The City of Canning ‘returned to democracy’ following three years of representation from state government appointed commissioners with the swearing in of its new council.
Riverton Rossmoyne Shelly residents’ association president Paul Ng had a convincing win over 10 other candidates for the mayoral position taking 21.77 per cent of the vote.
One of Mr Ng’s biggest campaign promises was to take a 50 per cent pay cut to his mayoral salary but he said something else helped him win.
“It’s the grace of god…it’s divine intervention,” he said.
“It’s almost impossible that I would win the election, I actually was shocked myself.”
Mr Ng said the salary cut would show residents he was committed to reducing costs.
“People are all concerned with rate rises,” he said.
He would use his professional experience as an engineer and in running corporations to look at the city’s books and reduce expenses.
“I haven’t looked at the books in detail, I have to first sit down and warm the chair a little while and look at the books and actually go through with all the directors about the areas which we have to look at.”
Mr Ng looked forward to working with the new council and he would foster good relationships with staff, councillors and residents.
“Everybody is fresh, just out from the oven,” he said.
“We have to work as a team, we have to pull everybody together and work as a team, like a family.
“I want to have a relationship with all the staff and fellow councillors to have an understanding that we are all their for the benefit of the community and the ratepayers.
“I do not believe in micromanagement I look at things as a whole.”
He said he would relinquish his position as residents association president at its November annual general meeting.
A record 56 six nominations for both mayoral and ward positions were made with 47 candidates in the running.
New Bannister ward candidates included member for Riverton Mike Nahan’s electorate officer Ben Kunze and Patrick Hall.
David Brown and Willetton childcare centre president Lindsay Holland were the successful Beeliar ward candidates while Pauline Tarrant and Greens WA member ChristineCunningham won the Beeloo ward positions.
Jesse Jacobs, the 2013 Liberal party candidate for the state seat of Cannington, won the Mason ward seat with Ayse Martli while Margaret Hall and Tim Porter won the Nicholson ward seats.
Chair of commissioners Steven Cole said he was pleased a large number of the Canning community exercised their democratic right and voted in the election.
Voter turnout from the 2011 improved slightly with participation in the mayoral election increasing 1.5 per cent to 30 per cent.
Individual ward rates ranged from 26.4 per cent in the Nicholson ward to 34.6 per cent in the Bannister ward and were up on the 2011 rate.
For full results see the WA electoral commission website www.waec.wa.gov.au.
