MAYORAL RACE DOWN TO THE WIRE
Our next mayor and deputy will be revealed tonight, after the city’s new councillors are officially sworn in.
GEELONG’S next mayor and their deputy will be revealed tonight, after the city’s new councillors are officially sworn in.
After a week of talks in which four hopefuls pitched for the top job, Geelong’s 11 councillors were to meet for the first time last night to discuss their leadership team.
One of the leading contenders, Brownbill’s Peter Murrihy, yesterday said no firm decision had been made on who would lead the council in the post-administration era.
“Everybody is keeping their cards pretty close to their chest, as you would expect,” he said.
“We won’t know how it plays out until Tuesday night.”
Former mayor Bruce Harwood (Kardinia), two-time mayoral candidate Stephanie Asher (Bellarine) and former Bendigo Bank boss Pat Murnane have declared their interest in the role.
None of them were willing to declare a likely victor or engage in speculation yesterday, with only Ms Asher speaking publicly.
After cutting short a trip to the United States to return to Geelong last Wednesday, Ms Asher said she was buoyed by the induction program council officers were offering to councillors.
“They have done a lot of work to make sure everybody is suitably informed,” she said.
The induction program includes work around governance, conduct, meeting procedures, civic leadership, roles and responsibilities.
The mayor is elected by the councillors for a maximum two-year term, meaning there will be a further vote ahead of the general election in 2020.
After the abolition of the direct election system that ushered Keith Fagg and Darryn Lyons to power, the salary for the mayoral role has almost been cut in half to $94,641 plus super.
The deputy mayor and councillors will draw an annual pay of $29,630.