Darryn Lyons considers another term as Geelong mayor

FLAMBOYANT Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons has spoken of the job’s personal toll as he contemplates whether to run again.

----FOR SUNDAY'S PAPERS------Mayor of Geelong Darryn Lyons speaks to the Sunday Herald Sun. Darryl with an old vintage camera outside his house. Picture: Alex Coppel.

FLAMBOYANT Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons has spoken of the job’s personal toll as he contemplates whether to run again.

Cr Lyons is yet to decide whether to follow the lead of his good friend Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, who will seek a third term next October.

“I’m a visionary, but when it comes to doing what I’m going to be doing, it’s certainly been a very difficult job with this particular council,” he said.

“Coming from the outside into this environment, bringing it from the 16th century into the 21st has been a battle, but the support from the community has been quite extraordinary.”

Unlike Cr Doyle, the former paparazzi king was elected without a supporting councillor ticket because the City of Greater Geelong has a different electoral system.

Cr Lyons has faced resistance over the council’s expensive floating Christmas tree and considers he is often thwarted in attempts to modernise Geelong.

Geelong’s colourful mayor says he’s brought the council into the 21st century.

Last month he came under fire for wearing a T-shirt featuring a naked Madonna and a slogan that some found offensive.

“There have certainly been many issues that I’ve had to deal with as mayor that I didn’t expect,” he said.

“I’m really proud but whether you can sustain the intensity of this kind of job over a lengthy period of time remains to be seen.”

Cr Lyons said he envied Cr Doyle because he seemed to get better treatment by the media.

“That’s probably played the most significant part in why I wouldn’t go again, actually,” he said.

“It’s been a real hard road - not with the community - I can take political criticism. But when it gets personal, I reckon I’ve had a pretty rough trot.”

It has been rumoured that Cr Lyons, a Liberal Party member, would run for the federal seat of Corio.

But he wouldn’t comment, saying any political decisions would be made in consultation with his fiancee, Elissa.

“My life’s going to be a rollercoaster whether I like it or not, and I don’t think anything’s changed,” he said.

“I’m so passionate about Geelong and changing Geelong.”

Cr Lyons said Geelong was on track for $3.9 billion in investment in 2015-16.