September 2017
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We asked the lead candidates from East Ward – John Nell, Sally Dover, Ryan Palmer, David Simm, Jaimie Abbott – to explain what they would bring to council, to help voters reach determine how they would vote.
We asked the lead candidates from West Ward – Paul Le Mottee, Giacomo Arnott, Jillian Lye, Ken Jordan – to explain what they would bring to council, to help voters reach determine how they would vote.
We asked the lead candidates from Central Ward – Sarah Smith, Ben Niland, Jennifer Battrick, Chris Doohan, Des Maslen – to explain what they would bring to council, to help voters reach determine how they would vote.
Just days before Port Stephens residents head to the polls in the local government elections, leaflets have been distributed to parts of the community in an apparent last-ditch attempt to sway voters.
Australia Post has admitted it accidentally inserted election candidate materials with how to vote information from Port Stephens Council.
Two candidates in the Port Stephens Council election exchanged heated words outside the Raymond Terrace pre-poll centre last week over the Lord’s Prayer.
Central Ward candidate Sarah Smith refutes claims her coffee shop lease is a conflict of interest in Port Stephens Council election.
August 2017
Early voting for the Port Stephens Council elections begins Monday, August 28, for people who can’t vote on election day, Saturday, September 9.
Six candidates have raised their hands to lead Port Stephens Council through the next three-year term. The Examiner asked these would-be-mayors what they would bring to council if elected. In order of how they appear on the ballot, here are their responses, to help inform your vote before election day on September 9.
Des Maslen, the Labor mayoral candidate for Port Stephens, issued an apology to people he offended with Facebook posts made six years ago.
The odds are firming that Port Stephens Council will reinstate webcasting at its meetings – with the idea gaining widespread support among mayoral candidates.
Des Maslen, Labor’s mayoral candidate for Port Stephens, was called to account for social media comments made on Facebook six years ago at an open candidates’ forum in Medowie on August 7.
Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie would have celebrated 50 years in local government in 2018.
Instead, in the August 10 edition of the Examiner, Cr MacKenzie announced his retirement.
“The time’s right,” Cr MacKenzie said. “I’m leaving council in a good position. It won’t be repeated, no one will achieve what I have. My funeral song is going to be ‘I did it my way’.”
Six names went into the draw at the Raymond Terrace pre-polling centre on the night of August 9 to determine in what order the mayoral candidates would appear on the ballot.
“I would encourage you all to take part on election day,” Port Stephens Council general manager Wayne Wallis wrote.
“The ‘local’ in government means exactly that – we are closest to the community in terms of the services and facilities we provide.”
Of the 10 councillors on Port Stephens Council, Cr Sally Dover’s been the only woman these past five years.
And in her 13 years on the council she’s served six of them as deputy mayor. With her announcement she will seek the popular vote for mayor, Cr Dover said she’s ready for the top job.
The 900-page council agenda that sparked a walkout was finally tackled at the final meeting on August 1.
July 2017
Labor has vowed to reintroduce fortnightly web-casts to Port Stephens Council meetings if it is elected in September.
A mammoth 946-page agenda, set down for the last council meeting before the local government election, prompted calls for candidates to commit to restructuring future meetings.
It was anticipated to be a mammoth meeting with a 900-page agenda and more than 30 items listed, but Tuesday’s council meeting lasted a mere five minutes before councillors Geoff Dingle and Peter Kafer walked out – depriving the mayor of a quorum.
One of Port Stephens mayor Bruce MacKenzie’s most determined critics, Councillor Geoff Dingle, will stand for election as mayor on September 9.
In a short statement, Cr Dingle said “It’s time.”
June 2017
After boarding went up around the old library early in June, there was much speculation about what was going to be done with it.
A Port Stephens Council spokeswoman quashed rumours, saying the building will be used by the Australian Electoral Commission in the upcoming NSW Local Government election.
It took Port Stephens Council mayoral hopeful Des Maslen decades to fulfil his dream of owning a cruiser, and a single defamation case to have him putting the cruiser up for sale after only a year.
Bruce MacKenzie confirmed he'll stand for mayor after an on-air challenge from Labor candidate Des Maslen
West ward: Giacomo Arnott, Bobbie Antonic, and Vicki McLaughlin.
East ward: David Simm, Roz Armstrong, and Jim Morrison.
Central ward: Des Maslen, Melissa Pond, and Peter McKenna.
TRRA states the case for closer talks between council and residents ahead of September 9 election
May 2017
Jillian Lye, an architect perhaps better known for her work with Save Boomerang Park Action Group, has declared she will seek election to Port Stephens Council in September.
February 2017
Cr John Nell said Port Stephens resident clearly don’t like to turn out at polling booths for council elections as it is, if recent trends are any indication.