Coucillor Votes – Not recorded

The Shield of Collective Silence

In Kwinana, your local councillors make decisions that impact your rates, your property, and your community—yet they do so behind a veil of collective anonymity. While many residents assume that every “Yes” or “No” vote is linked to a name in the official records, the reality is quite different.

By sticking to a simple “show of hands” without recording names, our elected members effectively choose to hide their individual stances from the public eye. This isn’t just a matter of old-fashioned procedure; it is a convenient way for councillors to avoid being held personally responsible for unpopular decisions.

When no name is attached to a vote, there is no trail for a ratepayer to follow, making it nearly impossible for you to know if the person you elected is actually representing your values or simply hiding in the crowd.Why this matters

Most residents assume that when councillors vote on important issues — spending, policies, governance changes — their individual votes are recorded and publicly available.

In reality, that is often not the case.

This page explains, in plain language, how Council voting works, why individual votes are usually invisible to the public, and what that means for transparency and accountability in the City of Kwinana.

How Council votes are usually recorded

At most City of Kwinana Council meetings:

  • Motions are decided by a show of hands
  • The official minutes typically record only:
    • the wording of the motion, and
    • whether it was carried or lost

What is not usually recorded:

  • Which councillors voted for the motion
  • Which councillors voted against the motion
  • Which councillors abstained or were absent

This means residents often cannot tell how their individual councillor voted on a specific decision.

Is this lawful?

Yes — but it is also low-transparency.

Under Western Australia’s local government framework:

  • Councils are generally permitted to vote by show of hands
  • Minutes are not required to automatically name individual votes

However, the law does allow individual votes to be recorded — if a councillor requests it.

The key point residents should know

Individual councillor votes can be recorded — but only if a councillor asks for it.

This is sometimes referred to as a:

  • recorded vote, or
  • division

If no councillor requests a recorded vote, the result remains anonymous.

What this means in practice

Because recorded votes are rarely requested:

  • Councillors are shielded by collective decisions
  • Residents cannot easily track voting behaviour
  • Election-time accountability is weakened
  • Public debate shifts away from individual responsibility

This system benefits:

  • incumbents
  • consensus-driven councils
  • decisions made without public scrutiny

It disadvantages:

  • residents seeking transparency
  • voters trying to make informed choices

Why this issue is rarely discussed

Councillors are unlikely to explain this publicly because:

  • It highlights a lack of visibility
  • It invites calls for reform
  • It creates expectations of recorded voting

Silence avoids accountability — without breaking any rules.

What transparency would look like

A more transparent system would include:

  • Routine use of recorded votes on:
    • governance decisions
    • significant expenditure
    • policy frameworks
  • Clear minutes showing how each councillor voted
  • Consistent publication of voting records

Many councils in Australia already do this as standard practice.

What residents can reasonably ask for

Residents are entitled to ask:

  • Why recorded votes are not used more often
  • Whether councillors will commit to requesting recorded votes
  • How voters are meant to assess councillor performance without voting records

These are process questions, not political attacks.

ALWMGroup’s position

ALWMGroup does not endorse candidates or political parties.

We advocate for:

  • transparency
  • documented decision-making
  • accountability that residents can see and verify

A council that records how its members vote is not weaker — it is more accountable.