Councillors want to see equal representation
WINDERMERE Ward’s newest councillor has declared he will push for Geelong’s northern suburbs to get equal representation on council.
Anthony Aitken and Kylie Gryzbek are the councillorselect for Windermere, covering the northern suburbs including Norlane and Corio; Fyansford and Batesford east of the Geelong Ring Road; Moorabool, Lovely Banks, Anakie, Little River, Avalon, Point Wilson and Lara.
Mr Aitken said he would now push for three councillors to represent the ward, equal to the three councillors in each of Geelong’s other wards.
“Kylie and I are the only two candidates representing the north, when the rest of Geelong have three candidates,” Mr Aitken said yesterday. “That’s a big issue for us.”
“We will even be trying to push for a policy position that council adopts a principal that there should be equal representation across the whole of Geelong,” he said.
Both new councillors-elect – who are set to be officially declared councillors today – said they were hoping to be a part of a much more conciliatory council than the one sacked by the State Government last year.
“I think we’ll all probably get on really well,” Ms Gryzbek, a first-time councillor,
“I don’t think it will be news to anyone that I’m interested in the mayoral role, coming second in two direct elections made my intentions pretty clear,” she said.
“My close observations of the role and responsibilities of the mayor over the past five years, and my platform of honest, open and professional behaviour, stand me in good stead.
“My track record in the corporate and public sector, as people to be proud of the council again, and you want the community to be proud of where they live”
Mr Aitken, who served on the inaugural Greater Geelong council about 16 years ago, enjoyed the biggest voter turnout – attracting 31.9 per cent of the first preference voting. Mr Ait- well as my ongoing involvement in the community means my credentials are as strong or stronger than most for the role.”
Mr Murrihy also laid his cards on the table.
“I intend to throw my hat into the ring,” he said yesterday. “I want to do that, so we’ll see how that plays out.”
Both the mayor and deputy mayor positions will be picked by an internal vote on Tuesday, November 14.
It is also understood fellow returning sacked councillor Bruce Harwood had signalled interest in slipping on the mayoral robes. But the councillorelect was tight-lipped when asked about his intentions yesterday.
“I’ll just chat to the other councillors and get feedback from them, and see what ken said he was sure this council would not have the same problems as its predecessors.
“The three things which will make the council successful are strong relationships between each other, the council has to have a commitment to limit outside influences on them, and they really have to as soon as they get together try to establish a shared vision and commitment,” Mr Aitken said.
“If they can focus on those three things I actually think council will be very successful.
“Local government is very personal, and you will always have differences of opinions, but it’s the professionalism and maturity of the individual that will determine the success,” he said.
“I’m happy to disagree with someone and someone should be happy to disagree with me, but we both should respect that we are elected representatives and we may have differing opinions.
“If councillors can have that respect for one another then I don’t think we will descend into the personal anarchy we have experienced in the past.”