15 January 1999

NO CHOICE FOR MAYOR

Fairfield voters will have less choice for Mayor under the current proposal for "Popularly Elected Mayor" to be put to a referendum on April 8, warned UNITY Cr Thang Ngo.

Candidates for councillor will not automatically be a candidate for mayor because the two elections are separate.

"It will not be the case that the council candidate with the most votes become mayor, but it will be decided by an additional ballot" said Cr Ngo.

So unless your preferred council candidate has the funds to run two campaigns simultaneously, you will not be able choose that candidate for mayor".

According to Cr Ngo many residents believe they can automatically choose any council candidate for mayor.

"Let me make it crystal clear…this is not the case under this proposal which is backed by the Labor party" said Cr Ngo.

Not surprisingly, only big parties like Labor can fund council and mayor campaigns, simultaneously"

That’s why all five independent councillors voted against this referendum and all 10 Labor Councillors are so enthusiastically for it"

Accordingly to Cr Ngo, if the referendum is passed, it will disadvantage community-based candidates who will find it difficult to fund expensive council and mayor campaigns.

"Council is about electing local residents to represent us, not politicians backed by big money" concluded Cr Ngo.

Cr Ngo urges residents to tell the politicians where to get off, by voting "NO" on April 8.

ENDS