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Sandy Verschoor becomes new Adelaide Lord Mayor, as other council election results arrive

SANDY Verschoor has claimed victory over Mark Hamilton in the Adelaide Lord Mayor race. See the other results as they arrive.

Incoming Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor. Picture: AAP / Dean Martin
Incoming Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor. Picture: AAP / Dean Martin

- SANDY Verschoor has become the new Adelaide Lord Mayor, defeating former Deputy Lord Mayor Mark Hamilton tonight.  

- The disgraced mayor of Port Pirie council John Rohde has lost the top position at the local election, after the State Ombudsman found him guilty of maladministration and misconduct over his controversial overseas trade missions. Deputy mayor Leon Stephens led the race with 3498 votes to Mr Rohde’s 1936, but had not yet secured a quota to claim victory.

- A bitter mayoral race between Lyn Breuer and Tom Antonio in Whyalla has ended in both falling short, with deputy mayor Clare McLaughlin ascending to the top job.

- Jill Whittaker has romped her way to become Campbelltown’s first female mayor in its 150 year history, more than 4000 votes ahead of Marijka Ryan.

- Another woman has ascended to the top job in Mitcham, where Heather Holmes-Ross has claimed victory over incumbent Glenn Spear.

- In Burnside, Anne Monceaux defeated incumbent David Parkin. Mr Parkin was elected unopposed in 2014.

- In Holdfast Bay, acting mayor Amanda Wilson was elected to her first full term as mayor. Ms Wilson became mayor in March after Stephen Patterson stepped down to enter State Parliament as MP for Morphett.

- In Charles Sturt, Mayor Angela Evans easily secured a second term, seeing off challengers Maria Russo and Paul Kitsis.

- In Marion, former state MP Kris Hanna was elected for a second term, easily defeating three other candidates.

- In Prospect, national Local Government Association president David O’Loughlin was re-elected, winning 79 per cent of the vote.

- In Port Lincoln, Brad Flaherty won a four-horse race to replace the retiring Bruce Green.

- In Clare and Gilbert Valleys, farmer Wayne Thomas was elected unopposed to replace the retiring Allan Aughey.

New Campbelltown mayor Jill Whittaker, the first woman mayor in the council’s 150-year history. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards
New Campbelltown mayor Jill Whittaker, the first woman mayor in the council’s 150-year history. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards
Michael Pengilly, with his wife Jan, has become mayor of Kangaroo Island a second time. Picture: Matt Turner
Michael Pengilly, with his wife Jan, has become mayor of Kangaroo Island a second time. Picture: Matt Turner

- On Kangaroo Island, former state Liberal MP Michael Pengilly thrashed incumbent Peter Clements to become mayor for a second time.

- There was a big shock in Port Augusta with former SA Best state candidate and former Liberal party member Sam Johnson losing to his deputy Brett Benbow.

- In Unley Michael Hewitson is set to become the new mayor with 50 per cent of the primary vote.

- In Ceduna Perry Will has become the new mayor, defeating Ken Maynard by just five votes.

- New LGA president Sam Telfer will be re-elected as Tumby Bay mayor.

- Incumbent Reg Lyon was defeated by Kay Rasheed in Kingston.

- In Port Adelaide Enfield Claire Boan is set to become the mayor, after Gary Johanson ended his 12-year stint in the top job. She said she had over 50 per cent of the primary vote and was looking forward to leading the council.

- Reynella mother-of-two Erin Thompson has been elected mayor at scandal-plagued Onkaparinga Council.

- In West Torrens, Michael Coxon beat Arthur Mangos by 235 votes in the race to replace outgoing mayor John Trainer

Verschoor ushers in a new era

THE development of the former Le Cornu site in North Adelaide and the redevelopment of the Central Market Arcade have been earmarked by Lord Mayor-elect Sandy Verschoor as her top priorities.

Cr Verschoor, who is the current deputy, won the race for Town Hall in emphatic fashion yesterday, becoming the first female Lord Mayor of Adelaide in nearly two decades.

Cr Verschoor, who has been a council general manager and ran numerous arts events around Adelaide, secured 3596 first preferences.

Her main opponent, Adelaide law firm managing director and former Deputy Lord Mayor and councillor Mark Hamilton received 2330 votes.

Preferences from other challengers Kate Treloar and Steven Kelly flowed between the two, giving Cr Verschoor enough votes to become the first female Lord Mayor of Adelaide since Dr Jane Lomax-Smith in 2000.

“It is an honour and a privilege to be elected (as Lord Mayor),” Cr Verschoor told the Sunday Mail.

“The City of Adelaide is a beautiful place filled with energy and passion.

“I hope that together with our new city council we can do more to harness that over the coming years and grow our businesses, strengthen our communities and create a dynamic city culture that makes the rest of the world sit up and pay attention.”

New Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor with her husband Gregg Mitchell. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards
New Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor with her husband Gregg Mitchell. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

Cr Verschoor replaces Martin Haese as the Lord Mayor of the City Council, after Mr Haese’s shock decision to not seek another four-year term.

This was despite only announcing her candidacy days before nominations closed, amid constant speculation that she would make a tilt.

Mr Hamilton, who could not be contacted by the Sunday Mail, on the other hand declared his hand in April – saying Adelaide needed “real leadership”.

Cr Verschoor said two priorities for her would be the transformative development at the former Le Cornu site in North Adelaide, which the council bought for $34 million to end nearly 30 years of inactivity on the site, and the Central Market Arcade redevelopment.

“I need to get the new council up to speed on those projects because there will be a big change in the makeup of the elected member body,” she said. “Those projects are so important for the city so we need to make sure we are on top of them early.”

Policy pledges by Cr Verschoor on the campaign trail include removing waste-management fees from strata costs, abolishing outdoor dining fees, freezing the rate in the dollar for another four years and relaunching the Splash Adelaide program for the city’s main streets.

They resonated well with the business-heavy central and CBD area of the city and the southern part of the electorate.

Mr Hamilton won North Adelaide on primaries but Cr Verschoor made ground with preferences.

The rest of the council body will be decided in the coming days.

But the Sunday Mail understands that Anne Moran is on track for a quota in the area councillor race.

Set to join her are former Greens senator Robert Simms, Franz Knoll – father of Local Government Minister Stephan – and Arman Abrahimzadeh.

Incumbent Houssam Abiad, Jessy Khera and Simon Hou are expected to take the Central seats.

Phil Martin is expected to retain his North Ward seat, possibly to be joined by Mary Couros, while Alex Hyde and Dr Helen Donovan lead a four-way race for the South Ward positions.

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/city/south-australian-council-election-results-new-mayors-and-councillors-voted-in/news-story/afe38ecde90f10e9ae0150555c232b47