the close of nominations date
The nomination form must be accompanied by a candidate profile
- If the nomination is made by an agent the nomination form must be accompanied by a written authorisation from the candidate
- The nomination must be accompanied by a deposit of $100 or the deposit must be paid before nominations close
Returning Officer
If you intend to stand as a nominee in the election, you will need to meet with the returning officer.
The returning officer is now available at the Civic Centre via prior arrangement. To make an appointment, please contact:
George Osinski
Returning Officer - Town of Port Hedland
LGro_Port.Hedland@elections.wa.gov.au
Mobile: 0461 435 155
Campaigning
The election period has now commenced since the call for nominations, however, potential candidates are unable to advertise they are a candidate until their nomination has been approved by the Returning Officer however they can promote they intend to nominate to be a candidate.
Social media
With social media now a major part of many election campaigns, the Western Australian Electoral Commission has released standards to guide candidates.
These standards define any material 'that is intended, calculated or likely to affect voting in an election' is required to be authorised.
The requirements relating to the authorisation of election material apply irrespective of who is publishing the material and whether it is in printed or electronic form.
Any electoral advertisement, handbill, pamphlet or electoral notice (other than an advertisement in a newspaper announcing the holding of a meeting), must have at the end of it, the name and physical street address (not a PO Box number) of the person authorising it. If the material is printed in hard copy, then it must also include the name and place of business of the printer at the foot of the material. This applies unless the advertisement is in a newspaper (in which case the printer is obvious and contactable).
If election material is produced and printed by the one person (e.g. using a home computer and printer), then the legislative provisions are satisfied by adding ‘Authorised and printed by (name), (address)’ at the end of it.
Certain small items of a candidate or party promotional nature are exempt from the requirement to carry the authorisation and addresses. These include:
- T-shirts, lapel buttons, lapel badges, pens, pencils or balloons
- Business or visiting cards that promote the candidacy of any person in an election.
Any advertising on the Internet (e.g. banner ads) must also be authorised. A website or Facebook site created for electioneering purposes needs to be authorised (on the home or landing page), however individual comments on social media (e.g. such as Twitter or Facebook) do not.
Penalties may be applied for non-compliance with the authorisation requirements, as well as for any misleading or deceptive publications.
Election Signs
When can I install election signs?
Election signs can be erected the day after the nomination period closes. For 2024, this date is Thursday 25 January 2024.
Where can I install election signs?
You can place election signs on private property, provided that you obtain approval from the owner of the property first.
Election signs must not be placed on any Local Government owned property / fences / buildings/ parks etc. Examples are: Civic Centre, Depot, JD Hardie, Libraries, Aquatic Centres and the Wanangkura Stadium.
Election signs must not obstruct or encroach a public thoroughfare or endanger the public in any way.
Each sign must be erected using its own stake or picket. Signs must not be placed on any existing sign infrastructure.
Election signs cannot be placed within 50m of an intersection/ roundabout/ traffic sign or traffic island.
Elections signs must be no closer than 3.5m from the trafficable path of vehicles.
What must be on the election sign?
- The name and address of the person authorising the sign
- The name and place of business of the printer of the sign
- Signs must not contain any purported representation of a ballot paper
- Signs must not contain any misleading or deceptive imagery or material
What do I do if I see an election sign in breach of these guidelines?
Call the Town of Port Hedland on (08) 9158 9300 and tell us the location.
The above guidelines are based on information contained within the following documents:
Sections 187 and 191A of the Electoral Act 1907
Regulations 7 & 7A of the Local Government (Uniform Local Provisions) Regulations 1995
Schedule 2 item 61 of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015
Clause 4.12 and 4.13 of the Town of Port Hedland Animals Environment and Nuisances Local Law 2016
Clause 11.6 of the Town of Port Hedland Planning Policy No. 12 ‘Control of Signs and Advertising Devices’
Disclosure of Gifts
Both the candidate and the donor in local government elections have legislative obligations for the disclosure of gifts promised or received by the candidate or made by the donor. As per Part 5A of the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997, the information will be publicly available through the Register of Electoral Gifts 2022.
In accordance with the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997 regulations 30B and 30CA, both the candidate and the donor are required to each submit a disclosure of gift, promised or received by the candidate or made by the donor, during the specified disclosure period being 6 weeks leading up to the local government elections and concludes either 3 days after the election day for the unsuccessful candidate or on the start day for financial interest returns for the successful candidate.
Candidate:
A candidate must disclose to the CEO a gift promised or received during the above disclosure period using the gift disclosure form found here. Failure to disclose attracts a penalty of $5,000 which may be enforced for non-compliance.
Donor:
A donor must disclose to the CEO a gift to a candidate promised or made during the above disclosure period using the gift disclosure form found here. Failure to disclose attracts a penalty of $5,000 which may be enforced for non-compliance.
Please submit all gift disclosure forms to the Town of Port Hedland at governance@porthedland.wa.gov.au or in person at the Civic Centre, on McGregor Street.
Further Information
Returning Officer Contact Details
George Osinski
T: 0461 435 155
Email: lgro_port.hedland@elections.wa.gov.au