Category: council

I received my ballot paper today Friday 24 September.

I have voted for Adele Carles, although she literally slept with the enemy.  However, I think the only real alternative – Hannah Fitzhardinge – represents development at any cost.

I remember that the very first thing Hannah voted for in Council was to make into some kind of tavern the weighbridge in the centre of a traffic island also crossed by a railway line.  She also supported the crazy idea of a brewery in J Shed.  And big concrete boxes for film studios on South Wharf.

Reckless development is not an intelligent way forward—and does not give any attention to the needs of people in the community.

Looking at the positive: isn’t it good that the three only real contenders for the job of mayor are women?

As ‘heritage’ is a key word on this website, I am looking to see if and how any of the candidates use it in their brief platform on the Council’s page.

Fedele Camara writes, ‘As a 4th generation crayfisher I respect Fremantle’s rich diverse heritage, that is intrinsically linked to the Port.’

Adin Lang: ‘… we need to increase our CBD population, but not at the expense of existing residents or heritage…’

Craig Ross: ‘I am committed to addressing heritage … initiatives…’

Mark Woodcock: ‘… bring back a focus on heritage…’

Andrew Sullivan: ‘I offer my heritage and planning skills…’ [Are there ‘heritage skills‘? Knowledge, maybe, interest, enthuasiasm?]

The mayoral election may be close. Adele Carles is a strong candidate. Much may depend on how electors remember what happened ten years ago. Hannah Fitzhardinge may be seen as offering new leadership, despite her membership of the overspending Pettitt council, and she might stop the Carles comeback to public life.

Voting might be ranked in this order:

Hannah Fitzhardinge
Adele Carles
Marija Vujcic
Rod Grljusich
Martin Douthwaite

For Council, I’m predicting Fedele Camarda for Beaconsfield (for perseverance, and lack of a credible opponent).

City Ward is one of the most complex and important in the whole state, and a move to a ‘forensic accountant’, in Craig Ross, may be seen to be a good idea. However, Adin Lang, the incumbent, is fighting on, and may win.

Jenny Archibald is, unsurprisingly, unopposed in East Ward.

Ben Lawver should have the local popularity in Hilton enough to get him across the line in the vacancy caused by Sam Wainwright’s retirement (the last Fremantle waterside worker to hold public office?)

Doug Thompson is the old pro, very long-term incumbent in North Ward, and there is a lack of a credible opponent.

I doubt that Andrew Sullivan is seen as completely trustworthy in South Ward, and electors may think it’s time for a change – perhaps to a smart lawyer like Steven Pynt.

I’m predicting three new councillors to go with the new mayor.

https://fremantlestuff.info/council/elections2021.html

They won’t happen until October 2021, but I’m already predicting that Hannah Fitzhardinge will be the next mayor of the ‘City’ of Fremantle:

https://fremantlestuff.info/council/elections2021.html

The single word that is most relevant to this website is ‘heritage’. So it’s relevant to look for that in candidates’ platforms.

In 2017, seven (7) candidates used the word ‘heritage’ in their platform statements: Brad Pettitt (‘restoration of our city’s heritage buildings’), Adin Lang (‘maintain the city’s vibrant history and heritage’), Roel Loopers (‘uncompromisingly protect our heritage West End’), Linda Wayman (‘I believe in respecting and nurturing its heritage’), Catherine Hammond (‘I will also work for improvements in … heritage issues’), Liam Carter (‘where heritage is protected’), and Andrew Sullivan (‘I will use my heritage expertise’ – but notice that it’s about him, not heritage as such) — tho not Jenny Archibald, former Pres. Freo Soc.).

This year, 2019, the word ‘heritage’ is mentioned by only three (3) candidates: Geoff Graham (‘I support Fremantle’s heritage’), John Dowson (‘I am passionate about preserving and enhancing Fremantle’s heritage, and have published several books on the topic.’), and Bryn Jones (‘Fremantle’s unique heritage and environment’).

Local government elections are on again in October. One thing worth remarking on is that, out of the fifteen candidates, seven are women.

I would like to be able to find out more about what’s really going on.

According to Steve Grant in the Herald (14 Sept), the Mayor has a ‘team’. He writes that Michelle Cunningham ‘had an unsuccessful and bruising run against mayor Brad Pettit’s team a couple of years back’ – which implies that Jenny Archibald is a member of the mayor’s ‘team’, as it was she who thrashed Ms Cunningham in 2017. Steve also suggests that Rachel Pemberton is a Pettitt supporter.

Roger Garwood in his blog (17 July) tells us that the mayor has a ‘campaign manager’, Brian Smith, who ‘is said to have an influence among councillors and council’s administrators’. He also claims that the mayor has ‘advisers’ [sic] including Chris Lewis, and Professor Peter Newman.

It is also said that certain individuals have some influence as to who stands and whom gets elected: people like former mayor Peter Tagliaferri, and former premier Peter Dowding, who lives in South Fremantle. I would expect the publisher of the Herald, Andrew Smith, to be influential in local affairs, as that’s what the owners of newspapers have always done.

Some candidates have worked for political parties in the past: Lynn McLaren was a Greens Member of the Legislative Council.; Frank Mofflin worked in Willagee for the Labor Party; and Rachel Pemberton worked in Senator Scott Ludlum’s (Greens) office. There are likely to be others that I don’t know of.

Roel Loopers, on the other hand, often writes that councillors actually act independently, rather than along party lines, in what they personally see as the City’s best interests.

A few councillors have been in situ for so long it seems as if it’s simply their day job, and whatever allegiances they had (or still have) outside the job matter less than it does with others. Doug Thompson (not a candidate this term) is the outstanding example, but Jon Strachan is looking like a professional councillor, and Geoff Graham is attempting to return to his old job, having been on council for six years previously.

I don’t think it’s irrelevant that councillors now get paid a comfortable salary, so it has become a career choice. A hundred years ago, councillors were not paid – they didn’t need to be, as they were wealthy men, and acted out of a sense of responsibility to the community that had generated that wealth, and with the intention that this state of affairs should continue.

To return, finally, to the mayor’s ‘team’: if there’s one of ‘his’ candidates in each ward, I’m assuming that they include: Gemma Hohnen, who used to work in the same office as the mother of Brad Pettitt’s daughter; Rachel Pemberton (fellow greenie); Su Groome, architect; Lynn McLaren (another fellow greenie); and then I don’t know about North and South, but would have to guess that the old hands, Bryn Jones and Jon Strachan, get on OK with Brad. I can’t see him wanting Marija Vujcic.

I hope to return to this topic before the election in a month, if I can find out anything more enlightening.