LONGserving councillor and former mayor Mick Morland has set himself to win Edrington Ward in the 26 November City of Casey elections.
Cr Morland needs 33 per cent of the vote to get over the line from Berwick Chamber of Commerce president Michael Hall, former RSL president Brian Hetherton, and Greens candidate Craig Jones.
Edrington was left wide open when Casey mayor Neil Lucas withdrew from the contests only hours before the close of nominations.
Cr Morland was set to run on a ticket with Cr Lucas, but was shocked when told his running mate had pulled the pin.
Little, if any opposition to the duo was expected from the Labor Party in Edrington and Mike Hall and Brian Hetherton probably wouldn’t have nominated against Lucas and Morland for either of the two vacancies.
However, Mr Jones is passionate about his cause, sees himself as an alternative candidate, and had his name on the list early.
Voters in the neighbouring Four Oaks Ward were disenfranchised for the last term of the council because of shenanigans at the 2003 election that I would not like to see again in local government.
This probably led to former mayor and previous Four Oaks Ward councillor John Hastie, who lost his seat in that fiasco, choosing not to take up an offer to run for Edrington.
He elected to contest Four Oaks when he almost certainly was offered an easy ride in Edrington during the back room jostling that went on prenomination.
Little of what incumbent councillor Roland Abraham told electors prior to the 2003 election could be verified.
In short, Mr Hastie and other serious candidates were dudded.
Cr Morland was only 69 votes off winning outright in the 2000 election and won outright with more than half the primary votes in his 2003 election for the Oatlands Ward.
He tended to keep out of the bitter infighting that went on among councillors, and has displayed a capacity to poll well at elections.
Figures from his last two elections must hold him in good stead for the Edrington poll.
Brian Hetherton is well respected and well liked in the area, but untested in council circles and the same goes for Mike Hall.
However, Mr Hall has developed a fairly high profile of late.
He has generated new fire in the belly of the Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Jones is a wellknown landscape gardener around Berwick, likeable and expected to poll well.
Edrington has been well served by its councillors over the years and this seems set to continue, whoever wins.
I wonder why people keep coming back in the neighbouring Four Oaks Ward area after consecutive trouncings.
Some are lucky to retain their deposit.
I wonder how many of these candidates really expect to win or are they there to prop up someone else by diverting preferences?
Incumbent councillor Roland Abraham has had a most controversial term in office and this must impact on his vote.
Still miffed about the way he lost the Four Oaks seat, John Hastie has gone back into the arena in an effort to unseat Abraham.
Who knows how the vote will fall for the incumbent councillor or whether the former mayor has been forgotten?
Janine Paul did not lodge a contact phone number with the Victorian Electoral Commission when she nominated.
My view is that a condition of nomination should be that all candidates provide a contact for voters.
How genuine is this candidate in the quest to win a seat?
Who gets her preferences?
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