"Wrong time": Union urge AEC to reconsider Wangaratta office closure

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) have urged the AEC to reconsider the closure of the Wangaratta AEC divisional office, warning the decision will hurt regional workers and cost the community access to trusted democratic services. An AEC spokesperson has confirmed the office is expected to close on 30 September when the lease expires and will co-locate with the electorate of Nicholls to Wodonga. The CPSU said by mid-2027, AEC divisional offices located in Albury and Wagga Wagga are proposed to also move to Wodonga, effectively combining four large electorate divisions into one office. The Wangaratta AEC divisional office, located on Ely Street, services the electorate of Indi, delivering trusted electoral information shaped by long-term local knowledge. In the lead up to election time, they also support election delivery by employing and coordinating staff needed for postal voting, pre-polling, and election day services. CPSU team lead Sam McCrone said three full-time AEC employees will be impacted by the decision, and up to 20 casual employees who work during the election period. “At a time where people are struggling with cost of living pressures, it’s the wrong time to be pulling these resources out of local communities… forcing people who are currently employed to spend a significant amount of additional money travelling hours every day if they want to get to their jobs,” Mr McCrone said. But the decision won’t just be putting regional job security on the line. “When local offices disappear, voters, candidates and communities lose direct access to the expertise that underpins a strong and healthy democracy,” Mr McCrone said. “It will make it harder for people to register, to vote, particularly those who aren’t necessarily computer literate. “It will remove people out of the community that have a good understanding of the local community, who [also] play a role in educating and driving uptake registrations amongst younger voters.” Mr McCrone also warns of broader implications, fearing the closure will tamper with the principles that underpin our democratic system. “At a point in time where we see a decline in the face of democracy and all the misinformation around elections, it’s critically important to have a trusted source of information in communities that people can draw on, so they have faith in our democratic institutions,” he said. Federal Independent MP for Indi Helen Haines also expressed her disappointment over the move. “I’ve spoken with the AEC commissioner to share my concerns and seek assurances that people across Indi will continue to have accessible, local access to electoral services and advice,” she said. An AEC spokesperson said office closures are issued on a case-by-case basis in consultation with local staff and refuted claims that the decision will affect voter services. "This model has proven to work effectively as a way to maintain services to voters in an electorate without a physical office presence," they said. "It also reflects the long-term trend of voters preferring to engage directly with us via the AEC website instead of a divisional office. "The decision to close these offices does not impede voter services at future elections in any way. "Voting services at the next federal election (due by May of 2028) will continue to be planned according to the needs of the electorate, and we expect voting locations in both Indi and Nicholls to be similar to what voters have seen at previous elections. "Regardless of the office location, both Indi and Nicholls will have their own divisional returning officers, responsible for the delivery of future elections within each electorate."

"Wrong time": Union urge AEC to reconsider Wangaratta office closure

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