By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
LABOR stalwart Peter Loney says he will break a lifetime practice to cast his first vote for a Liberal – mayoral candidate Darryn Lyons.
Mr Loney, formerly a Labor MP in the seats of Geelong North and its Lara replacement for 14 years until 2006, said other leading candidates carried too much “baggage”.
He said certain figures were “going out of their way to attack (Mr Lyons’) credentials in an unfair way”.
“This is a man who left Geelong with nothing and built an international empire. He came back to Geelong when he could have gone anywhere, invested locally and showed his commitment to the town,” Mr Loney said.
“Some people claim he’s not up to it but, with his business record and achievement, one must wonder what is the agenda behind those comments.”
Mr Loney said he wanted to back a fresh, forward-looking candidate.
“Geelong has to stop looking back and start looking forward. Darryn is a candidate that can actually move Geelong forward.
“He declared his party involvement upfront and says what he wants to do rather than make ridiculous motherhood statements.
“He’s not acting as the front for a cabal with its own agenda.
“We have to get a person to lead the council and the community without having to seek the advice or view of non-elected groups, committees and individuals before doing anything.
“They’re backing Ken Jarvis who was a total disaster as mayor, with failures in governance and financial management, according to an auditor general report.
“Geelong cannot afford a re-run of Ken Jarvis as mayor.”
Mr Jarvis said he was the victim of a “negative campaign run by someone in Geelong” who was using untruths and “innuendo”.
“I did not stand because Frank Costa or any other person asked me to stand.
“I am not a member of the Liberal Party, I am running my own campaign, I am paying for all my campaign expenses out of my own pocket and have received no financial aid from anyone else.
“I am not being run by anyone – big end of town, Liberal party or anyone else. If elected I will be beholden to no one and will be acting solely in the interests of the Geelong region.”
Mr Lyons said he was “heartened” by Mr Loney’s backing for his “apolitical” campaign.
“When it comes to Geelong I’m not Labor, Liberal or anything else. The electorate isn’t stupid and is not going to be lied to.
“It’s pretty obvious where allegiances lie.”
Mr Jarvis this week earned the support of former mayor Keith Fagg, who quit nine months into his four-year terms as Geelong’s first directly elected mayor.
Mr Fagg wrote in a letter to the editor of the Indepedent that Mr Jarvis was the “best-credentialed” to fill the vacancy.
Mr Fagg wanted a mayor with a “genuine heart for the people of our community”.
