NOMINATIONS open for the Victorian local council elections on Monday, September 9 and there looks likely to be a contest in all three wards of both local councils, Bass Coast and South Gippsland.
Four, possibly five of the sitting councillors in Bass Coast and six of the incumbents in South Gippsland have declared they’ll be standing again; Ron Bauer, David Rooks, Rochelle Halstead, Leticia Laing and also likely Brett Tessari in Bass Coast and Sarah Gilligan, Scott Rae, Nathan Hersey, Jenni Keerie, John Schelling and Clare Williams in South Gippsland.
But a Melbourne Cup field of candidates is lining up behind them, many of them yet to declare their intentions, but plenty of others already firmly in the race.
In Bass Coast Tracey Bell has already posted signs around the Island Ward and avid council watcher John Trigt has also thrown his hat into the ring as has a candidate at the last election, Darrell Silva, a local tourism business operator.
There are as many as three or four others for the Island ward alone.
Rochelle Halstead is the only sitting councillor going again in Westernport Ward, with the mayor Clare Le Serve and Geoff Ellis retiring but there are already two or three more candidates including Corinella and District Community Jan Thompson and health professional Nikole Schellekens.
Bunurong is the interesting one with Leticia Laing declaring early that she has “unfinished business” and will be going again. Brett Tessari is also likely to nominate but is yet to make up his mind and several others have declared including Greens-aligned candidate Mat Morgan and former South Gippsland Councillor Meg Edwards.
Retired former corporate governance officer Brian Robinson, who was on the panel at the recent Inverloch Future night, is also a candidate for Bunurong Committee
And North-East Community Action Committee Member, Prudence Scholtes, is also likely to stand in Bunurong but is waiting for the committee to table its final report which is expected this week.
Bass Coast Artists Society secretary and Wonthaggi North resident Glenda Minty has also announced that she will be a candidate in Bass Coast, in Western Port ward.
South Gippsland elections
In South Gippsland, where six of the sitting councillors are intending to nominate; Clare Williams and John Schelling in Tarwin Valley, Nathan Hersey and Jenni Keerie in Strzelecki and Scott Rae and Sarah Gilligan in Coastal Promontory, there are several other candidates’ names being tossed around but only a few have so far officially nominated.
Health and community services professional Bronywn Beech has nominated for Strzelecki and Korumburra small business operator John Kennedy has done likewise.
Former South Gippsland councillor now Korumburra resident Andrew McEwan may be a candidate. Other candidates for Strzelecki are expected.
Mirboo North small business operator, Brad Snell, has thrown his hat into the ring for Tarwin Valley and it is expected that others may do likewise, including former South Gippsland mayor Don Hill and Mirboo North resident Kathleen Murray.
Coastal Promontory is more of an unknown quantity with former mayor Mohya Davies and friends encouraging one or a number of people to run but without any firm names at this stage.
The coastal wards of both shires, altered recently in a boundary change, will likely have a different look this time around with absentee property owners not automatically included on the electoral role meaning permanent residents will have more say (and more awareness) about their preferred candidates.
Nomination from September 9
Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel has issued a reminder to people thinking about standing for election: “Nominations must be lodged in person during the nomination period, so prospective candidates should act quickly to make sure they are prepared.”
Prospective candidates must make an appointment during business hours with the election manager to lodge their nomination forms in person and pay their $250 nomination fee. They must be able to provide evidence that they have completed the mandatory candidate training online through Local Government Victoria (LGV).
Election offices will be open for nominations during business hours from Monday, September 9 until 12 noon Tuesday, September 17.
To prepare, prospective candidates can:
* Attend a candidate information session
* Complete mandatory candidate training through LGV at localgovernment.vic .gov.au/council-governance/candidate-training
* Call 131 832 from Monday 9 September to book a nomination appointment
* Complete their nomination forms using the VEC’s Candidate Helper at vec.vic.gov.au/council-candidate.
Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to attend one of the scheduled information sessions or watch the online video about nominating as a candidate.
VEC candidate sessions will be held locally as follows:
- Bass Coast Shire Council 7 pm, Wednesday 4 September Wonthaggi Town Hall 14 Baillieu Street East Wonthaggi.
- Bass Coast Shire Council 7 pm, Thursday 5 September Berninneit 91-97 Thompson Avenue Cowes.
- South Gippsland Shire Council 5:30 pm, Wednesday 4 September Memorial Hall 6-8 McCartin Street Leongatha.
- South Gippsland Shire Council 5:30 pm, Thursday 5 September Korumburra Community Hub 15 Little Commercial Street Korumburra.
Further details about the candidate information sessions, including the location and time of each are available at vec.vic.gov.au/candidate-info-sessions
Further information on nominating as a candidate is available at vec.vic.gov.au/council-candidate
