维多利亚州地方政府区域

title: 沿革.
content: 墨尔本市在维州发展史上向来执牛耳之势,百年来都是带动州内发展的政经中心,所以一个功能完善、产业集中、能充分发挥土地利用率的墨尔本中央商务区(CBD)对于维州至为关键。由于这项讨论牵涉到墨尔本的市政区应该如何「重新划分」方能提高行政效率与健全财政的问题,因此维多利亚州的地方事务改革乃以州政府自1980年12月起,对于「如何提高政府效率」的讨论为起点;首先于是年派出3位委员以决议修法划界、调整市政体系、定义政府功能及具体行政责任等相关事宜。  1982年,新上任的工党政府撤销了负责地方事务改革的委员会、设立了6个墨尔本市的选区(wards),并于当年12月进行了选区划定之后的首届市议员选举;3年后再加进了1个新选区。  1989年,州议会通过了《地方自治法》(Local Government Act),允准了府城墨尔本的改制,使墨城原本所辖的各区,整并升格为地方政府的「市」与郡;目的是使各地方政府成立后,可拉近官民之间的层级,鼓励双方针对社区发展而勤于沟通,并从中寻求可商议的协调模式,使一切资源得以更具效率地被使用、政府官员可更负责任地因应邻里所需解决的公共事务。另在权力与责任加重的前提下,各市与郡的政务官除了须对所属的议会进行施政报告和接受咨询,亦须对州议会负责;报告和咨询内容包括市政规划、道路兴建和修整、废弃物处理等主要市政。  1993年,《墨尔本市自治法》(City of Melbourne Act)具体划定了市区的界线,并且根据新的市政辖境,再次重新调整了选区成4个。  2001年,州政府将上述墨尔本市内的4个选区增加至7个以后,进一步开放了市民直选市长。在此之前,州府认为墨尔本市地位关键,市长一职应由市议员之中推选出1位人选来担任。  2007年7月2日,州政府将原本所辖的港区-Docklands也归入墨尔本市,使墨城的市政辖境扩充近一倍。
title: 结果.
content: 维多利亚州现辖79个地方政府,依次分四类:
title: 与邻州的异同.
content: 比较邻近的新南威尔士州,雪梨市经2005年改制后,各区亦普遍整并升格为「市」,使州内的地方政府区域(LGAs)增至152个,但有部分的地方议会和地方政府,层级未予以明定。以原雪梨市的顾林凯区为例,由于升格后未冠予「自治市」(municipality)或「市」(city)之名,因此政府部门即称「顾林凯议会」(Ku-ring-gai Council)。而在维多利亚州,除了几个未予明定的乡野地带,所有的地方议会和政府一律类别分明。  而北部的昆士兰州,人口成长率居二十多年来全国之冠;同样出于健全地方财政收支以及提高施政效率的考量,亦参考了维多利亚州和新南威尔士州地方行政区域的改制,于2007年始推动地方政府事务的改革,至2008年3月经地方选举的落实而宣告改革成功。  惟所不同的是昆州参考新南威尔士州的地方改制,亦设立「区议会」(Regional Council),但维州则无区议会之类别;这是因为幅员广大的州,将地缘和人文方面相近的郡与市合为一区,组成区议会,使地方政府在尊重各地风俗与民情的前提下,能拟定好促进各地永续发展的施政方针和措施来,这是幅员比较小、开发成熟、人口最密集的维多利亚州所例外的。

Summary: 地方政府区域(Local Government Areas;LGAs)即是地方政府所辖与政策所及的「范围」。由于澳大利亚的政治制度仿英国西敏制(The Westminster System of government)而采议会制,自中央以下至州、市、区、郡及自治市(municipality/borough),各行政部门的首长皆由立法部门的成员担任,且须由议会或下议院(若有)内的「多数党」组成政府;例如:联邦下议员(Member of Lower-House)组成联邦政府(Federal Government)、州议员组成州政府(state government)、市议员组成市政府(city council)等。因此渊源,澳大利亚英语里的地方「议会」(council)之含意等同于地方政府(local government)。

Local government in Victoria: Local government in the Australian state of Victoria consist of 79 local government areas (LGAs). Also referred to as municipalities, Victorian LGAs are classified as cities (34), shires (38), rural cities (6) and boroughs (1). In general, an urban or suburban LGA is called a city and is governed by a City Council, while a rural LGA covering a larger rural area is usually called a shire and is governed by a Shire Council. Local councils have the same administrative functions and similar political structures, regardless of their classification. They will typically have an elected council and usually a mayor or shire president responsible for chairing meetings of the council. The City of Melbourne has a Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, who are directly elected, and in the other councils a mayor and deputy mayor are elected by fellow Councillors from among their own number. Since 2017, the mayor of the City of Greater Geelong has not been directly elected. In addition, there are also 10 unincorporated areas, consisting of small islands or ski resorts, which are administered either by the state government or management boards. Council elections are held every four years on the fourth Saturday in October. The last council elections were held on 22 October 2016. Election was not held for the City of Greater Geelong, which was under administration until council elections were held on 27 October 2017. In 2016, 637 local Councillors were elected in the 78 Councils contested. Casual vacancies of councilors are filled by countback of the last ballots, except for the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, which is filled by a by-election.