Ryde Council by-election set after Jerome Laxale runs for Federal politics, resigns as councillor

Thousands of residents in Sydney’s north are set to head to the ballot box for the third time in the space of just 10 months for a costly council by-election which has already sparked a war of words between Labor and Liberal politicians.

Residents in Sydney’s north are set to head to the ballot box for the third time in the space of just 10 months for a costly council by-election which has already sparked a war of words between Labor and Liberal politicians.

Jerome Laxale’s resignation as a Ryde councillor has triggered the local by-election due to be held in October after he was elected as the new Member for the seat of Bennelong at May’s federal election.

The Labor politician – who had served as a councillor since 2012 – resigned from the council on July 22 with immediate effect.

Mr Laxale had served as a councillor representing Ryde Council’s west ward, which takes in suburbs including Denistone, Eastwood, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, Melrose Park and West Ryde – meaning the by-election will only be held for voters living in that ward.

A report by Ryde Council has estimated the cost of the election will tally $220,000 on top of a $50,000 communication ‘awareness campaign’, also due to be funded by the council.

Jerome Laxale has resigned as a Ryde councillor.

The looming by-election has already triggered a political argy-bargy between Mr Laxale and Ryde Council’s sitting Liberal mayor Jordan Lane over the cost and inconvenience of the election.

Mr Laxale took aim at a majority decision of Ryde Liberal councillors in January to reject using a ‘countback’ method for future by-elections which he said would have negated the need for residents to go back to the polls.

Mr Laxale, pictured with Anthony Albanese, narrowly won the federal seat at the May election.

The countback method would have worked by using the same ballot papers and preferences from the last council election in December to fill Mr Laxale’s vacancy.

“For some inexplicable reason they voted against a countback option which would have been a cheaper way to fill any vacancy and the recommendation of council staff had been to support that,” he said.

“We’ve now burdened ratepayers with the expensive cost of a by-election whereas the countback option would have only cost $20,000 – that’s on them.

“There’s also the inconvenience for residents. By-elections traditionally have horrendous turnouts – the last by-election in Ryde only had a 55 per cent turnout in 2015 and if you don’t vote you get fined.

Mr Laxale previously served as the Mayor of Ryde.

“At the end of the day all it’s done is cause … cost when it could have all been avoided. It beggars belief.”

Ryde Liberal mayor Jordan Lane argued using a countback method to determine electoral vacancies was “undemocratic” and the need for an election could have been avoided had Mr Laxale decided to stay on as councillor.

“I think it’s a bit cheap for him to point the blame when the only reason we’re going to a by-election is because he’s resigning. I’m not terribly sympathetic,” he said.

“He’s gone off to be the Member for Bennelong and I congratulate him for that but in my view there was no reason for him not to stay on as councillor.

Ryde Mayor Jordan Lane.

“We weren’t anticipating in January the need for a by-election so soon and that’s one of the reasons why we made the decision against using countbacks.

“It’s also an undemocratic system – residents should have a vote as it better reflects what the community wants.

“Circumstances also change and candidates who were running in December in third or fourth position on a ticket may have moved on and aren’t able to take the role of being a councillor.

“I’m disappointed at the unnecessary cost but had there been greater transparency it could have been avoided.”

A photo of a previous council election in Ryde.

Mr Laxale said his decision to stand down as a councillor was primarily due to the commitments and workload involved with representing Bennelong at a federal level.

“It was a tough decision to make and if I felt I could have done both jobs I would have, but I was starting to miss council briefings and meetings and it wasn’t fair on west ward residents,” he said.

“The job of being a Federal MP is big and residents deserve to have their full complement of councillors in each council ward.

“I don’t think it’s fair to have an absent councillor, particularly when they’re still being paid for their council job. It didn’t sit well with me at all.”

NSW Election rules state a by-election must be held if a councillor vacancy is more than 18 months out from the next statewide local government elections. In NSW, the next local government election is not due to be held until September 2024.

Ryde Council said it had consulted the electoral commission on a preferred date for the by-election, which had suggested October 15.

The by-election will be the third time voters in the west ward head to the polls in the space of 10 months after December’s local government election and this year’s federal election. They will also return to the polls in March next year for the upcoming state election.

Cr Lane said recognised “voter fatigue” may be beginning to set in.

“Voters understandably will be frustrated and unfortunately it’s being held at a time when the community are coming together again and the last thing they want to do is go back to the polls,” he said. “It’s also a distraction from the good work the council is delivering.”

Both Mr Laxale and Mr Lane said the by-election is unlikely to have a major impact on the balance of power on the council with Liberal councillors making up six of the 11 seats, while Labor has four and Independents have one.

Ryde Councillors will meet next week to vote on proceeding with the by-election. NSW Electoral Commission will be appointed by the council to administer and manage the poll.