Decentralisation and local autonomy are important principles. The rules, regulations and restriction that govern Local Government are currently all done at the State level. The current issue over uniform
proportional representation for Local Government in Western Australia
is a good argument for Local Government to determine these things themselves.
I believe that preferential voting in multi-member districts produces superior outcomes, but remain to be convinced that preferential voting, rather than first past the post [FPTP], does similar in single member districts. Local Government should have the autonomy to create their own electoral and voting systems that fit the local environment. The increasingly unitary relationship between Federal government and the States is decried, but little attention
is paid to the unitary control of Local Government at the State level
.
