Ratepayer body slams deputy’s ‘rotating’ role

Geelong council’s rotating deputy mayor system is unworkable, according to a council watchdog.
Geelong Ratepayers and Residents Association president Andrew Senia said chaning the deputy every six months was a “recipe for instability and uncertainty”.
He called for council to revoke its decistion and instead appoint a permanent deputy mayor.
Council chose Stretch Kontelj as the first deputy mayor under the new six-month-term system.
Mr Senia said the system was “fundamentally detrimental to Geelong”.
“Unlike Melbourne, which has a directly elected deputy mayor for a full term, Geelong has no such thing.
“Councillors electing themselves to the position of deputy mayor is not a direct vote by the people and cannot be commended.
“It was never the intention, even in the present flawed legislation, to have a series of revolving deputy mayors.
“The legislation enabling the mayor to be directly elected is unique to Geelong and can result in some odd results, such as in this case.
“In practice, the revolving deputy mayor model is worse than the system we had before.”
Mr Senia questioned how the short terms would ensure continuity from one deputy mayor to the next.
“Just as you get to know one deputy mayor their role is about to finish and you will have to get to know a new deputy mayor who may have different attitudes, policies and politics.
“You will then deal with a third deputy mayor within a short time and then a fourth until eight deputy mayors are exhausted over four years.
“What will the deputy mayor do from time to time? Are there going to be a whole series of people standing in for the mayor when he is not available?”
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell said the legislation enacting Geelong’s directly elected mayor did not specify terms for selecting the deputy.
Mrs Powell said the Government consultation revealed overwhelming support for the direct election of the mayor but the situation regarding the deputy mayor was “less clear”.
“As this is the first time the Geelong model has been used the government has committed to a review after two years of operation.”
A council spokesperson said councillors would make any decision on the position of deputy mayor after Cr Kontelj’s tenure.
The Independent was unable to gain comment from Mayor Keith Fagg and Cr Kontelj before going to press.