Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield council elections: Mayor Ned Mannoun takes landslide lead after polling mix-up
Liverpool’s Ned Mannoun has celebrated a “miracle” early win to retain the top job despite a lead-up he described as “the most disgusting campaign in local government history”.
Liverpool
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Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun has celebrated a “miracle” early win to retain the top job, despite a lead-up he described as “the most disgusting campaign in local government history”.
Mr Mannoun recorded 43.83 per cent of initial votes in Saturday’s council election, leaving Labor mayoral candidate and incumbent councillor Betty Green trailing with 26.21 per cent.
“I think the results last night were a miracle and I don’t think Labor will be getting a miracle going forward,” Mr Mannoun said on Sunday morning.
“The first result that came in was Warwick Farm. We lost that booth in the 2021 election when I started, so that was a positive change.
“Then they just kept on coming in, and we’re winning every booth and didn’t lose a single one. We even won Miller. It was very humbling.”
Mr Mannoun said the overwhelming results were a reflection of community sentiment despite months of “mudslinging” and uncertainty surrounding the fate of Liverpool City Council following the publication of a 50-page report by the Office of Local Government, detailing allegations of corruption and bullying inside the council.
“Considering what the government did to us on the 18th of July, and everyone talking the community down – it was frustrating,” the Liberal mayor said.
“We had to fight for the right to have an election. We basically had only one day to campaign before pre-poll.
“But this is about the community having their say and the community has spoken.”
Speaking at a post-polling event Saturday night, Mr Mannoun told supporters the past two months were “a test from God”.
“July 18 was a test for us because on that day not only was I attacked, all of us here were attacked,” he said.
“It was very tough for us, but many of you in here and many around us, stood by us. Thankfully we have got to where we are today.”
However, Mr Mannoun said the true election heroes were the community volunteers who worked “tirelessly” for his team at booths across Liverpool.
“We had an amazing group of volunteers who I’m forever indebted to,” he said.
“And these aren’t political operatives. These are people who are community-minded, who wanted to make a change.”
More results will come on Monday, when counting resumes.
Dr Green was contacted for comment.
EARLIER
The mayor of an embattled southwest Sydney council is leading the race in his bid for re-election, following a bizarre mix-up in a Liverpool poll run by a private company.
Initial polling results for the Liverpool City Council mayoral race showed Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun ahead, with 43.8 per cent of votes just before 9.30pm on Saturday.
Mr Mannoun has found himself in pole position despite his own claims that political opponents led a “disgusting” smear campaign against him, following the release of an Office of Local Government outlining allegations of “corruption” and “bullying” at the council.
On Saturday, Mr Mannoun, a Liberal, rejected the claims as “hearsay”.
“No one has presented any evidence of any wrongdoing to anyone named in that report,” he said.
“It’s all just hearsay. It’s words on a piece of paper.
“If there was evidence, we’d love to see it so we can actually respond to it properly.”
“What we have seen is the Labor Party using the state government resources to launch the biggest hit job on a council. The report they did was flawed.
“The campaign that has been run by the unions, the Labor Party and the crazy independents will go down as the most disgusting campaign in local government history.”
Results are yet to come through for city’s south and north ward council elections.
Polling day had earlier begun in bizarre fashion, with dozens of Liverpool residents turning up to vote at “non-existent” booths in Austral, Rossmore, Bardia and Cecil Hills.
The Australian Election Company — a private company running the Liverpool City Council election — had advertised that there would be polling booths at Al-Faisal Public School, Rossmore Public School, Bardia Public School and Cecil Hills High School.
But at 7am on the morning of the local government elections, the council announced on social media that those booths were “no longer proceeding”.
Liverpool state Labor MP Charishma Kaliyanda slammed private polling, saying voters had been lining up outside the schools “for hours”.
“This situation is completely unacceptable,” she said.
“Every member of our community should be able to vote without having to wait hours or being forced to turn up at non-existent polling booths.”
CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN
Labor is set to dominate elsewhere in the southwest, pulling the lead in four out of five wards for the 15-person Canterbury-Bankstown Council.
In the Bankstown ward, Labor has pulled ahead with incumbent mayor Bilal El-Hayek set to return alongside Khal Asfour and Lam Erika after sweeping 48.46 per cent of votes at 9am on Monday.
Similarly, current Canterbury-Bankstown deputy mayor and Bass Hill councillor Rachelle Harika is also set to make a comeback alongside fellow Labor candidates Christopher Cahill and Ayman Awad, with the group raking in a landslide 57.12 per cent of votes.
In Canterbury, Labor’s Clare Raffan is holding out strong with 41.37 per cent, followed by Independent candidate Barabara Coorey with 24.39 per cent of votes on Sunday.
In Roselands, Labor’s Karl Saleh has pulled 36.63 per cent, followed by Our Local Council’s Harry Stavrinos with 19.63 per cent.
Meanwhile, in Revesby, Liberal candidate Wendy Lindsay has taken the lead with 45.15 per cent of the votes.
Earlier on Saturday, George Zakhia, a Liberal candidate for the Bankstown ward, said it would be a close race for Labor.
“It’s looking good for us as Liberals in Bankstown,” Mr Zakhia said.
“I’ve got a good feeling because I can see people are moving away from Labor.
“Hopefully we can keep tracking that over the next few months when it comes to the federal election as well.”
It comes after former Liberal councillors Charbel Abouraad and Charlie Ishac bid farewell after missing out on contesting the election.
Taking to Facebook, Mr Abouraad said “(Last Friday) mark(ed) my last day as a sitting councillor.”
“Unfortunately, this was not by choice, rather an administrative error that prevented me from seeking a second term on the City of Canterbury Bankstown Council.
“Whilst this was far from ideal, I’m confident the Liberal Party will learn and rebound from this debacle.”
Correction: The article previously incorrectly stated the Greens group in Canterbury Ward polled at 23.36 per cent. As of Sunday 11pm, the Greens were sitting on 19.97 per cent of votes.
FAIRFIELD
Meanwhile, in Fairfield, Mayor Frank Carbone will return to the leading role after claiming a massive 79.35 per cent of votes, leaving Labor’s Basim Shamaon, the only other mayoral candidate, in the dust.
Initial poll results are yet to come through for Fairfield’s Carbravale and Parks wards.
Local polling booths were flooded with the signature orange of Mr Carbone’s volunteers.
Incumbent councillor Reni Barkho was spotted at the booths earlier in the day.
More results will come in next week when counting resumes.
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