The results of Saturday’s local government elections across Western Australia are beginning to be announced.
Denise Mercer has succeeded in being elected to the Joondalup council. She will represent the North-Central ward. Mercer spoke to OUTinPerth about her decision to run for local government back in September.
There’s no news on who will serve as the mayor of Joondalup yet where a seven candidate race includes former federal Liberal politician Ian Goodenough.
Fremantle is getting a new mayor after Ben Lawver unseated incumbent Hannah Fitzhardinge. Lawver has been a member of the council since 2021, first representing the Hilton ward, and then later the East ward. Originally hailing from the Rocky Mountains he moved to Australia in 2013.
Lawver said he was extremely humbled to have been elected to the position.
“Our grassroots campaign involved hundreds of people from across our port city. From folks leafletting, painting signs, hosting signs at their homes and businesses, creating content and media, to the musicians, artists, and circus folk who made our events so magical. This amalgamation of creativity and legwork, combined with so much love, is the starting point for our positive movement for a better Freo.” he said.
In Bayswater Avery Wright was unsuccessful in a bid to join the council representing the South Ward, current councilor Elli Petersen-Pik was re-elected.
While former My Kitchen Rules contestant and Pride WA board member Michael Della Maddalena was unsuccessful in his bid to represent the city’s north ward.
Perth councilor Liam Gobbert will be serving another term after successfully being re-elected, but another councilor who is a member of the LGBTIQA+ community, Steve Wellard, was not returned.
In Busselton Stephen Wells, who confirmed he is a member of a Neo-Nazi organisation, failed to get elected. Wells has been a vocal opponent of LGBTIQA+ public events. Clare Pane, a prominent member of the local LGBTIQA+ community was also unsuccessful in her bid to join the council.
There’s no results posted yet from Albany where the field includes 23 candidates vying for a spot. Among them is former state Labor MP Rebecca Stephens, current councilor Tom Brough who last year suggested the plus symbol in LGBTIQA+ represented “minor attracted people”, plus several prominent members of the Keep Children Safe Albany group are also standing.
Over at the City of Stirling long serving councilor Elizabeth Re was re-elected. Re made headlines back in 2023 when she called for broadcaster Channel 10 to be closed down after comedian Reuben Kate made a joke about Jesus during an appearance on The Project.
In Mosman Park where they were three vacancies and only four candidates Samuel Croll was the one who missed out. The 20-year-old is currently before the courts charged with making a Nazi gesture that would be visible in a public place, and of conduct intended racially harass. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Despite the controversy he still attracted 154 votes.
See the result for all local government areas at the WA Electoral Commission.
