FORTY-SIX candidates will contest next month’s Wyndham Council election, with a mix of new and old faces, former councillors and city leaders vying for residents’ votes.
Nineteen are standing for four vacancies in Chaffey ward, including incumbents Shane Bourke, mayor Kim McAliney and Marcel Mahfoud, while former councillor Marie Brittan will seek a return after a three-year absence.
Mrs Brittan, who has been working as an electorate officer for Tarneit Labor MP Tim Pallas, was elected to council in 2008 but resigned the following year after the former Brumby government banned political staffers working as councillors.
Hoppers Crossing resident Bro Sheffield-Brotherton, who contested the 2010 state election for the Greens, has also put up his hand in Chaffey, along with former Werribee police officer Ron Fenton, former councillor John Gibbons and Wyndham Tourism Association president George Tomkins.
Eighteen candidates will contest four vacancies in Harrison ward, including deputy mayor Glenn Goodfellow, councillors Bob Fairclough and Adele Hegedich and former Point Cook Action Group president Bernard Reilly.
Victoria University academic and former Victorian Multicultural Commission member Eleni Bereded-Samuel and Mohammed Isah, who stood in 2008, have also nominated.
Councillors Heather Marcus and Cynthia Manson are among nine candidates for three positions in Iramoo ward, along with retired police officer Peter Gibbons and Wyndham SES volunteer Kylie Cowie.
Ballot packs will be sent to voters between October 9 and 11 and must be returned by October 26. Voting is compulsory.
With the high numbers of candidates in Chaffey and Harrison wards, Victorian Electoral Commission spokeswoman Sue Lang urged voters to pay extra attention when completing their ballot forms.
Details: vec.vic.gov.au.
