By Aneeka Simonis and Alana Mitchelson
FIVE of Cardinia Shire Council’s incumbents have managed to secure another four-year term, accompanied by four fresh new faces.
However gender balances dropped in Cardinia, with the new team made up of double the men compared with women, despite an increase in female representation state-wide.
Three women including returning councillors Jodie Owen and Leticia Wilmot will join new face Carol Ryan as the three female councillors, accompanying voter favourites Brett Owen and Collin Ross in addition to Graeme Moore and first-time councillors Jeff Springfield, Michael Schilling and Ray Brown.
Collin Ross was again re-elected by a landslide vote receiving 7200 first preference votes in Central Ward; an increase of more than 1500 in comparison to the previous election.
“It’s a real honour. People get to know you after a while and I think I’m trusted as a councillor because I’m true to my word,” Mr Ross said.
“I’ve promised the community I’d support them on rate increases and I’ve honoured that every year on council even though that hasn’t made me popular among my fellow councillors ever.
I always look to find out what the community wants rather than tell the community what’s good for them.“
Brett Owen was the most popular in the Ranges Ward, scoring 37 per cent of the vote with 6565 primary ballots.
He attributed the big win to working hard, and remaining accessible to the electorate.
“I always respond to emails and calls and try to get to all areas across the ward. I think it’s important to get back to residents. People need to feel they’re being listened to,” Cr Owen said.
He will serve alongside returning councillor Leticia Wilmot, who gained 12.5 per cent of the vote, in addition to newcomer Jeff Springfield.
“I have a few major projects I want to see completely including the Hills Hub in Emerald and Cockatoo to Gembrook multi-use trail and a few new projects, but I’ll keep that under my belt at this stage,” Cr Wilmot said.
After gaining more than 16 per cent of first preference votes, Jodie Owen has become the first exiting mayor in 20 years to be re-elected to council on back-to-back terms.
The Central Ward councillor said one of the highlights of her year as mayor was taking on the role during a federal election, working with candidates regardless of the political parties they represented.
“A huge thankyou to everyone for their support and faith in re-electing me to another four years,“ Ms Owen said.
“The new additions of Michael Schilling and Carol Ryan are a real win for Central Ward.“
Fresh face to council Michael Schilling said he felt his successful election campaign came down to extensive face-to-face contact with members of the community.
“I used opportunities to meet with people,“ he said.
“I think all of us (Central Ward councillors) are community-minded and share a similar direction. I think we’ll have a good working relationship and will together achieve great things.
“I congratulate Kate who has served on the council for a long time and has been a passionate advocate for the community. It came down to 15 votes between us so it was very slim.“
Another newbie Carol Ryan said she was surprised by the election results.
“I was a bit numb to find out that I was voted in. It makes you realise all the people who are behind you,“ Ms Ryan said.
“I hope to give seniors a voice and am already working on a project to help interaction between youth and seniors.”
Port Ward will be represented by new face Ray Brown in partnership with returning councillor Graeme Moore.
Cr Moore secured 34 per cent of the vote, and Cr Brown 28 per cent.
“My focus and commitment for the next four years will be maintaining the services, infrastructure and needs of the community under the recent financial rate-capping climate,” Cr Moore said.
Cr Brown, who has stood twice before in 2008 and 2012, has chaired the Kooweerup Township Committee for the past 14 years, and will keep his attention focused on getting the basics right.
“I am passionate about council doing things well that they’re suppose to do like roads, footpaths and community facilities. Everything else needs to be taken on its merits if it can be afforded,” Cr Brown said.
Former Central Ward councillor Kate Lempriere and Port Ward councillor David Young were unsuccessful in being re-elected.
Ms Lempriere wished the new Cardinia council success.
“The innuendo and negative front page article based on hearsay and rumours or disaffected people by the Gazette did all it could to paint a suggested negative picture of me one week out from the election,“ she said.
“That is all that needs to be said. I have never had or continue to have any intention or interest in creating a negative picture of the CEO or staff because I love Pakenham and Cardinia and have fought to create all that is good and beneficial for the advancement of a creative, happy life in an environment we are proud to call home.
“I lost and must accept that on the chin.“
David Young thanked residents for their support over the past four years.
“It has been a pleasure getting to know many more of the Port Ward residents during my term. I would wish them all well as the shire undergoes an ever-increasing pace of change,” he said.
“I would also like to congratulate the two successful candidates for Port Ward, Graeme Moore and Ray Brown. I know that they will have the best interests of the ward and of Cardinia Shire at heart.”
State-wide, women will be better represented at the local level with a four per cent increase in female councillors voted in.
Now, 38 per cent of councillors in Victoria are women.
Councillors for the 2016-’20 council term will be officially declared from 5pm on Wednesday 2 November 2016 at Cardinia Shire Council’s office in Siding Avenue, Officer.
For more details about Cardinia’s council election results, visit www.vec.vic.gov.au/Results/Council2016/CardiniaResult.html.
