SINCE June 22, Cr Jade Benham has been on leave of absence from her Swan Hill Rural City mayoral role, to allow her to run for the state seat of Mildura.
Thanks to deputy mayor Bill Moar who stood up during a very difficult time of major riverine flooding for our region.
Congratulations to Jade and her Nats team on the hard fought win for Mildura, they now have the formidable work ahead in Opposition.
It is wonderful for Robinvale to have the sitting member reside there.
It is Swan Hill Rural City Council’s loss that Jade moves up into state politics as she had great prospects as a councillor and mayor.
But her long leave of absence and Cr King’s leave earlier in the year, as well as other councillors being absent for various reasons, has lead to some Swan Hill Council meetings only having four Councillors present. This makes decision-making and voting in the chamber much weaker, with say, a complex planning application getting through with just two votes.
Our local government is not served well by this situation.
I call on the council and VEC to sort out the recount of the 2020 election and appoint the new councillor, to take Cr Benham’s place, promptly.
For full disclosure, I am on the list of possibilities for this vacancy.
There is a council meeting on December 20, and the new councillor should be able to sit in the chamber.
Jacquie Kelly
Swan Hill
