Two independent Byron mayoral candidates have named more fellow candidates ahead of the September council election

A current councillor has followed in the footsteps of the current mayor, parting way with the Byron Greens to join one of the independent tickets that will contest the upcoming election.

A current Greens councillor will be jumping ship and running on the Byron mayor’s ticket at the September election.

Mayor Michael Lyon has named his three fellow candidates as current Greens councillor Jeanette Martin, Women’s Village Collective founder Sama Balson and former councillor Peter Westheimer.

The group will attempt to secure places on Byron Shire Council as independents; Mr Lyon was elected as a Green but left the party following his exclusion from the party’s election ticket.

Another independent mayoral candidate, lawyer and comedian Mark Swivel, has also announced more running partners.

He had already named Dr Meredith Wray, a sustainable tourism expert and long-term local, on his ticket and they have been joined by Evan Anderson and Venetia Scott – both small-scale farmers committed to building the local food movement and small-scale farming in the Northern Rivers – and Xavier Hanckel-Spice a young lawyer helping to defend the most vulnerable in the community.

Byron Labor has previously announced its six-person ticket while Byron Greens named their candidates last June.

Mr Lyon said his team was made up of “dedicated and passionate” candidates.

“We are united in our desire to solve the housing crisis and to protect and enhance our natural environment,” he said.

“Sama has been a strong advocate for housing security and social justice for women in the Northern Rivers.

“On Byron Shire Council she would be an amazing asset, being able to lend her voice to really push for the change that just has to come on housing.

“There are structural issues that must be addressed and we need to send the strongest signal possible to those in State and Federal Government that we will stand up and protect our community and not allow it to be torn apart.“

He said Mr Westheimer had “great experience” and “a track record of achievements in the shire”, including the repair and reopening of Mullumbimby Civic Hall and current involvement with the biodiversity committee.

He said Ms Martin recently resigned from the Greens to join his campaign.

“It is a big vote of confidence that someone who has worked with me for these last five years on council has thrown her support behind me,” Mr Lyon said.

Mark Swivel, Dr Meredith Wray, Venetia Scott, Evan Anderson and Xavier Hanckel-Spice will run as Byron Shire Council candidates as the Mark Swivel Team.

“I will be running on my record of delivering strong financial performance in challenging circumstances, record investment in roads and great additions to our Shire in the form of parks, playgrounds, town centre improvements and groundbreaking environmental projects such as the 5MW solar farm in Myocum and the soon-to-be delivered Bioenergy plant, an Australian first.”

Mark Swivel, founder of Barefoot Law, will base his campaign on “competence, community and collaboration”

“We want a Byron Shire that includes everyone, creating a future we all want,” Mr Swivel said.

 “One that offers homes for more of us, that allows our children to stay, that keeps our community interesting and welcomes visitors, with good development, resting gently on the earth. We must invest resources and energy to reinvigorate our land, prepare for climate challenges, grow more food here, provide jobs and support our dynamic businesses.”

Key issues for the team are equitable housing, sustainable tourism, small scale farming, repairing the beaches, protecting fragile habitats, regenerative agriculture and “motivating council staff to better serve our community”.

“My colleagues and I embody the energy of the Shire and the real world,” Mr Swivel said.

“We work in law, tourism, farming and business. We bring the real skills we need to revitalise our local politics.”