Casey CEO Mike Tyler congratulates Councillor Janet Halsall on her election as mayor.By Sarah Schwager
NEWLY elected City of Casey mayor Janet Halsall will have to fight for the support of all her council colleagues.
Cr Halsall, who is aligned with the Labor Party, was elected in a tense 6-5 vote on Monday after she received support from council’s conservative majority.
She won the top job from Four Oaks Ward councillor Rob Wilson in a surprise move after councillors agreed behind closed doors to appoint Cr Wilson.
It was a double blow for Cr Wilson, who was last year defeated at the last minute by outgoing mayor Colin Butler.
Councillors Butler, Lorraine Wreford, Steve Beardon, Mick Morland and Brian Hetherton threw their support behind the new mayor, who also served as mayor in 1999-2000, after she was nominated by Cr Beardon at the special council meeting.
Cr Halsall stepped into the role with ease only a day later by chairing her first Casey Council meeting.
The new mayor was quick to assert control over council chambers and issued warnings to several councillors about inappropriate behaviour during the three-hour meeting.
However, Cr Halsall may now struggle to receive the support of her Labor-leaning compatriots, who were furious at her nomination.
Councillor Michael Farley said he would be seeking her removal from the Labor Party for breaking caucus.
“I will be writing to the administrative committee and asking them to review her ALP membership,” he said.
Councillor Kevin Bradford said the move by the conservative councillors was payback for not supporting Casey chief executive Mike Tyler when they moved to advertise for his position.
“I don’t know what is going on with Cr Halsall. It is very unusual for her not to support Cr Wayne Smith,” Cr Bradford said.
The two River Gum Ward councillors have been close personal friends for some time.
“She won’t be in the Labor Party for much longer, that’s for sure,” Cr Bradford said.
It is still uncertain whether Cr Halsall will retain her job as electorate officer for Labor’s Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley.
Cr Halsall fell out with her Labor council colleagues when she, along with Cr Smith, changed her vote so as not to advertise Mr Tyler’s positions.
Four of the councillors were decidedly absent from the traditional mayoral statutory dinner on Monday night.
They also refrained from congratulating the mayor on her election.
Councillor Paul Richardson made the unusual move of rising to say he could not congratulate Cr Halsall on becoming mayor.
The other councillors, however, were supportive of her election.
Cr Wreford said the council was in for a better year and was pleased to see a woman mayor.
“Your experience and knowledge is very important and needed at this time,” she said at Monday’s meeting.
Cr Halsall said she had taken a statement of intention from a previous job that whatever they intended to do that day they did for the benefit of the children, parents and the wider community.
“I have tried to live by that as a councillor and I intend to do so in my term as mayor,” she said.
She urged councillors to also try to gain some perspective.
“Sometimes as councillors we can’t see the wood for the trees. I will take a step back to ensure I do see the wood.”
Cr Butler was elected deputy mayor in line with tradition, while Cr Hetherton will chair the planning committee and Cr Morland the general purposes committee.
