More uncertainty as Melbourne Town Hall prepares to elect new lord mayor

BUSINESSMAN Gary Morgan has declared he will run again for Lord Mayor after the resignation of Robert Doyle.

BUSINESSMAN Gary Morgan has declared he will run again for Lord Mayor after the resignation of Robert Doyle.

Mr Morgan, who has contested the past four mayor elections, says he will run again for Town Hall’s top job.

LORD MAYOR ROBERT DOYLE QUITS TOWN HALL

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TIMELINE OF THE TOWN HALL HARASSMENT SCANDAL

Phil Cleary, who ran in 2016 as an independent but with support of Queen Victoria Market traders, said he was “a pretty fair chance” of running and would make a final decision in the coming days.

Gary Morgan will run again for Lord Mayor. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Doyle’s resignation will open the way to elect a new lord mayor, but not a new deputy lord mayor.

Deputy Lord Mayor and Team Doyle member Arron Wood, now acting as lord mayor, has been seen in some circles as the heir apparent.

It is believed that if he ran for lord mayor and lost, he would still retain his $96,534 plus expenses role as deputy. The lord mayoral pay is $193,070 plus expenses.

However, if Cr Wood ran for lord mayor and won, it is probable that another separate by-election would need to be held for the deputy position.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood could succeed Robert Doyle. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

Former Western Bulldogs vice-president Susan Alberti could be a potential candidate. Picture: Michael Klein

Businesswoman and former Western Bulldogs vice-president Susan Alberti and state Property Council executive director Sally Capp have also been touted as potential candidates.

The Greens will see Mr Doyle’s departure as an opportunity to secure a prominent political position in Melbourne.

Greens’ Melbourne councillor Rohan Leppert said no decision had been made yet on a mayoral by-election candidate.

“But it’s very likely that we will run a candidate,’’ Cr Leppert said.

The Greens’ 2016 contender Olivia Ball picked up 21.27 per cent of first-preference votes, behind Mr Doyle’s 44.62 per cent. Phil Cleary was third with 10.89 per cent.

UNCERTAINTLY TO FOLLOW DOYLE RESIGNATION

TOWN Hall is in for further weeks of uncertainty despite Mr Doyle’s resignation.

The City of Melbourne must now decide how to deal with the findings of a sexual harassment inquiry and prepare for a mayoral election.

On the agenda for a council meeting due Tuesday night is the consideration of the status of the report by Dr Ian Freckelton, QC, into the claims against Mr Doyle.

Melbourne Town Hall has been rocked by the allegations, and faces further weeks of uncertainty. Picture: Mark Dadswell

It is believed that only a handful of people have seen the interim report, and it is unclear if any details of the findings will be released at the public meeting.

Last Friday, after it was revealed that Mr Doyle was seriously ill, council CEO Ben Rimmer announced that the investigation would report in two stages.

“We are very much aware it is in the interests of everyone involved that the investigative and reporting processes are thorough and completed as quickly as possible,” he said.

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