16Electoral structure review

16 Electoral structure review

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Minister may, before recommending the making of an Order in Council under section 15, establish an electoral representation advisory panel to conduct a review and advise the Minister in relation to the electoral structure of a Council.

(2) Subject to subsections (13) and (14), the Minister must, before recommending the making of an Order in Council under section 15 in relation to a matter specified in section 15(1)(b), (c) or (d) establish an electoral representation advisory panel to conduct a review and advise the Minister in relation to the electoral structure of a Council.

(3) If the Minister has established an electoral representation advisory panel, the Minister must consider the advice of the electoral representation advisory panel before recommending the making of an Order in Council under section 15.

S. 16(3A) inserted by No. 23/2024 s. 5.

(3A) Subject to this section, the Minister may by instrument appoint any person, on the terms and conditions specified in the instrument, to be a member of an electoral representation advisory panel.

(4) An electoral representation advisory panel must include the Electoral Commissioner appointed under section 12 of the Electoral Act 2002 or a person nominated to the Minister by the Electoral Commissioner to represent the Electoral Commissioner on the electoral representation advisory panel.

(5) The VEC must provide administrative and technical support to an electoral representation advisory panel.

(6) An electoral representation advisory panel must not include any of the following persons—

(a) a person who is a Councillor of the Council in respect of which the electoral representation advisory panel is to be established;

(b) a person who is qualified to be a candidate for election as a Councillor of the Council in respect of which the electoral representation advisory panel is to be established;

(c) a person who is not qualified to be a Councillor;

(d) a person who is a member of staff of the Council in respect of which the electoral representation advisory panel is to be established;

(e) a person who is a member of a registered political party;

(f) a person who has been a member of a registered political party at any time during the period of 5 years immediately before the electoral representation advisory panel is to be established.

(7) The Minister may request the electoral representation advisory panel to provide advice to the Minister with respect to any or all of the following—

(a) the total number of Councillors to be elected for the Council;