Gerald Lynch
The Brimbank council chamber is set for a major shake-up this term, with four of the current 11 councillors electing not to re-run.
After two terms in council, stalwart Bruce Lancashire will not enter the coming election as a candidate, alongside Sarah Branton, outgoing deputy mayor Jae Papalia, and former mayor Jasmine Nguyen.
Seven councillors from the current term will again run for council: mayor Ranka Rasic, Victoria Borg, Thuy Dang, Sam David, Thomas O’Reilly, Virginia Tachos, and Maria Kerr.
Previously comprised into four wards; three made up of three councillors and one of two, there are now 11 single electorate wards in Brimbank, meaning the number of councillors will remain the same.
Other notable candidates who have registered for this term include 2019-20 mayor Georgina Papafotiou, and 2019-20 deputy mayor Kim Thien Truong in the Copernicus and Cherry Creek wards respectively.
Also running in the Copernicus ward is 2017-18 mayor Margaret Giudice.
Former Brimbank citizen of the year Poonam Singh is running in the Delahey ward.
Nephew of former prime minister Kevin Rudd, Van Thanh Rudd is running in the St Albans East ward.
In February, the electoral representation advisory panel recommended that Brimbank council adopt an 11 single-councillor ward structure, one of 30 councils to do so.
The 11 wards are Albanvale, Cherry Creek, Copernicus, Delahey, Grasslands, Harvester, Horseshoe Bend, Kororoit Creek, Mount Derrimut, Organ Pipes and St Albans East.
As previously reported by Star Weekly, municipal monitors that were appointed to oversee council in February will continue to do so until December 31.
The decision to appoint monitors came after months of tensions among councillors.
Several councillors failed to attend two council meetings late last year which lead to one meeting not being held. Two councillors, Maria Kerr and Virginia Tachos, highlighted feeling unsafe.
Voting opens on Monday, October 7 and closes on Friday, October 25.
