By PAUL MILLAR
VOTERS could find up to three stooges and a few laughs as candidates for Geelong’s Kildare by-election show or hide their colours in the lead-up to the ward’s by-election.
The Independent has heard that several candidates will be separated on political lines.
Liberal MP Andrew Katos scoffed at Adrian Schonfelder’s declaration he was not politically aligned, saying Mr Schonfelder was a booth captain for the ALP at the last election.
“He claims to be politically unaligned but his actions and his Facebook page demonstrate that this is untrue,” Mr Katos said.
Mr Schonfelder’s page is crammed with ‘likes’ by Labor politicians.
“I don’t mind if anyone chooses to stand as a Labor or Liberal candidate, just be open with the electorate,” Mr Katos said.
The Liberals are also likely to have several dummy candidates.
Trent Sullivan, who is close to outgoing Liberal councillor Stretch Kontelj, showed his hand early.
“I do believe a lot of Labor candidates are running but not showing their allegiance,” the treasurer for the Geelong Young Liberals said.
The real estate worker has latched onto a campaign issue early, fighting Telstra’s plan to install a tower in Western Cemetery.
Mr Sullivan claimed Telstra was taking advantage of the absence of a sitting ward councillor in Kildare.
Eleven candidates are in the running, including Socialist Alliance member Sue Bull, Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative co-chair Annette Xiberras and hairdresser Stacey Sellars, who admitted “political leanings” while declining to reveal their direction.
Diversitat employee Sophia Shen said she was unaligned and pushing for more education funding, while youth worker Brad Clarke described himself as politically in the middle and concerned about the partisan culture of councillors.
Other contenders include former policeman Peter Murrihy, teacher’s aide Ellen Csar and Matt Podvinsek.
Voting packs for the postal poll will be sent out by the month’s end.
Mr Kontelj caused the by-election when he left Geelong for a job promotion in England.
