The Campaign Chaos Eroding Community Trust in Brimbank
This week signalled the conclusion of the voting period for local government elections across Victoria. Whilst these elections are often hotly contested in the West, in Brimbank, it has been absolutely ruthless.
This campaign cycle has seen several candidates have their corflutes stolen or damaged, there have been allegations of candidates threatening business owners for displaying posters of competing candidates in their window, and reports of candidates running hate campaigns against other candidates. Perhaps more concerning, is candidates and their volunteers viciously attacking and condemning the very residents, they purport they want to represent.
Facebook community groups serve as a valuable networking and connection point for members of the community. Many residents use these groups to obtain local information and share experiences, however, these groups frequently serve as political campaign platforms for councillors and candidates alike. They often position themselves as a community group, but as candidates continue to hold the administration role of the group, they dictate which resident posts are published and which are not. All too often, the administrator will disallow a post that sheds them in an unfavourable light, meaning the community is provided with a biased picture of a candidate that is favourable to their bid for (re)election.
Whilst some candidates have taken the blunt action of blocking residents for asking difficult questions, even pre-emptively, others have sent in their volunteers to viciously and ferociously attack residents, for sharing information they have seen in candidate campaign material, or posting stories of their experience with Councillors seeking re-election. In an area where transparency appears high on the agenda, why do so many candidates remain fearful of vigorous debate or questioning? Why do candidates feel the need to block residents who ask reasonable questions about their candidacy?
Perhaps what is most frightening here, is that these actions inevitably lead to a perceived lack of suitable candidates to vote for— leaving many voters civically disengaged, wanting to abandon their right to vote and experiencing extreme melancholy. Prior to the election, several voters declared that they will abstain from the vote, or, for those who fear government penalties, cast a donkey vote. Their reasoning is simple— they have no decent candidate to vote for.
With so much disdain for local government, is it finally time to scrap local governments for good? The debate has long ranged in the community and there is still no clear answer among residents. Those that advocate for local government to be scrapped, call for an independent body to instead oversee municipalities and ensure that state and federal funding, is equally dispersed among them. Those who oppose the move, fear that the State government would control the municipality, leaving it more vulnerable to backhand deals. Whilst others seek to exclude political parties entirely from the race, insisting that only independents without party affiliations be elected to the council.
What has become clear is that, for the moment at least, we need to invite new and fresh candidates into our council elections, but with the risk of being bullied, harassed, and silenced into submission ever present, is it any wonder that not more residents step up to run for office?
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