Perth Voice Interactive

BAYSWATER councillor Lorna Clarke has announced she’s retiring from her west ward role, with about eight months left in her term.

Cr Clarke is Labor’s candidate for Butler in the upcoming state election, the seat currently held by the retiring attorney general John Quigley, and says she wants to focus on retaining it for the party.

Cr Clarke didn’t mention the election in her informal valedictory speech at the December 10 council meeting, instead focusing on municipal issues she was involved in during her seven years.

Her highlight reel included the council’s progress on bringing together homelessness services, increasing tree planting, and getting the first stage of the Maylands Waterland built. 

Along with the big ticket items, Cr Clarke said: “The decisions we make in this room go directly to the experiences of every single family in our community. 

“It affects when their bins are collected, when their parks are mowed, and which drinking fountains have dog bowls in them, how good the local playgrounds are, how safe the local roads, it affects how many books their kids take out of the library, and when they can see Santa for free down at Riverside Gardens.

“Local government gives us as elected representatives of our communities the privilege of taking actions big and small that can see those communities thrive and flourish. I will miss being part of that grand project with you all.”

Cr Clarke was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. Her term would have expired in October 2025 but she’ll instead leave “around the end of this year”. 

Councillors aren’t required to retire to run for state or federal parliament. Some, like Perth lord mayor Basil Zempilas, opt to take leave from their council role to campaign for a state seat, which leaves them a backup council gig if the state tilt is unsuccessful. 

Butler’s a pretty safe bet though: Labor won the seat with 77 per cent of the first-preference vote in 2021. 

by DAVID BELL