Susanna Freymark
Residents pick their Richmond Valley mayor this Saturday, September 14.
The choice is between Robert Mustow, John Walker, Lyndall Murray and Robert Hayes.
Mr Mustow is the current mayor and Mr Hayes is a sitting councillor.
IndyNR.com asked all mayoral candidates the same two questions and then asked each candidate a different ‘burning’ question — that question was something we considered unresolved in some way or something the community was still wondering about.
We’ve listed their answers in the order they were interviewed.
What is your best quality as a mayor?
Walker: My experience and capacity for change.
Hayes: To continue to maintain the connection between the lower river and the rest of Richmond Valley.
Murray: Quality — I’m not a career politician. I have 20 years of community and business leadership. I have business acumen to bring to the role.
Mustow: Proven leadership.
On election day (or before if it’s pre-poll) what should people be thinking about as they go to vote for the mayor?
Walker: You’ve got a simple choice — keeping everyone who has been there forever and nothing changes or go for new thinking, new ideas and new people.
Hayes: Consider the quality of a group and what they bring to the table in business and local knowledge. We have a team of locals across all areas.
Murray: Do you want the first female mayor (in Richmond Valley)? Vote below the line for the people who have the skills.
Mustow: They should elect a cohesive, committed council who will deliver infrastructure upgrades and make a financially strong council.
Our burning questions were:
To John Walker: Your past business dealings have been seen as controversial. Can you address your past in business and on previous councils?
In 40 years of business, you make enemies. I’m proud of my past and everything I’ve done. Social media highlights the bad bits — not the good bits.
In my time at Kalgoorlie Council in WA, the council went from being in the 139 position out of 140 to two years later it was at number 4. I’m proud of that. You don’t do that without hurting some people. I bought in an economic plan and the mayor John Bowler (recently) endorsed me.
I absolutely grew up being in community and with the RSM Club I want to do things for the community such as the youth hub. (John is chief executive of the Casino RSM Club).
I deal with the (negative comments) by believing in myself.
To Robert Hayes: Are you running for mayor as a strategy?
Yes. I chose to run, I ran last time and came second (there were only two mayoral candidates in the last election — Mustow and Hayes). This time I wanted to make sure the vote was spread. I’m really thinking about the lower river candidates. We want at least two or three representatives on council to maintain the connection.
To Lyndall Murray: Can you explain the finances of the Hands & Hearts Project that you started? And are you concerned about a lack of experience in local government?
I raised $213,000 through the Backyard Sessions in Evans Head and through the Cal Robson surfboard raffle. Four volunteers are in the Hands and Hearts Project and every dollar I raised goes into the Mid Richmond Neighbourhood Centre account.
There is a public spreadsheet on the Hands & Hearts Project website.
Transparency is absolutely critical for me.
Regarding experience I have 20 years as a business leader. In my marketing background I managed a $23million budget which is similar to council. I bring a different style of leadership that is efficient.
To Robert Mustow: There is a gap of information for the community over what happened in the NRLX dispute. Can you comment on this?
I feel like we have told our side of the story. It is up to the people to accept it or dispute it. For me — it’s where we are going in the future with the saleyards. Most council owned saleyards are leased out. I believe the saleyards has a strong future and our community will benefit.
Read all Richmond Valley Council Election stories here
Below is advice from the NSW Electoral Commission about how voting for a mayor and councillors works.
While a person can be a candidate for both mayor and councillor in an area, a person cannot be elected as both the mayor and a councillor.
The result of the mayor election is determined first. If elected as mayor, the candidate must accept that office and cannot be elected a councillor.
The preferences on each councillor ballot paper for the candidate elected mayor are reallocated during the count to the candidate who has the next preference.
For example, if the candidate elected as mayor would have received the first preference on a councillor ballot paper, that preference is reallocated to the candidate with the number 2 preference.
In Richmond Valley, each of the candidates for mayor is the lead candidate of a group for the councillor election.
When a voter casts a preference above the line, it is preferences for all members of the group in the order they are listed below the line.
For example, the preferences shown in the sample vote below explains:
The ‘1’ marked above the line for Group C is a 1 preference for Hamring, 2 for Kerry, 3 for Karl and 4 for Kelly
The ‘2’ marked above the line for Group A is the preferences 5, 6, 7, 8 for the respective members of that group.
Remember though to vote below OR above then line — not both.
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