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So with George Harrison's dramatic resignation last week, following a tumultous roller coaster ride of 3 years in office, we are now facing an Citywide ByElection across the city's 120,000 voters on September 14 and potentially a second byelection within a single ward about 2 months later in mid to late November, possibly.
So what has the ACT Team done to kick things off for their September 14 By Election campaign ?
Well we have had a very, very urgent preliminary meeting on Saturday July 27th 2002 to start the processes of the ACT Team's Lord Mayoral September 14 2002 By Election campaign.
Firstly we have decided to contest the by election, noting that nominations are due in to the returning officer about August 14, a month ahead of the election itself.
Secondly contact has been made with Dave Martin in Africa, by SMS text messages and he is aware of this week's dramatic turn of events. We are now awaiting his response by email to determine whether he will be able to return soon enough to adequately contest the campaign. Dave & Ann were not due to return until early October. We hope to hear from him via family members over the next week.
Thirdly Trevor Mott, a veteran with well over 20 years in a wide range of community involvements and now with 3 years as a councillor, has already given an indication that he would graciously consider filling the breach should Dave Martin be unable to return in time to give the campaign a fair go, in order to ensure that ACT is represented at this absolutely crucial by election. Thanks are due to Trevor for his commitment to the ACT Team . This eventuality, that George Harrison might resign before Dave Martin's return, was considered by the 3 ACT councillors in late June and all 3 were comfortable with Trevor Mott being considered for the LM candidate if Dave Martin were unable to return in time to contest the election (Dave Martin indicated this in writing by fax to Kerrie Christian on June 30 2002) and noting that K Christian indicated that she was not a contender at that time.
Fourthly Kerrie Christian has publically ruled herself out as a backup contender to Dave as she is in the midst of major restructuring within BHP Steel (again!)
So where to from here for the ACT Team?
We will be meeting over the next 2 Saturdays to work through our options for the campaign
We have already drawn up a preliminary campaign program outline and detailed draft campaign timetable, plus planning the resources that we are going to need.
The ALP will no doubt be hoping to see a replay of the 1999 Lord Mayoral
Election which saw a Melbourne Cup field of many candidates and thus enabling them to just sneak over the line with George Harrison - they will be seeking to claw back the Lord Mayoralty which they held for 10 years from 1991 to 2001. Hot favourites for the ALP Gong include Janice Kershaw and Vicky King.
Basically the more contenders there are ....the greater the leakage of preferences away from front running independents, just as we saw with Dave Martin in the 1999 Keira State Election and Lord Mayoral Elections, enabling George Harrison to be elected with a mere 36% of primary votes and a total vote of about 38%, after distribution of preferences.
No doubt the ALP will seek to boost this leakage effect of votes cast for non ALP candidates by urging everyone to "Just Vote 1" and don't worry about further further preferences for anyone else, regardless of who you are voting for
- it served them well at the last Queensland State Election. ACT will be urging all voters to number every square, to make their preferences
.. if voters just vote "1", then regardless of who they vote for, it is effectively a vote for the ALP in the long run, as the preferences of minor candidates exhaust.
Alex Darling is champing at the bit to finally make it to be Lord Mayor this time around - and hoping that Dave Martin's overseas trip will enable him to get the inside running over the ACT Team.
It goes without saying that ACT sees this by election not only as important in its own right, but also for sending a message to the ALP heavies in Sussex St and Macquarie St about how Wollongong residents feel about the ALP's incredibly apalling judgement in giving us George Harrison as their last anointed candidate for Lord Mayor of one of the largest local councils in NSW, and also in Australia, not to mention the opportunity to support the indictment of the activities seen on SBS Insight in recent weeks.
Wollongong voters should consider this their chance to make a strong statement about the sort of antics that were recently aired on SBS Insight; and even more importantly to be a beacon for community participation in local council decisionmaking, which the ACT Team has relentlessly championed for 20 years since before Dave's first election success in 1983.
Cr Kerrie Anne Christian
ACT Councillor on Wollongong Council
Return to Kerrie's Main ACT Web Page
Authorised - Kerrie Christian
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