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INSIDE TODAY
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Station One reigned supreme after winning the Traralgon Cup.The win sparked emotional scenes from Lottie Marr and Stephanie Cording (inset), as the Liam Howley Racing stable celebrated another triumph at Latrobe Valley Racing Club. RACING, FASHIONS, SOCIAL SNAPS - INSIDE
Photographs: Liam Durkin
MADAM MAYOR Cr Sharon Gibson wins election LATROBE City councillors Sharon Gibson and Dale Harriman have swapped positions. Cr Gibson will lead council after winning last Thursday's mayoral election, while Cr Harriman will serve as her deputy. The night’s first sign of division came when the mayoral nominations opened, with Cr Harriman (representing Loy Yang Ward) and Cr Leanne Potter (Budgeree) speaking over each other in their haste to nominate former deputy mayor Cr Gibson and first-term councillor Cr Steph Morgan (Yallourn) respectively. Cr Gibson’s nomination was seconded by Cr Adele Pugsley (Moe); Cr Morgan’s by Cr Darren Howe (Tyers). The vote ultimately fell five-four in favour of Cr Gibson. Councillors Pugsley, Barnes (Boolar Boola), Campbell (Jeerlang), Harriman and Gibson supporting her, while Morgan, Potter, Howe and Lund (Morwell River) backed Morgan.
The same 5-4 split would repeat for the deputy mayoral vote. Following the vote, the new madam mayor took her seat to chair the meeting. Immediately there was a rough start to her mayoral term, after she was called to order by her Cr Morgan for skipping a key step in the deputy mayor process. Cr Gibson attributed the confusion to a running sheet that was “not up to speed”, fumbling through sections with long pauses and even muttering into the microphone, “it’s hard to get good help these days.” This step pertained to the speech time deputy mayoral candidates are entitled to under the Local Government Act. This was Cr Gibson's second procedural misstep, after she'd mistakenly asked Cr Morgan to second her own nomination for deputy, to which Cr Morgan calmly replied she would instead accept the nomination, as permitted, while allowing Cr Howe to second. Cr Harriman was nominated by Cr Pugsley, seconded by Cr Campbell. Cr Potter nominated Cr Morgan once again, seconded by Cr Howe.
Cr Morgan surprised the room by also nominating Cr Campbell - a member of the Harriman–Gibson voting bloc, though Cr Campbell swiftly declined. “I’m not really ready for it,” she said. Cr Harriman kept his pitch short, saying he felt he could provide good support given he was the previous mayor. Cr Morgan’s speech was the most pointed of the night. She directly addressed what many in the community - and within council - perceive as two clear blocs. She spoke about the energy transition, the upcoming state election and the need for fresh momentum. “Coming into this term, we had five new councillors elected, and I think that shows an appetite for fresh, new dynamic leadership,” she said. “I think we are missing out on an opportunity to bring an energy and enthusiasm from newer councillors.” Cr Morgan then delivered the clearest acknowledgment yet of the council’s internal divide: “It would be a good show of unity,
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and a good show of what former Mayor Harriman said earlier tonight - a united group," she said. "I think that having two leaders from what some say in the community are ‘two distinct groups within the council’ shows that that’s not actually the case - that we’re grown-ups, that we respect this role and the positions of leadership to work very hard to create a positive, thriving Latrobe City.” She said a blended leadership team would benefit “not just the old guard, not just the new guard - everybody.” Despite her appeal, the numbers remained unchanged. Cr Harriman won the deputy mayoralty 5-4, with light-hearted laughter filling the chamber when Cr Howe jokingly attempted to raise both hands to give Cr Morgan an extra vote. She may have swung, but the bloc held. Continued - Page 36
BAGPIES RECORD PAGE 24
RENTAL REVIVAL PAGE 34