Following overwhelming support from the city’s constituents, the City of Greater Geelong introduced direct mayoral elections in 2012, with the aim to bring gravitas and a higher profile to the role.
The City of Melbourne was formerly the only council in Victoria with such a system. Having a popularly elected mayor over four-year terms rather than a councillor-elected mayor that changes on a yearly basis has the benefits of stability, and greater authority and public recognition.
Other regional centres like Bendigo and Ballarat could be next to embrace the presidential-style election model, where popularity and an ability to enter public consciousness may be more important than proven leadership and political credentials.
The runaway victory in November of ‘Mr Paparazzi’ Darren Lyons has no doubt left the Liberal Party establishment in Victoria feeling nervous. As Victoria’s second largest city, Geelong is crucial to the direction of the State and rumours have been rife that despite Mr Lyons’ Liberal Party membership, Premier Napthine did not consider him a ‘suitable’ candidate.
Lyons, with his 723,000 (and counting) Twitter followers, may have the support of the people, but will his vision of ‘energy and youth’ actually result in positive change for Geelong? If he is to achieve anything as mayor, Mr Lyons will need to form strong relationships within Council and enlist the support of the ‘old grey brigade’ he dismissed so readily during his campaign.
