By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
THE region’s Labor MPs have vowed to fight any move to redraw Geelong’s council ward system as part of a review of the city’s directly elected mayor model.
Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville said including a debate about ward-versus-regional councillors would be a “distraction”.
“Rolling that in together would be a shame and take attention away from the mayoral model debate,” Ms Neville said.
“The big issue is the mayoral model that has been set up. We’ve already had one mayor resign with an expensive by-election without any change to the model.
“Any debate and review should be about the mayor and deputy mayor models.
“Ratepayers are still confused about whether we have a model that will deliver for the community,” she said.
“You have only to look at the promises candidates are making. We’re a year into council operations, the budget and business plan are set, so the mayor in reality is not able to deliver anything.”
Member for Lara John Eren said the next year’s review should have been brought forward.
“We’ve lost a good man, a genuine bloke who wanted to do things and found he couldn’t. The mayor should have some power.
“Why didn’t State Government put a mechanism into place to prevent it happening again? Now it’s costing ratepayer’s money,” Mr Eren said.
“That $500,000 could have been spent on the community.”
Mr Eren said the failure to amend the model was “unfair on the new mayor” and a “shambles” following the resignation of first directly elected mayor Keith Fagg in August after nine months.
“Clearly there’s a sense of frustration because it’s a token position with no real power.
“Even the deputy mayor has more power because at least they’re elected by their ward.”
