General News
7 November, 2024
Early East ward result could come today
Dimboola will have some insight by the end of this week into the district’s likely councillors for the next four years.
Dimboola will have some insight by the end of this week into the district’s likely councillors for the next four years.
According to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), the provisional result of last month’s Hindmarsh Shire Council election could be known as soon as today, and at the latest by the close of business on Friday.
However, these figures will not be final and the official declaration will not be made by the VEC until the following Friday, November 15.
Council is scheduled to conduct its annual statutory meeting next Wednesday, November 13, to elect the next mayor.
In preparation for Victoria’s local government election last month, all existing positions were declared open.
Current mayor Brett Ireland and deputy mayor Wendy Bywaters each chose not to stand for council this year, meaning that there will be new leadership, whatever the outcome.
Cr Robert Gersch OAM and Cr Melanie Albrecht also decided not to stand again, leaving Cr Ron Ismay and Cr Deb Nelson as the only members of the outgoing council seeking re-election.
Nominations closed on September 17 and voting – which this year was conducted entirely by post for the first time – commenced when the mailing out of ballot packs began on October 7.
The last monthly meeting of council was held on October 23, by which time Hindmarsh was in caretaker mode, while voting continued.
The deadline for posting completed ballot papers or hand-delivering them to the memorial hall in Jeparit was 6pm on Friday October 25.
Only votes received by VEC by midday last Friday, November 1, are valid.
Counting is now well under way.
Regardless of the result, East ward – which surrounds Dimboola township – will have at least one new face in the chamber when the 2024-28 council convenes.
In East ward three candidates nominated for two positions: Cr Deb Nelson, Chan Uoy of Dimboola Imaginarium and James Barry, a poultry producer near Glenlee.
Residents to the west of Dimboola already know the identities of their two representatives for the next four years: Rosie Barker and returning councillor and former two-time mayor Ron Ismay (who represented North ward in the retiring council).
Cr Ismay and Ms Barker were the only two nominees for the two vacancies in West ward, which encompasses Nhill and its surrounds, so were unopposed.
First-time council member Ms Barker is a social worker, counsellor and psychotherapist at Nhill.
As in the East ward, the third ward in Hindmarsh, North (which includes both Rainbow and Jeparit), is a three-way contest, in this case between Roger Aitken, former councillor Elizabeth Chivell and Tony Clark.
Hindmarsh Shire Council’s next ordinary meeting will be held on November 27.