Campbelltown Council to get first female mayor in 150 years while numbers crunched at Tea Tree Gully Council
ONE of Adelaide’s oldest councils will get its first female mayor in 150 years at November’s local government elections while a former mayor wants to join it as a councillor.
CAMPBELLTOWN Council will get its first female mayor in 150 years at the November local government elections.
Councillors Jill Whittaker and Marijka Ryan have both nominated to replace Simon Brewer, who is stepping down after 12 years.
Mr Brewer has endorsed Ms Whittaker as his replacement while Ms Ryan is expected to seek the support of long-serving councillor Max Amber, who has considerable influence within Campbelltown.
Cr Amber, who has been on council for 48 years, and his fellow ward councillor, Dom Barbaro, are being challenged for one of their spots by former Port Adelaide-Enfield mayor Johanna McLuskey.
Ms McLuskey is well regarded in local government circles, having served as a Local Government Association president. She moved to Athelstone several years ago with her husband to be closer to her mother, who was in an aged care home.
Ms McLuskey, who ran the Campbelltown Residents and Ratepayers Association until her mother became terminally ill, said she had decided to run for council as she had time again to devote to the role.
“I miss the involvement I had with the community as a councillor and mayor,” she said. “There’s a real satisfaction in knowing you’ve been able to help achieve something for, or be a voice for your community.
“I would love to be able to use all the experience I have to contribute to this area and this community.”
Two ward councillors, Rob Tidd (Woodforde) and James Nenke (Hectorville), have decided not to stand again while John Kennedy (Hectorville), Anna Leombruno (Campbelltown), Matthew Noble (River) and Neville Grigg (Woodforde) are seeking re-election.
The departures of Crs Tidd and Nenke – and the decisions by Crs Whittaker and Ryan to contest the mayoralty – have created a minimum of four vacancies on the 10-seat council.
They are being contested by a total of 25 candidates, including 18-year-old student Luci Blackborough, former councillor Judith Black, rugby union club official Elena Casciano and three individuals involved with the real estate industry – Bruno Aloi, Peter Jarowj and Brad Guare.
Mr Brewer said it was “a healthy sign” to see so many people nominating for council, with 10 of them females.
He was particularly pleased the council was getting its first female mayor.
“It is an excellent development and long overdue,” he said.
Packs containing voting forms and candidate details will be posted out from October 22. Voting closes on November 9.
Numbers crunched at Tea Tree Gully Council
PREFERENCE deals are being done by Tea Tree Gully councillors as they aim to hold onto their seats at the November elections.
Balmoral Ward councillors – Mary Kasperski and Stuart Headland – have quit while Steventon Ward councillor Chris McLafferty also has decided not to seek re-election.
Ms McLafferty’s late decision left deputy mayor Lucas Jones deciding to swap preferences with Campbelltown Council staff member Jessica Lintvelt while long-term councillor and former mayor Bernie Keane will run for Pedare Ward with ALP member Leighton Jacques, who first ran for council eight years ago when he was 20.
Challengers for Pedare include Brett Rankine, the son of former Labor MP for the seat of Wright and Cabinet minister Jennifer Rankine.
Cr Keane’s wife, Sandy Keane, will run with Alicia Schlueter for Hillcott Ward, which also has attracted nominations from former councillor Peter Panagaris and Richardson Reserve campaigner Krystle Mitchell.
Another opponent of the park’s sale to German supermarket giant Kaufland, Adla Mattiske, is seeking election in Steventon Ward, along with Kurdish human rights activist Bahar Salehi.
ALP candidate for Morialta at the state election Peter Field will seek to continue his tenure on council with Robin Coleman. The pair are facing challenges from university student Luke Harris and Wynn Vale resident Robert Sanchez.
Only two nominations were received for the mayoralty, with the incumbent, Kevin Knight, facing a challenge from Hillcott Ward councillor Paul Barbaro.