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It was a hotly contested race between the media personality and former journalist Di Bain, with the couple separated by a few hundred votes
M Zempilas received 1,855 votes, or 2,944% of the vote, against 1,571 and 24 for Ms. Bain94 percent
The duo were followed by Brodie McCulloch, Mark Gibson, Sandy Anghie, Bruce Reynolds and Tim Schwass
The new mayor and councilors will be sworn in at a ceremony at Government House on Monday afternoon
The council has been run for more than two years by commissioners after the local government minister suspended the existing administration in March 2018 and launched an investigation into the city
The investigation, which lasted two years, resulted in an explosive 2,000-page report, which revealed « systemic failures » in the « poorly governed and dysfunctional » board and administration
Total voter turnout for the city of Perth jumped to 41% from 37% in 2017
M Zempilas arrived at Council House with his wife Amy shortly after the mayor’s result was announced
« It’s empowering and exciting, and to be perfectly honest, it’s hard to believe we’re here in this capacity »
M Zempilas said he was ready to start with the advisers soon to be announced
« We now have the leadership and elected council that the city lacked, » he said
« Our job now is to look after taxpayers, residents and anyone who chooses to spend time in the city of Perth »
M Zempilas campaigned on a platform to provide support services to homeless residents of the city of Perth, including opening the city’s parking lots at night to allow them to sleep
Before launching his campaign, he wrote about the need to move the homeless out of the city center, « by force, if that’s what it takes »
He also pledged to provide free parking for on-duty police and ask the state government to locate 200 more police officers in the city center and restore funding for an indigenous awareness program , the Noongar Patrol
He also pledged « zero tolerance » for anti-social behavior and to revise regulations to « fight loitering and begging »
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City of Perth, Basil Zempilas, Lord Mayor, Di Bain, Council
News from the world – UA – Radio and TV host Basil Zempilas elects new mayor from Perth
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
