TARPEENA elected member Shirley Little has expressed her fury the Australian Electoral Commission Division of Barker office has been closed in Mount Gambier following a decision to centralise the service at Murray Bridge.
“The first thing I ever heard about this was in The Border Watch,” Cr Little told a recent Grant District Council meeting.
“I think there are people out there who do need the electoral office and they need someone in the community.”
Cr Shirley lambasted the Federal Government for taking away more services from Mount Gambier.
“For all the things the government says they are going to put back into local areas, they are now taking away the electoral office,” she said.
The veteran councillor urged the council to write a letter to Member for Barker Tony Pasin on the issue.
“I just do not agree with it. While some people can go online, if they do not have a computer where does it leave these people,” she said.
The elected member highlighted this could be a particular problem with people living with a disability.
“There is not going to be anywhere for people to go and inquire. This is taking something else away from our community,” Cr Little said.
Council chief executive officer David Singe said he was also “seething” about the closure.
Mr Singe revealed he had written a “very blunt” letter to Mr Pasin.
“I have also sent a copy of the letter to the City of Mount Gambier to see if they want to join the fray.”
Mr Singe said he was concerned council only had an “afternoon’s warning” the office would close.
“From a regional perspective, Mount Gambier is a much larger city than Murray Bridge,” he said.
“The human face-to-face service has been removed and it is just as easy for people in Murray Bridge to ring Mount Gambier.”
An AEC spokesperson said the closure of the long-standing 4 Mitchell Street facility would “in no way” diminish the level of services available to the people of the South East either at election time or during the three-year electoral cycle.
“Enrolment advice and services will continue to be available to voters by telephone and via the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au,” the spokesperson said.
“Specifically, people can apply for a postal vote online and they can still pick up an enrolment application form from any Australia Post outlet.
“As for the coming federal election, pre-poll and election-day facilities for the voters of Barker will be the same of those provided at the 2016 election.”
