By NOEL MURPHY
POWERFUL backers of Geelong mayoral hopeful Ken Jarvis have mounted a turncoat campaign against his number-one preference, colourful frontrunner Darryn Lyons.
Jarvis supporters Frank Costa, Glynn Harvey and former Geelong mayor Brian Fowler this week ran a full-page newspaper advertisement attacking Mr Lyons’ credentials and praising their preferred candidate.
Mr Lyons laughed off the attack, stressing he wanted to remain positive in his bid to lead Geelong.
But he said it was time Geelong shrugged off the “old grey brigade” to embrace a youthful, energetic mayoralty.
“The only thing I’ll say is, ‘Why would you want to slag the man you’re preferencing?’”
Mr Costa said local businessmen drafted the advertising to help Mr Jarvis after Mr Lyons “got out of the box early”.
“There’s no way Ken would do anything to push himself ahead of someone else. We did this because we thought Darryn was getting away from Ken.”
Mr Costa said he spoke with Mr Lyons to explain “where we’re coming from, our angle”.
Mr Lyons responded by ramping up his increasingly presidential campaign with red-white-and-blue themed advertising, trailer signs, T-shirts, public appearances and a comprehensive online presence.
He also raised his $30 million of personal investments and 180 employees in Geelong, annual spending of $10 million with local suppliers and charity and sponsorship donations worth over $250,000 in the past five years.
Mr Lyons vowed to “do his very best for Geelong” if elected mayor.
Mr Jarvis said he directed his second preference to Mr Lyons on a “sensible political basis”.
“His second preference I considered the best deal I could arrange with any of the candidates. I understood this would probably mean that either he or I would be successful because I felt we would both appeal to different sections of the electorate.
“This was a purely pragmatic decision.”
Mr Jarvis thanked Mr Costa and others for their support but said he was “not by nature a negative person”.
“I would have preferred that the ads were focused on my perceived abilities and not on their perceived failings of others.”
