Mayor and deputy in bid for role reversal

THE Derwent Valley mayor and deputy mayor will attempt to swap roles in this year's council elections.  Deputy mayor Ben Shaw announced some weeks ago that he would seeking election as mayor this October and mayor Martyn Evans confirmed last week that he intended to nominate for the position of deputy mayor.

The resignation of Cr Paul Belcher last week leaves Cr Julie Triffett as the only other known contender for the mayoral role although it would not be unexpected for several more to come forward. At the last council election in 2014 there were five candidates for mayor, seven for deputy mayor and 19 candidates for the councillors. The candidates elected mayor and deputy mayor must also be elected as a councillor to take up the leadership roles.

Intending candidates for councillor known at this stage are:

• Ms Jessica Cosgrove (intending candidate for councillor)
• Cr Martyn Evans (intending candidate for councillor and deputy mayor)
• Mrs Rachel Power (intending candidates for councillor and deputy mayor)
• Cr Ben Shaw (intending candidates for councillor and mayor)
• Cr Julie Triffett (intending candidate for councillor and mayor)
• Mr Matt Hill (intending candidate for councillor)
• Mr Wayne Shoobridge (intending candidate for councillor and deputy mayor)
• Ms Natasha Woods (intending for councillor)

Have we missed anyone? Send us an email. As with a council elections in the last 10 years, all other council candidates are invited to submit statements, profiles or photos to the New Norfolk News by emailing newnorfolknews@gmail.com

There are no formal candidates at this stage as nominations have not yet opened. Nominations will be accepted from September 10-24, but all campaigning from August 8 (including campaign expenses prior to August 8) must be declared to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission after the election.

Nomination as a councillor 
To nominate, you must be an elector in the municipal area and must not:

• be a councillor of another council whose term of office is to end after the issue of the certificate of election;
• have been barred by a court (under section 48(6), 338A, 339 or 339A) from nominating as a candidate;
• be an employee of the council in that municipal area;
• have previously been removed from the office of councillor because of inadequacy or incompetence;
• be bankrupt;
• be subject to an assessment order or treatment order under the Mental Health Act 2013 or an order under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1995;
• be undergoing a term of imprisonment; or
• have been sentenced for a crime but the sentence has not been executed.

A  person  may  not  be  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  councillor  in  more  than  one municipal area.

Nomination as mayor or deputy mayor 
The mayor and deputy mayor of a council are elected for a four-year period by the electors of the
municipal area at the same time as the election of councillors.

The Act provides that you are eligible to nominate as a candidate for mayor or deputy mayor if
you are eligible to nominate for the office of councillor.

You may not:

• be a candidate for both the offices of mayor and deputy mayor concurrently.
• accept the office of mayor or deputy mayor unless you are also an elected councillor.

A booklet for intending candidates is available online and nomination forms for the positions of councillor, mayor or deputy mayor may also be downloaded from the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website.