Wollongong City Council Lord Mayor Tania Brown (left) with newly elected Deputy Lord Mayor Cr Linda Campbell in Port Kembla earlier this year. Photo: Cr Tania Brown.
The newly elected Wollongong City Council sat for the first time on Monday, 14 September.
The councillors’ friends and families packed the public gallery to support them as they were sworn in.
Lord Mayor Tania Brown welcomed everyone to the meeting and congratulated the councillors on their elections.
She also outlined her priorities for the council in her first term as Mayor.
“In advance, I thank your families for their support and forbearance,” she said.
“I know I appreciate the support of my mum and my two children.
“I acknowledge we are in a cost-of-living crisis and we have to balance the importance of fiscal responsibility with delivering on our commitments to the community.
“As the first woman to be Lord Mayor, I’m determined to leave a legacy my family can be proud of.
“I hope lots of other women follow in my footsteps – just not too soon.”
As the first item on the agenda, Crs Tania Brown, Andrew Anthony, Linda Campbell, David Brown, Kit Docker, Dan Hayes, Ann Martin, Richard Martin, Ryan Morris, Tiana Myers, Thomas Quinn, Deidre Stuart and Jess Whittaker took the oath or affirmation of office, to great applause from the gallery.
The next was for the newly sworn-in councillors to elect a deputy mayor.
Crs Campbell and Whittaker were both nominated and accepted their nominations.
Cr Whittaker garnered the support of Crs Docker, Anthony and Stuart.
Cr Campbell secured the remaining votes and was elected Deputy Mayor.
For the third and final order of business, the council elected to use countback votes cast at the most recent election to fill any vacancies that come up within the next 18 months, rather than a by-election.
As the meeting wrapped up, Cr David Brown acknowledged the turbulence of the most recent election.
“Being blindsided by something you can’t control is every candidate’s worst nightmare,” he said.
“I commiserate with the Liberal candidates and former councillors. It’s participation that makes democracy work, and I’d like to thank everyone here today for your participation.
“I’d also like to thank my electorate for returning me – the first time you run, you ask them to trust you, the second time you ask them to judge you, now it’s more of a check-in to see if they’re sick of me yet. I’m very grateful.”
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