16 groups and two standalone independents are standing for 15 seats on the new Bayside Council

A total of 50 candidates, 48 of them in groups of three spread cross the new Bayside Council’s five wards, will contest Saturday’s local government election.

The new Bayside Council logo, designed by Mascot resident Ray Kurniawan.

THE Labor Party is predicted to dominate Bayside Council with an expected backlash against the Liberals over the forced merger with Rockdale.

In Botany Bay, disgruntled voters are likely to make their voices heard at the ballot box while Labor’s Greg Mitchell, of Mascot, Independent John Heffernan, of Eastgardens, and Independent Al Warren, of Mascot, all favour a demerger.

But the September 9 election, with voting open between 8am and 6pm, could be likened to a Rockdale takeover with 12 out of the former 15 councillors ‒ from all political persuasions ‒ in the running while just seven out of 50 candidates live in the former Botany Bay electorate.

Just two of Botany Bay’s seven former councillors have put their hand up to run with Christina Curry topping the ALP ticket in the Port Botany ward and Greg Mitchell supporting Labor’s Tarek Ibrahim, who stood on Rockdale Council, in the Mascot ward.

Popular former mayor Ben Keneally ‒ who moved out of the area with his TV star wife, former NSW Premier wife Kristina Keneally, and their children ‒ was nowhere to be seen after bowing out of politics last year.

Deputy mayor Stan Kondilios, a strong voice in the Hands off Botany Bay campaign that attempted to stop the State Government merger, also failed to nominate.

But the majority of former Rockdale councillors put their hand up to run for office either in a number one spot or a supporting position on the ballot.

Bayside Council, which was proclaimed on September 9, 2016 despite a lengthy court battle by Botany Bay Council that reached the Supreme Court and cost ratepayers at least $530,000, completely redrew the electorate into a map.

Around 100,500 people live in Bayside which is made up of five wards ‒ Bexley, Botany Bay, Mascot, Port Botany and Rockdale ‒ that will each be represented by three councillors.

In Bexley, four former Rockdale councillors are running with Elizabeth Barlow and Mark Hanna listed in the top two spots on the Independent ticket, Joe Awada running for Labor and Ron Bezic for the Liberals.

Former Rockdale councillor James Macdonald is running as an Independent in the Botany Bay ward with Edward McDougall topping Labor’s ticket, Ilias Tzortzis (Independent) and Vicki Poulos (Liberal).

Tarek Ibrahim tops Labor’s ticket in Mascot, with Greta Werner heading up The Greens, former Rockdale deputy mayor Michael Nagi topping the Liberal ticket and independent candidate Allan Warren, of Mascot, bringing local flavour.

Independent John Heffernan, of Eastgardens, plans to tackle local issues if elected to the Port Botany ward and is running alongside Ms Curry (Labor) and former Rockdale councillor Paul Sedrak for the Liberals.

In Rockdale, former councillors Andrew Tsounis, an independent, Petros Kalligas for the Liberals, and former mayor, Labor’s Bill Saravinovski head up their tickets with Peter Strong seeking a seat for The Greens.

Details: votensw.info

BAYSIDE

Bexley Ward

Group A independent

Elizabeth Carol BARLOW

Mark Leslie HANNA

Ying XU Ying

Group B Labor

Joe AWADA

Nada HAIDAR

Kelly SAKR

Group C Liberal

Ron Paul BEZIC

David John D’AMATO

Dorothy Louise FRASER

Botany Bay

Group A Labor

Edward Stuart McDOUGALL

Eva MILLINGTON

Christopher Glenn DONOVAN

Group B independent

James Alexander MACDONALD

Sallianne Robyn FAULKNER

Andrew George PANDELIS

Group C independent

Ilias TZORTZIS

Stephen Saviour Joseph BORG

Barbara Louise MARTIN

Group D Liberal

Vicki POULOS

Dorette VARVARIS

Nada ABDALLAH

Mascot

Group A Labor

Tarek IBRAHIM

Dorothy GRAPISARDI

Gregory John MITCHELL

Group B The Greens

Greta Weston WERNER

Rebecca Louise DEAN

Scott William YANDELL

Group C Liberal

Michael NAGI

Ali JAAFAR

Keer XU

Ungrouped independent

Allan James WARREN

Port Botany

Group A Labor

Christina Karin CURRY

Scott Geoffrey Dathan MORRISSEY

Joanne JANSYN

Group B Liberal

Paul SEDRAK

Janette Kay BRENNAN

Patricia KALLIGAS

Ungrouped independent

John HEFFERNAN

Rockdale

Group A independent

Andrew TSOUNIS

Carla CASCIO

Giuseppe RUSSO

Group B Liberal

Petros KALLIGAS

Vinko BEZIC

Ritsa BEZIC

Group C The Greens

Peter Richard STRONG

Ruby Electra WERNER

Judith FRITSCHE

Group D Labor

Bill SARAVINOVSKI

Louay MOUSTAPHA

Susan Kay GOUGH