Gunnedah Shire Council's 2024 Local Government Election will be administered by the NSW Electoral Commission

Gunnedah Shire Council resolved to enter into an election arrangement with the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC), at its first council meeting of 2023 on Wednesday, February 15.

Council officers recommended the NSWEC quote of $156,166 was the better option, compared to one external provider, Australian Election Company.

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Councillor Juliana McArthur asked to defer making a resolution, with a view to trying to obtain a more efficient or cheaper quote, until the quotations provided in confidential documents could be clarified,

"It's a large amount of money," she said.

Advice given to council by NSWEC included that cost increases for early voting centres, rentals, logistics, fuel levy, CPIs, staff costs, growth in electors, and paper would be passed on.

Council was also given until March 13 to decide.

Officers said if council did not enter into an agreement with the commission, it must engage in other electoral services to administer the election.

"Another example of a lack of competition in Australia hurting councils," Cr McArthur said.

A local government amendment bill was passed in 2019, which removed the ability of councils to run their own elections.

Gunnedah had run its own elections successfully until 2016, councillor Murray O'Keefe said.

"It was far and away the cheapest and most hassle-free method to get a result from our shire," he said.

Council spent numerous workshops and meetings in 2019 combing through election options, Cr O'Keefe said.

Selecting the NSWEC was the best option, he said, because there are limited alternate suppliers.

"There is some considerable difference in the cost basis available to us if we are trapped with that option," he said.

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