Local Government in Victoria is now in an "election period" which began at midday on September 17 with the close of election candidate nominations.
The election period will conclude on October 26 after the close of postal voting.
During an election period, special conditions are applied to Council decision-making and operations to ensure that Council's actions and activities do not unfairly influence the election outcome, nor commit the incoming Council to substantial expenditure or to other significant actions.
These conditions are described in Council's Election Period Policy 2024.
From the Policy:
The Policy is intended to prevent the Council from making inappropriate decisions or using resources inappropriately during the election period before a general election. It places limits on public consultation and the scheduling of Council events and puts in place procedures to ensure that access to information held by Council is made equally available and accessible to candidates during the election.