Perth Voice Interactive

ALISON XAMON is the new mayor of Vincent, coming in ahead on both primary votes and preferences. 

Ms Xamon is formerly an upper house MP for the Greens but ran independent of the party, and says she’s far happier in a council role than in state parliament.

Technically she could still be called back to a parliamentary role if one of the MPs who was elected ahead of her in the 2021 election stands down.

But Ms Xamon told the Voice “If someone left and they did a countback, and the next [in line] was me, I wouldn’t accept it.

“I would not take it. I am so happy to be mayor; this is what I want to do.”

Ms Xamon had 2,956 first preference votes, Ron Alexander had 2,437, Suzanne Worner had 1,374, and Amanda Madden had 596.

After preferences were distributed Ms Xamon had 3,757 against Mr Alexander’s 2,917.

At the October 24 special council meeting to appoint a deputy, Cr Alexander put his name forward saying he would “look forward to the opportunity to support the mayor”. 

He said placing him as deputy would reflect the voters’ choice: “In the election mayor Xamon got 40 per cent of the vote, and myself got 33 per cent of the vote, so it would be a good opportunity to… respect the residents and ratepayers voting.”

Cr Castle also nominated for deputy. She has six years’ experience on council compared to Cr Alexander’s two, and said: “I think with a new mayor and with several new faces in the chamber that it is important to have the balance with an experienced deputy mayor.”

Cr Castle got the deputy spot 7-2. 

In north ward newcomer Nicole Woolf won first place, having been active locally in campaigning against the Angove Street petrol station. Cr Suzanne Worner kept her seat in a close second. President of Floreat Athena football club Con Poulios missed out, as did Phillip Madden after a fairly low-profile campaign. 

In south ward incumbent councillor Ashley Wallace was a firm first place. Science teacher Ashlee La Fontaine won the second full-length term, and Greens-backed candidate Sophie Greer got the two-year term that was left behind by former councillor Ross Ioppolo retiring early.

Runners up were Diana MacTiernan, Ed Bernier, Amanda Madden, and Kerry Bowe.

by DAVID BELL