Tuesday, January 27, 2015

What has Stonnington got to hide? Over 2000 unused votes excluded from Municipal Count back



Preliminary analysis of the City of Stonnington has indicated that the count-back system deployed is seriously flawed with over 2000 unused votes excluded from the count.


WHAT HAS THE CITY OF STONNINGTON GOT TO HIDE


Mr Anthony van der Craats, Senior Systems Analyst and Life member and former National Secretary of the Proportional Representation Society of Australia  has called on the Stonnington City Council to publish the details of the preference data files for independent analysis and review.  The Stonnington City Council has refused to date to publish copies of the preference data files.  This information should be readily available but the City of Stonnington is refusing to release it.

The Proportional Representation Society is aware of the deficiency in the legislation yet has failed to have this matter addressed.

The rules as they currently stand are applicable to a different system and should not be applied to the current system in use.  If the system was a pure proportional system (IE no Droop Quota) the existing rules would work fine.  But under the Droop Quota system they distort the proportionally of the count and do not reflect the voters intention. 

Without access to copies of the preference data files it is impossible to independently verify the integrity and accuracy of the count.

The Stonnington City Council in refusing to make copies of the preference data files readily available is trying to hide and prevent review and analysis of the system which needs to be change if public confidence in the system if to be maintained.

Other Municipalities, State and Federal Government have published copies of the preference data files used to determine the results of the 2012 and 2014 elections.  Why not Stonnington?

Further Information

Anthony van der Craats
Senior Systems Analyst (ICT)
Life Member of the Proportional Representation Society of Australia 
0403378111