By Corey Everitt
PRECEDE
Still months out from this year’s council elections the battle lines have yet to be fully revealed, yet some have put their hat in the ring, some are staying out and others remain undecided. The Gazette is contacting local prospects and here are some key players and their status.
-Naomi Horsley
A Pakenham resident and avid promoter of local performing arts, Naomi Horsley ran in the 2020 council election and gained over a third of primary votes. She lost as incumbent Colin Ross dominated and inched just over half of votes to secure an absolute majority.
Despite a promising first run Naomi has ruled herself out of this year’s election as she currently works at the cultural centre for the council, opting to continue her passion in the arts than submit it to another council bid.
-Kate Lempriere
Kate Lempriere is no stranger to the council having served as Mayor in two terms and serving almost a decade on the council between stints in the 2000s and 2010. She has run in 2016 and 2020 without being elected. Her view of the council has been positive recently as she said she ‘really likes’ the current Mayor Jack Kowarzik. The prospect of making another run this year, she said she ‘hasn’t really thought about it’, but said ‘anything is possible’.
-Shoheli Sunjida
Shoheli Sunjida ran in the 2020 election in the large contest for the Officer Ward against eight other candidates. She was unsuccessful, but took an admirable 11 percent of votes. Her community work has hardly abated with her work in groups like the Casey Cardinia Bangladeshi Community and others. She said she is still ‘exploring’ the opportunity of running again and can’t commit just yet. With her own business to run and her new role with OBrien Real Estate there is a lot for her to juggle.
-Michael Schilling
Based on previous performance, Michael Schilling would possibly be one of the strongest contenders in this year’s council – if he were to run. Michael served as councillor between 2016 and 2020. A fairly popular term, he took a third of first preference votes and the second in the field by just under 500 votes. However, preferences would turn the field and Michael would lose to Cr Stephanie Davies by only 66 votes. One to watch, the Gazette is attempting to get in contact with Michael.
-David Young
David Young has served on the council before, but has ruled himself out for 2024. He was elected to the then Port Ward for 2012 to 2016. He didn’t run in 2020, but would do so in the 2021 by-election of Westernport Ward after the death of Ray Brown where he lost to Cr Kaye Cameron. He said he is getting ‘too old’ for municipal politics opting to bow out of this year’s contest.
-Andrew McNabb
Andrew McNabb played a key role in the 2020 election where he led the only united slate across Cardinia Shire. The ticket billed itself as ‘Clean Up Cardinia’ and included now Cr Kaye Cameron and candidate Shoheli Sunjida. He ran personally in the Beacon Hills Ward where he got over a fifth of the first preference vote, but the ward is possibly the most insurmountable with Cr Brett Owen who won with almost two-thirds of the vote.
-Vern Hughes
A new entry to council elections, Vern Hughes announced his intention to run in March this year. He has run in politics before having only just missed an upper house spot in State Parliament in 2022. An independent through and through, Vern poses to shake up the ‘bureaucratic’ culture of the council. A Tonimbuk local, he intends to run for Bunyip Ward.
Samantha-Jane Potter
-Samantha-Jane Potter was the first to reveal their candidacy back in early march. A worker in the disability sector, she also makes time to promote the community. Particularly in organising for the performing art as the founder of the Cardinia Creative Community. She hopes to take her work to the next level in council this October.
