Labor’s Jay Suvaal to be elected as new mayor of Cessnock in local government elections
“Definitely have big shoes to fill.” While all votes are yet to be counted, a Labor candidate has claimed the win to become the new mayor of Cessnock.
Newcastle
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With more than three quarters of the votes counted, Cessnock will see a new mayor in Labor’s Jay Suvaal.
The Cessnock born and bred father-of-two will take over from mentor and Labor colleague Bob Pysent, who is retiring after being on council for more than 20 years and two stints at mayor.
“Bob is a fantastic guy and great mayor for our city, definitely have big shoes to fill,” Mr Suvaal said.
Suvaal, 36, who has offered a “fresh approach” to Cessnock, polled well early and as of Thursday afternoon had almost 43 per cent of the vote, his nearest competitor Independent Ian OIsen with 27 per cent.
The deputy mayor has been vocal on trying to find more revenue sources for the City of Cessnock in a bid to direct them to more local road funding and improvements to local parks and shared pathways.
“Two of the biggest concerns we have around the area is someone has to keep pushing against the State Government and developers to finish Main Rd in Greta, it’s a traffic nightmare down there,” he said.
“Traffic is becoming more and more congested along Wollombi Rd in Cessnock, we need to get the plans done and money sorted so we can start talking about a ring around Cessnock CBD, to get traffic congestion off the road.
“I’ll be working closely with Clayton Barr at a state level and government minister, Taylor Martin, whoever is handing out money we want it here in Cessnock.”
And unlike some councils across the Hunter, where infighting amongst councillors is a common occurrence, he hopes the cohesion as a group representing the community continues.
“Last term of council, a majority of us all came together to try and operate as much in a consensus way as we could because we’re all there for the benefit of the community,” Mr Suvaal added.
“We’ll achieve a lot more if we work together, try make sure that continues through this term of council.”
And while it’s not on the “near horizon”, and the furthest thing on his mind after being elected mayor, he’s not ruling out a possible stint at state or federal politics in the future.
“Not going to say no it’s not going to happen, but my focus is here locally.”
As for councillors, the wards are not yet finalised, although there are a few standouts that look like they’ll be making up the numbers next year, which should be known by December 22, according to the NSW Electoral Commission.
Suvaal’s win of the top job also means his running mate James Hawkins, who previously served on council, will be elected to Ward A.
EARLIER
Ex-mining official’s ‘surprising’ election lead
He was sensationally defeated in the state Upper Hunter by-election in May earlier this year and hinted at a possible stab at federal politics, but it looks like local government will be where it’s at for Jeff Drayton.
The former Labor candidate - who just recently announced his resignation as the Northern Mining and NSW Energy Vice President due to ill health - has impressed early at the local government elections, as he makes a bid to become a Muswellbrook councillor.
Out of all 17 candidates - with 12 to be elected - the well-known and popular now-Independent candidate is sitting pretty with the highest percentage of votes, at more than 15 percent, as recorded on Monday afternoon.
A “surprising” result for the 51-year-old, who was born and raised and spent his entire working career in the small coal mining town.
“I had a bit of a campaign running against me from other candidates,” he told The Newcastle News.
The strong early result is likely to see him as a new face on council, with the votes continuing to roll in and be counted.
And he’s not ruling out a possible stint as mayor, which will be decided in 2022 amongst freshly elected councillors.
“Mayor sounds ok,” he said.
Another new face to the mix could be local businessman and Indian-born Rohit Mahajan, who has been living in the town for the past eight years running the Southside Newsagency and Aah Pizza Belle restaurant.
He’s polled exceptionally well early on, coming in just behind Mr Drayton at more than 13 per cent of the vote, well above a number of other candidates.
“Very surprised, the community love me and they listen to me, they support me,” he said.
He’s adamant there needs to be change on Muswellbrook Council and assures he will be the one to help do that.
“We need to move forward. When you have trouble and council don’t listen, I will stand with you,” Mr Mahajan explained.
On Monday afternoon, it was indicated more than 3,000 votes had been counted of the more than 11,000 electors in the Muswellbrook shire, with early results still hard to distinguish.
But the front runners emerged as Mr Drayton, Mr Mahajan, Independent Steve Reynolds, De-Anne Douglas and Amanda Barry rounding out the top five by percentage.
Surprisingly, there are a few incumbent councillors who have been a little slow off the mark.
Stephen Ward had only polled 1.4 per cent of the vote, Janelle Eades 1.6 per cent and Mark Bowditch 2.47 per cent and will need to get their numbers up if they want to continue representing the community.
Watch this space!
HUNTER MAYORAL RACES
While Newcastle is declared with Labor’s incumbent Mayor Nuatali Nelmes to remain in the top job and Labor’s Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser to continue her reign, it’s a close encounter in other regions.
It’s as close as you can get between the two Port Stephens mayoral candidates, with incumbent mayor Ryan Palmer just ahead with 50.77 per cent of the votes, while Labor candidate Leah Anderson has 49.23 per cent.
Close to 30,000 of a possible 57,000 votes have been counted.
“It’s going to go down to the last vote,” Mr Palmer said.
Across the region in Maitland again it’s a tight race for the top job.
Incumbent mayor Loretta Baker and Independent Philip Penfold are neck and neck, with just 200 votes separating them as of Monday afternoon.
Mr Penfold has just scrapped ahead with 33.18 per cent of the vote, while Ms Baker is on his tail with 32.68 per cent.
“We are expecting a better idea by the end of the day,” Ms Baker said.
The closest to the battling pair is Liberal mayoral candidate and deputy mayor Ben Mitchell who has gathered almost 15 per cent of the vote.
More than 41,000 votes have been counted of the almost 64,000 electors who had to go to the polls.
In Cessnock, Labor’s Jay Suvaal has romped in the early vote, at more than 42 per cent so far, with incumbent mayor Bob Pysent deciding to retire.
He’s gathered more than 6,000 votes in the four person race for mayor, although there’s still a long way to go with only 15,000 of the more than 44,000 votes to be counted.
Independent Ian Olsen is the closest on his tail with more than 27 per cent of the vote.
While in Singleton, incumbent mayor Sue Moore remains the strongest candidate with almost 38 per cent of the votes, with Independent Danny Thompson and Labor’s Tony Jarrett trailing behind with 24 per cent of the vote so far.
Upper Hunter councillors
It’s a 12 horse race in the shire with three of the incumbent councillors set for another term with more than 4000 votes already counted.
Independent Lee Watts is leading the pack with 27 per cent of the votes, followed by Maurice Collison on 19 per cent along with Ron Campbell on 8.7 per cent.
Independent Elizabeth Flaherty, keen for her first stint on council, is next in line on 7.5 per cent, while Greens Sue Abbott has gathered 7.2 per cent of the votes.
It could be anyone’s race.
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