Well the results are in, and we have an interesting Council for the next four years. There are 3 unChain Councillors, 3 CAPP/Labor and one Liberal.

In the case of the 3 unChain and 3 CAPP Councillors there was a consistent theme. The candidate who received the majority of the first preference votes was successful – receiving enough second preferences from the other candidates to get elected, even though this went against their how-to-vote cards.

The 3 unChain Councillors are Serge Thomann, Jane Touzeau and Vanessa Huxley.

In Catani ward Serge Thomann (unChain) won easily, with over 50% of the first preference votes – so there was no need to distribute the second preferences of the unsuccessful candidates.

In Point Ormond ward Jane Touzeau (unChain) won. She got 46% of the vote and enough of Christofakis’ (Greens) preferences (38%) to easily defeat Salina (CAPP/Labor) by 437 votes.

In Carlisle ward Vanessa Huxley topped the vote with 24%. She then received enough preferences from Spillane (Liberal), McLoughlin (CAPP) and Spiegel (Liberal) to defeat Baxter (Greens) by 568 votes.

The 3 CAPP Councillors had narrower wins.

In Albert Park ward, Stevens (CAPP/Labor) defeated Birrell (Greens) by 86 votes after allocation of the preferences of Sharples (unChain) and Mills (Liberal).

In Emerald Hill ward, Horvath (CAPP) defeated Roberts (unChain) by 80 votes after allocation of preferences of Griffith (Liberal).

In Sandridge ward, Voss (CAPP) defeated Turner (Labor) by 29 votes after allocation of preferences of de Groot (unChain).

The most unusual result was in Junction ward. Bond (Liberal) received only 23% of the first preference votes – significantly less than the sitting Councillor Middleton (Green) who got 29% of the vote. However Bond ultimately defeated Middleton by 28 votes after allocation of preferences of two minor candidates and Galic (unChain) and Gross (Labor).

The key here was that former CAPP/Labor Councillor Dick Gross gave his second preferences to the Liberal candidate – and these preferences pushed Bond over the line. So Dick Gross, the former CAPP/Labor Councillor, was responsible for the election of the first Liberal Councillor ever in the City of Port Phillip.

This may be important because Bond may be a significant link between the City of Port Phillip and the Liberal state government. There are many important issues that require co-operation between the City and the state government, not the least of which will be the development of the St Kilda Triangle.

Congratulations to the seven successful Councillors and also to the unsuccessful candidates and all of the support teams.

Now it is time to smoke the peace pipe and for the Council and the community to get on with the business of making our City the best possible one.

~ Peter Holland
unChain President