An analysis sample of 17 community consultation demographics from across seven metropolitan local councils in Melbourne, Victoria. This research note tests a simple hypothesis: that Victorian local council consultations are biased toward older homeowners. It finds that the community consultation models used tend to favour the time-rich (property owners and older residents) over the time-poor (renters and younger residents). Future consultation should be more representative, using methods such as broad-based polling and deliberative bodies chosen by sortition.

Key findings

• In 94% of the sample, older residents were overrepresented compared to the actual demographics of the local government area.
• In 100% of the sample, homeowners were overrepresented compared to the actual demographics of the local government area.
• On average, only 0.2% of the community opted in to local consultation processes.
• The findings underline the biased and unrepresentative nature of opt-in community consultation practices.