GAVAN Holt has been elected Loddon Shire mayor after vowing to keep wokeism out of council’s leadership.
The veteran Wedderburn Ward councillor was installed in the top position on Tuesday, winning the vote 3-2.
Cr Holt defeated Inglewood Ward councillor Wendy Murphy, the victory later criticised by Tarnagulla Ward’s Linda Jungwirth who said men will have occupied the mayoral chair each year in the council’s four-year term.
Cr Jungwirth said she wanted “more respect for women on this council”.
In his pitch for the shire’s top job, Cr Holt said he was well positioned to lead the council through challenges.
He said wokeism had infected the western world, including Australia, saying Loddon residents were sick of racial activism and transgender activism.
“(That was) very much reflected in how they voted in the Voice referendum,” Cr Holt said.
Last month’s referendum saw 80 per cent of Loddon voters reject the Federal Government’s bid to change the Constitution.
“We need to ensure the virus does not get hold in the leadership of Loddon Shire Council,” Cr Holt said.
He said the shire also faced long-term financial challenges with major income streams - rates and grants - not keeping pace with the cost base of services and keeping roads to the standard residents expected. And he said the internal electoral boundary review before next October’s local government elections would need council advocating for outcomes that allowed council to “operate in the best interests of the shire”.
Cr Holt, a farmer, has been on council since 2003. This will be his seventh term as mayor.
He had nominated Cr Dan Straub who declined the role for a third year. Cr Straub was elected to council in 2020 and became mayor two years ago.
Crs Murphy and Jungwirth are also first-term councillors. Cr Murphy said she had enjoyed the opportunity to learn and gain experience since the 2020 election and wanted to see a mayor from Inglewood Ward for the first time in more than 16 years.
Cr Murphy also drew on her experience over 19 years with the now Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action assessing environmental approvals and part of emergency responses that gave a sound knowledge of government.
The vote saw Cr Holt supported by Cr Neil Beattie and Cr Straub.
Cr Jungwirth said she was disappointed Cr Murphy had not been elected.
Cr Holt said he would dedicate himself to working in the best interests of the shire over the next 12 months as mayor and trusted all councillors would move forward from the vote and work together.