News

Six new faces likely

By Robert Muir

Sep 24, 2024

There are six definites and three likely for the newly elected Federation Council as of Tuesday; Cheryl Cook, Andrew Kennedy, Derek Schoen, David Bott, Rowena Black and Susan Wearne are certain to get on, with the last three remaining spots likely to go to David Harrison, Richard Nixon and Pat Bourke.

Major shakeup for Federation Council

Corowa resident David Harrison, Oaklands farmer Richard Nixon, and Urana businessman and mayor of Federation Council since the council was formed in 2016, Pat Bourke, appear set to be the remaining successful candidates for councillor.

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As reported in last week’s Chronicle, six candidates for Federation Council’s next four-year term are definites: Howlong’s Cheryl Cook and Sue Wearne, Redlands’ Rowena Black and Derek Schoen, Coreen’s David Bott and Andrew Kennedy of Mulwala.

Missing from Federation Council’s last term will be retirees Gail Law, David Longley and Aaron Nicholls, and Sally Hughes and Shaun Whitechurch, the latter being deputy mayor for the seven year, two terms to date of the 2016-formed Federation Council which resulted from the merger of Corowa and Urana Shires.

At the time of The Chronicle going to print, it seems just three councillors from council’s last term – Rowena Black, Andrew Kennedy and Pat Bourke - will remain on council.

It would therefore mean there will be six new councillors on Federation Council’s team of nine councillors.

All successful candidates are due to be sworn in as councillors by Federation Council’s General Manager Adrian Butler on Tuesday, October 8 at 9.30am in the Corowa Civic Centre. Councillors will vote for mayor and deputy mayor.

Federation Council’s three-question poll conducted simultaneously as the councillor election on Saturday, September 14 resulted in voters overwhelmingly supporting the Yes vote, with percentages in favour, as follows:

Do you believe that the forced amalgamation by the State Government in 2016 was a mistake? 75.19%.
Should the State Government compensate ratepayers for the ongoing costs of the amalgamation? 84%.
Do you support that council should approach the State Government to guarantee representation for the former Urana Shire? 68.75%.

The new council will consider the next course of action regarding the poll.