Less than 24 hours after Kate Dight rolled Paul Harmon as Mayor of Inverell Shire, Margot Davis has defeated Rob Banham to be elected Mayor of Glen Innes Severn.
Davis was elected Mayor in a close vote of 4-3. Greens councillor Carol Sparks was elected to the Deputy Mayor role 4-2, with Councillor Andrew Parsons abstaining from the deputy mayor vote. Both Davis and Sparks were elected for two year terms.
Davis is a well known figure at Glen Innes Severn Council. She previously worked for Council as the Manager of Economic Development, working on destination management, the Glen Innes Highlands marketing campaigns, and special projects like the Rail Trail, and the Geotourism Digital Experience on the Glen Innes Highlands SkyWalk. She is best known currently for her significant role in the Attract Connect Stay – now known as Local Connect – program where she serves as the Executive Manager. The highly successful initiative that has secured many health workers for the region has recently expanded its activities to attract and retain all kinds of professionals needed for the town to thrive.
Davis says she nominated for the mayor role because it was clearly indicated to her that there was a desire for leadership change, and was disappointed by the former mayor’s decision to quit as a member of Council.
“It is unfortunate that Rob has decided not to continue to support the community in the role of councillor,” she said.
“However, we need to move forward and ensure that we make collegial, collaborative decisions for the benefit of the community.”
Davis said she was not originally planning to run for the leadership role.
“Part of wanting lead great outcomes for the community is sometimes having to put your hand up even though it wasn’t something that you necessarily planned for.”
Banham put out a two page long press release after 5pm today announcing that he was resigning from council entirely after losing the mayoralty. In an apparent attempt to undermine community confidence in the new leadership, he resorted to claiming a secret ballot – the gold standard in ensuring democratic outcomes free of intimidation – was “a significant breach of the Council’s values”.
He further alleged that the highly capable women elected by a majority of their peers would be unable to address the needs of the community because they would “struggle” to manage the time demands of the role, believed to be a reference to Ms Davis having children.
Sources close to the Glen Innes Severn election have been talking to New England Times throughout the election campaign about interpersonal difficulties amongst the candidates. This included a public post by Troy Arandale, since deleted from his Facebook page, claiming rumours were being spread about his personal life, and a threat of physical violence against another candidate. Not wishing to be named for fear of retribution against themselves and their employers, locals said they believed the tendency of the now former mayor to deploy intimidation and bullying tactics were at the centre of the “highly toxic campaign environment”.
Mayor Davis refused to be drawn on the reports of poor behaviour, saying she was focused on the way forward.
Banham, however, confirmed in his release that there were ongoing personal tensions.
“Addressing the ongoing personal disagreements within the Council, Mr. Banham urged his colleagues to put the community’s needs first,” the release stated.
“It is disheartening to see personal conflicts affecting our decision-making,” he said.
“All councillors must prioritise the community’s needs above personal differences to ensure effective leadership.”
Banham will be replaced on Council by one of the other candidates, to be determined by a count-back. However, it is not as straight forward as just declaring the first of the losers, which was David Scott, to be elected. The NSW Electoral Commission will first contact the three unsuccessful candidates, who will each have to apply to be considered in the recount. The Commission then recounts the ballots as though Rob Banham was not in the race at all to determine the 7th member of Council.
Mayor Davis is leaving that necessary process to the pros, and focusing on the business of growing Glen Innes. And like any effective and efficient manager, she is committed to great planning to deliver great results.
“We have a lot of strategic planning to do,” she said.
“We need to ensure that we have a plan for growth, and at the same that we are balancing the social economic environmental and cultural elements of our strong and vibrant community.”
Today’s result builds another – unexpected – brick in the wall of female leadership across the north of the New England. Margot Davis, Bronwyn Petrie in Tenterfield, and Kate Dight in Inverell, are expected to be joined by new female mayors in Moree, Gwydir and Gunnedah with their mayoral elections pending.
Top image: Newly elected Mayor Margot Davis (l) and Deputy Mayor Carol Sparks (r) (Glen Innes Severn Council)
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