General News
15 September, 2024
Comeback Colleen? Condliffe announces council bid
By CHRIS EARL SALISBURY West farmer Colleen Condliffe will attempt a return to the Loddon Shire council chamber. Mrs Condliffe will challenge sitting Inglewood Ward councillor Wendy Murphy in next month’s council elections. Cr Murphy defeated Mrs...
By CHRIS EARL
SALISBURY West farmer Colleen Condliffe will attempt a return to the Loddon Shire council chamber.
Mrs Condliffe will challenge sitting Inglewood Ward councillor Wendy Murphy in next month’s council elections.
Cr Murphy defeated Mrs Condliffe, who had represented the ward for 16 years, by a margin of 43 votes at the 2020 poll.
Previously on council for 16 years, Mrs Condliffe said she had maintained a strong passion for the ward’s communities over the last four years.
She was part of community efforts to stave off demolition of the former Inglewood ambulance station that fell to the wrecker’s ball last September and has been part of the Bridgewater on Loddon Development push for State Government action to tackle the explosion in corella numbers along the Loddon River.
Mrs Condliffe is also president of Kooyoora Women’s Network and led a local team that hosted the annual Women on Farms Gathering in Inglewood two years ago. She is president of Loddon Plains Landcare Network.
“I have remained a member of many community groups, working for good outcomes in our communities,” she said.
“I have been asked by residents to stand again. If people had not asked, I would not have considered putting in a nomination.
“I want to keep working with local groups to find ways to make good things happen.
“Our local towns need to have a strong voice for the whole of the ward and for the shire.”
Mrs Condliffe’s entry into the council race means there will be elections in at least two wards.
Nominations for the October council elections opened on Monday.
Former mayor and sitting councillor Dan Straub (Terrick Ward) and Cr Linda Jungwirth (Tarnagulla Ward) lodged their nomination on Monday morning.
Laanecoorie’s Nick Angelo lodged his nomination on Tuesday. Other declared challengers to Cr Jungwirth are Carly Noble and Charmain Shepherd.
Nominations close next Tuesday.
Ballot packs will be mailed to enrolled voters October 7. The Victorian Electoral Commission says completed ballot material must be in the mail or delivered to the election manager by 6 pm on October 25.
People away during that time can vote early from 10am September 18 at the VEC’s Loddon election office, 37 Peppercorn Way, Serpentine.
Enrolment statistics released this week by the VEC show the Boort Ward will have an elector count of 1188 people on the roll, Inglewood Ward 1246, Tarnagulla Ward 1124, Terrick Ward 1180 and Wedderburn Ward 1095.
The Loddon Herald has invited candidates in contested wards to participate in live forums on September 22. Details of the events will be announced next week.
Loddon Shire Council will hold its final meeting before elections when councillors gather in the Wedderburn council chambers. The agenda for the meeting had not been released yesterday morning.
September’s meeting was brought forward to be held before the official caretaker period starts next Tuesday.
Last month’s meeting was the longest during the current council term, running for almost two hours.