Division over bloc votes

Councillors disagree over voting pattern

GEELONG councillors are split on the existence of a majority voting bloc that appears to have effectively seized decision-making power at the City of Greater Geelong.

Mayor Stephanie Asher publicly rejected the existence of a “formal pattern” this week, while another councillor conceded “it seems there is”.

The dispute comes after the Geelong Advertiser revealed six of the city’s 11 councillors had voted together on all but two of the council’s 14 contested decisions since September 2019 — while the remaining five councillors have only voted together half the time.

The apparent majority bloc used a single-vote majority to push through decisions to spend $2m to rip up part of the award-winning Green Spine, reject a climate change declaration, and form a taskforce of prominent business people to guide CBD decision-making without comprehensive terms of reference.

The group includes Cr Asher, Deputy Mayor Kylie Grzybek and councillors Anthony Aitken, Eddy Kontelj, Ron Nelson and Trent Sullivan.

Cr Peter Murrihy on Friday suggested the evidence indicated a voting pattern.

“It seems there is (a majority bloc), which is disappointing,” Cr Murrihy said.

Councillors Sarah Mansfield and Jim Mason said there was a “consistent” pattern appearing in the split votes.

“There’s certainly been a majority voting against some issues that I’ve voted for, and that’s been consistent. On some occasions it seems to fit a pattern,” Cr Mason said.

“But I do trust that councillors vote on issues on their merit.”

But Cr Asher this week told

The Pulse radio station there was no voting bloc “as such”.

“There’s no formal pattern and I think it’s a bit of a beatup, to be honest,” she said.

Councillors Sullivan, Nelson and Aitken also rejected the existence of a majority bloc.

“I don’t believe there’s a controlling group on council who dictate and control everything that happens at the city, because I’d certainly love to be part of something like that if I could be,” Cr Aitken said.

“It means you’d never lose a vote and you’d have certainty on everything, and that’s not the case if you have a look.”

Cr Sullivan said the vast majority of council votes were unanimous, which was evidence “there is no dominant voting bloc in council”.

The Geelong Advertiser was unable to contact Cr Asher, Cr Grzybek and councillors Kontelj and Pat Murnane on Friday. Cr Bruce Harwood declined to comment.