World News – UA – Basil Zempilas defeats Di Bain to become Lord Mayor of Perth

The Seven West Media commentator won 2,944% of the vote on Saturday night, beating his rival and former ABC reporter Di Bain by 284 votes in a breathtaking tally

Around 6,000 voters cast their ballot in the long-awaited election, the first since the ailing council was suspended in 2018 and the subject of a broad government investigation

A 2,000-page report on the findings of Special Investigator Tony Power released in August found the council to be « breeding ground for greed, incompetence and mismanagement » during the tenure of the former mayor Lisa Scaffidi

The swearing in of M Zempilas as Lord Mayor will end more than two years of tenure on council by Commissioners Andrew Hammond, Gaye McMath, Len Kosova and the late Eric Lumsden

The count started at Council House at 6 p.m., with Ms Bain leading the race with 700 votes by 730h Following close behind, Mr Zempilas with 550 voices

The Activate Perth chair led the race for the first two hours, M Zempilas making a decisive leap forward to win the crown in the final half hour

In his first speech as Lord Mayor, Mr. Zempilas thanked his family, campaign team and supporters, adding that Saturday night was an ‘I will never forget’ night

« This is a great opportunity for everyone, and it is a great opportunity for the city of Perth to have the fresh start it has been so desperately looking for, » he said.

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« Everything we do from now on is for the taxpayers and for the residents of the City of Perth This is what we are here for and this is what we are here to serve

« We now have the leadership and elected council that the City of Perth has lacked for three years »

The father-of-three has led a wide-ranging campaign, focused on « restarting » the heart of Perth through new events, increasing the number of police in the pace and a solution to homelessness in the CBD

Although he is stepping down from his role as 6PR’s breakfast co-host at the end of the year, Mr. Zempilas plans to maintain the rest of his existing media commitments – including his evening role anchoring the sports segment on Seven, writing a weekly column in The West Australian newspaper, and leading commentary for the AFL and the Olympics of Seven.

At 10 p.m. on Saturday, mayoral candidates Di Bain and Sandy Anghie, Catherine Lezer, director of the Strata Community Association of WA, and town planner Liam Gobbert, were the preferred candidates to be elected councilors for a term of office. three years

Former Perth City Councilor Reece Harley, real estate agent Bruce Reynolds, restaurateur Clyde Bevan and Rebecca Gordon were the preferred candidates for the four one-year positions

He will be sworn in as Lord Mayor alongside newly elected councilors in a ceremony at the Government House ballroom on Monday attended by Washington State Governor Kim Beazley and the CEO from the City of Perth, Michelle Reynolds

Marta is an award-winning photographer and journalist specializing in social justice issues and local government

Basil Zempilas, City of Perth, Di Bain, Mayor