By Luke Voogt
None of the five sacked councillors running for Geelong council next month left with a bullying cloud over their head, according to one them.
Lindsay Ellis made the declaration following his recent nomination for council elections.
“From my knowledge, none of those councillors that applied (for the election) were accused of bullying,” the 68-year-old said.
“And I think it’s important that people know that – it’s fair for the people that are recontesting.”
Mr Ellis was the last of the 13 sacked councillors to declare their candidacy after nominations closed on Tuesday.
“I decided last Friday – Friday lunchtime,” he said.
“I thought why don’t I have a crack?”
Mr Ellis said health concerns had prevented him from publically declaring at an earlier date.
“Fortunately that’s all good and things have been all fixed.”
Former Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons had hinted he was considering running but declined to nominate before the Tuesday deadline.
“I think he’s got another agenda,” Mr Ellis said.
Fellow sacked councillors John Irvine and Tony Ansett also withdrew from the municipal race despite declaring their candidacy earlier this year.
Sacked councillors Eddy Kontelj, Peter Murrihy, Bruce Harwood and Ron Nelson were among 53 residents who nominated for this year’s election.
Mr Ellis said he would run as an independent and described reports he was Labor Party aligned as “absolute rubbish”.
“I’ve never been a member of a political party and I never intend to be. I was sacked by the Labor Party, remember.”
The Portarlington resident worked in the office of Labor Bellarine MP Lisa Neville after his sacking from the council.
“I was employed by the minister for my knowledge of the Bellarine,” he said.
“My family have been on the Bellarine since 1857… you can be assured I know a bit about the place.”
Mr Ellis was unfazed by Geelong’s administrators’ recent approval of tightened media policy for councillors or State Government’s appointment of monitors to watch them.
“These measures have been put in place for a reason,” he said.
“The more transparent the councils are the better.”
The Indy was unable to reach Mr Lyons and Mr Ansett for comment.
