Preference deal a blow for Bonanni

Alice Springs Town Council by-election candidates’ preferential voting allocations sparked hot debate.

Council Candidates in this weekends election Edan Baxter, Kylie Bonanni, John Bridgefoot and Colin Furph

THE Alice Springs Town Council by-election is only a day away and a trail of fire has been burning with the candidates’ preferential voting allocations sparking hot debate.

Kylie Bonanni, the only female in the race, has been feeling the heat from the other four candidates, dubbed ‘‘the boys club’’, after a strategic preferential voting alliance saw the mother-of-two ruled out of the group’s top preferences.

She told the Centralian Advocate that although there were obvious manoeuvres taking place, she would maintain a strong position and hoped the community would support her.

‘‘The boys have placed me last in their preferences, so if I do not secure the primary vote, I have no chance of winning,’’ Ms Bonanni said.

‘‘I want the community to be aware of how these preferences work because it’s very hard to get the primary vote so this is important.

‘‘There has been a lot of manoeuvring going on through- out this election which I have not been a part of (but) Iam true to my heart and I want to do the right thing by this community.’’

Ms Bonanni said she would be proud to serve as the third female councillor in Alice Springs if elected on Saturday.

‘‘I would be very proud to be elected into council as I would be the third female representative that Alice Springs has seen,’’ she said.

‘‘I think you see things in a more balanced view when you are a female councillor. I am not there to be another number, but an individual who will stick to the things they believe in.

‘‘It’s about bettering the com- munity and people need to know that I am not going anywhere, I am committed to this town and I am here to run for the whole community, not to make up a stronger allegiance within the current council.

‘‘I ask for people’s number one vote on election day as the preferences have all been worked against me, and as a candidate’s campaign manager assured me, it always goes to preferences. I believe that Council should not be based on which political party you are aligned with (so) I can only keep going and run my own race while staying true to me and my policies and hopefully the community will see that.’’

John Bridgefoot said there was no political agenda involved in the preferential vote allocations, but said he would not give second preference to a strong candidate.

‘‘I have given Kylie my third preferential vote, but the other guys have given her fifth be- cause they are afraid of her being such a strong candidate,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ve got nothing against Kylie (but) you don’t give second pre- ference to a strong candidate.

‘‘On the whole, there is no political agenda involved but it comesdownto the fact that a job needs to be done and you need to look at the skill sets that people are able to bring to council.

‘‘We need someone who will unite the council and fit in by working together as a team as opposed to creating confrontation, and Iamprepared to work hard and devote myself to this town.’’

Edan Baxter denied all male candidates were placing Ms Bonanni last in their preferences and said the rumours only ‘‘cheapens democracy.’’

‘‘I find preferencing and behind-the-scenes ‘preference deals’ unpleasant,’’ he said.