Perth Voice Interactive

STIRLING mayor Giovanni Italiano says he almost lost his ward seat last Saturday because his only rival was a woman.

Re-elected to the top job by his council colleagues during the week, he told the Voice there had been a “gender issue” leading up to the poll.

In his Osborne ward he collected just 33 more votes than Teresa Olow, 2286 to her 2253.

‘A gender thing’

When asked, “so you think she got so many votes purely because she’s female?” he replied, “I’ve got no reason to think any different because I’ve done a lot for my community…I could not have done a great deal more”.

“There was a gender thing,” he says, “and she’s not a person really from here. A win is a win. I have no hard feelings.”

Ms Olow was astounded when the Voice asked her what she thought of Cr Italiano’s comments.

“Did he really say that?” she asked.

She says she doesn’t personally know Cr Italiano, but has worked in the same building as him throughout his 14 years on council: she worked in administration at Stirling for almost seven years, ending about a year ago.

“I’d never met him before in my life — not until the campaign period,” she says.

“We met at an introduction night and another time when he cornered me in a cafe.

“I know he had great concerns about this election…Mr Italiano cornered me at a cafe at Stirling Shopping Centre asking me why I am running against him.

“My reply is that I am running for the community and it’s not against him. It’s not a personal issue. I don’t know the man.

“He informed me that I had no chance of beating him as he had the support of the Labor party.”

Ms Olow told the Voice residents had asked her to run, saying the council needed fresh blood.

She says she’s more than a just a woman: she owns a small construction business and works casually in administration at another council she wouldn’t name.

“He can’t make that statement against females,” she says.

Merit

“All those other women, like Lisa Scaffidi, who were voted to council, they got there on merit — not because they’re women.”

Priding herself on campaigning hard and replying to every elector who’d contacted her, she says she’ll run again in two years.

This year, all but one incumbent councillors were returned. Bill Stewart was dumped for businessman Mark Irwin in Coastal ward.

by EMMIE DOWLING