Perth Voice Interactive

IT’S a big field for this year’s Vincent council elections, with five people seeking the two spots in north ward, seven gunning for the two in south and three running for mayor.

The mayoral trio are incumbent John Carey, Leederville cafe owner Debbie Saunders and small business owner and “big L Liberal” Malcolm Boyd.

The south ward seven are:

Malcolm Boyd, (who’s also running for mayor). He says as a small business owner with management experience, an engineering degree and an MBA, he understands the legal, financial and government issues to be a councillor. “I support free enterprise, initiative, Liberal philosophy and believe that government should be small, efficient, support local business and our way of life”.

Susan Gontaszewski and Jimmy Murphy are both backed by Mr Carey. He’s the organiser of the Leederville carnival and she says she has an eye for detail and good policy, currently working in public health policy.

Incumbent John Pintabona is returning for another run. A serving police officer, he wants a responsible approach to development to keep the inner city lifestyle and character. He was the only councillor to support keeping former CEO John Giorgi.

Amanda Madden has a financial background and wants to improve financial accountability. She says she’ll resist any cost-shifting attempts by the state government which could impact rates.

Anthony Fisk works in communications and reckons those skills could be used to improve consultation with ratepayers. He wants to slash red tape to help small businesses out and revitalise forgotten industrial zones like the south end of West Perth.

Former councillor Dudley Maier, seeking a return to keep an eye on financials, planning and traffic.

In north ward:

Deputy mayor Ros Harley is hoping to stick around for another term to continue the campaign of transparency she and John Carey tried to introduce to other local governments;

Mark Rossi is back for another crack. He also ran in 2013, 2011 and 2009. He supported former CEO John Giorgi when the council decided not to renew his contract. Mr Rossi showed up at a town hall meeting to collect signatures for a petition to reinstate Mr Giorgi. Mayor Carey says a vote for Mr Rossi is a vote for the past. If elected Mr Rossi wants a 24-hour security patrol service so residents can report suspicious or anti-social behaviour, and he opposes unequal rates for businesses.

Engineer Dan Loden is running on a platform of sustainability, livability and environment, wanting solar power and bike lanes for the city.

Shannon Daniels says he’s standing because he wants to preserve the city’s heritage and lift the standard of public infrastructure like footpaths, cycleways and parking and “utilise the private sector to enhance offering to residents”.

Lauren Tracey’s gripes are few: she thinks the area has great infrastructure and a sense of community and wants to keep adding to that. An epidemiologist at the communicable diseases control directorate, she’s keen on promoting a healthy community in Vincent.

Mr Carey says the big turnout’s probably in part due to the state government’s amalgamations attempt, which brought local government into the spotlight.