Vote out the Boroondara polls

Traders and Residents say Boroondara’s historic dry-zone laws should be repealed, as Camberwell residents prepare to vote in another liquor license application.

The laws requiring a postal vote of the neighbourhood each time a restaurant or cafe applies for a liquor license, will be enacted again as locals give the ‘yes or no’ to Burke Road Mexican grill, Salsa’s.

65-year-old Camberwell resident Rob Straughen is arguably one of Victoria’s most experienced voters having voted in five ‘dry-zone’ ballots, but he believes there’s no need for the polls in the current age.

“It seems a frivolous waste of money for such an outdated law,” Mr. Straughen said.

Mr. Straughen said Electoral Commission data revealing the last time an objection was registered, is a mandate for the polls to be abolished.

ARE YOU IN THE DRY-ZONE: See the poll results here.

The statistics reveal (out of 47 polls since 1990):

36 returned as “Yes” votes
11 returned as “No” votes
The last “No” vote was registered nine years ago in June 2004 (for Dunzayad Restaurant in North Balwyn)
Seven polls took place on the “Burke Rd, Camberwell” strip
Seven polls took place in the “Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn” strip

View Dry-Zone Polls since 1990 in a larger map

Residents are required to vote in the local option polls, or risk incuring a failure-to-vote fine of $70.

Paul Thornton-Smith, Senior Information Officer at the Victorian Electoral Commission said the cost of holding each poll is split.

“Between the VEC and the Liquor Liscening Authority, it’s around a few thousand dollars for each poll,” he Thornton-Smith said.

Mr. Thornton Smith went on to say State Parliament can repeal the laws, or Boroondara Council could hold a council-wide vote.

Council reacts

But Deb Ganderton, spokesperson for Boroondara Council said the cost of a large vote knocking out the smaller polls is holding them back,

“Three years ago we had it quoted at $185,000. We think it’s unfair to use ratepayers money for something that could so easily be achieved by the State Government,” Mrs Ganderton said.

A Spokesperson for the Napthine Government said Council haven’t spoken to the minister responsible.

“Any decisions would need to be made at the local level,” James Talia, State Government spokesperson said.

The Burke Road, Camberwell strip where liquor liscenced cafe's require a vote, on one side of the road.

Traders fed up

Camberwell Traders president Henk Kelly-Kobes said his traders are frustrated with the extra step.

“It’s (the polls) definitely archaic. The process should be put in place to get rid of it,” he said.

Scott Meneilly, Chief Operations Officer for Retail Zoo, which owns the Camberwell Salsa’s store, said the lengthier process is out of line with the rest of Melbourne,

“It makes it very challenging, it does feel a little unfair and it’s a difficult process to manage,” he said.

The postal vote will be sent out in the coming weeks to residents within a kilometre radius of the Burke Road store.

Camberwell shoppers view the liquor liscence application to be voted-on by locals.