Bill Lancaster
Anne Napoli
Mike Neville
Christine Stead
Leon Thorpe
Alison Balind
Pat Cox
Simon Croce
Paul Rossetto
Doug Curran
Dino Zappacosta
THE new-look Griffith council has emerged, with four fresh faces earning a place around the chamber table.
All eight incumbent councillors who contested the election were successful in their bid for another term, with Mike Neville, Bill Lancaster and Dino Zappacosta the first three elected.
They were followed by fellow incumbents Christine Stead, Pat Cox and Anne Napoli.
Preferences played a big part in the appointment of some councillors, with newcomer Leon Thorpe jumping from 14th position after the primary votes were tallied into seventh position at the final count.
Former council executive Alison Balind also overtook her opponents late in the preference count, elevating from 15th of 16 candidates to be the final councillor elected.
Second-term councillors Simon Croce and Doug Curran also made the cut, while first-time candidate Paul Rossetto was elected in ninth position. The result was revealed late Friday, almost a week after the city went to the polls.
Newly appointed mayor John Dal Broi was pleased with the spread of councillors he would be working with for the next four years.
“The council certainly is a cross-section of the community, which is great,” Cr Dal Broi said.
“We’ve got a good representation from the ladies and in terms of the circles various councillors operate in, we have a good mix of people with different community interests.
“If we put our minds to it as a council, I think we can do some good work going forward.”
Cr Dal Broi said his first priority would be injecting some stability into council.
“I hope all of the councillors who have been re-elected will bury the hatchet on their past gripes and problems and start afresh,” he said.
“The community needs strong representation and I would like to see everyone make an effort to provide that.”
One of four women on council, Cr Balind said she had hoped to see the community’s diversity represented even further.
“I’m pleasantly surprised to be in this position but I would have been equally pleased to see Rina Mercuri get on council – I think she would have made an outstanding councillor,” Cr Balind said.
“I do think there’s a good spread of people but I’m disappointed Harnek Dhanoa didn’t make it.
“I hope he will try again next time and be successful.”
The new council will sit for the first time on Tuesday, September 25.