Bass Coast Mayor Brett Tessari BASS Coast’s new mayor has resigned from his day job to concentrate on a big year ahead.
Cr Brett Tessari was re-elected for a fourth mayoral term at Wednesday’s council meeting after Rochelle Halstead stepped down from the role after being endorsed as the Liberal candidate for Bass in the state election.
Cr Tessari initially hoped to combine the mayoral role with his job as operations manager for the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition but said he realised that in an election year the mayoral job would take all his energy.
He said the council had done the ground work for its list of advocacy priorities and he was looking forward to hitting the road.
Cr Brett Tessari was re-elected for a fourth mayoral term at Wednesday’s council meeting after Rochelle Halstead stepped down from the role after being endorsed as the Liberal candidate for Bass in the state election.
Cr Tessari initially hoped to combine the mayoral role with his job as operations manager for the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition but said he realised that in an election year the mayoral job would take all his energy.
He said the council had done the ground work for its list of advocacy priorities and he was looking forward to hitting the road.
“Advocacy is a massive part of the mayor’s role so there are going to be a lot of trips to Spring Street, and to Canberra.”
“Bass is the most marginal seat in the state and we’ll be front and centre of every minister pushing Bass Coast’s case.”
Cr Tessari was the sole nomination for the mayoral role but there was jostling for the deputy role he had vacated.
Bass Coast’s mayor and deputy mayor positions are usually decided behind the scenes before the public meeting but unusually there was a public vote this time.
Cr Ron Bauer, a second-term councillor, secured the position six votes to three over Cr Jon Temby.
Cr Tessari has not committed to seeking a fifth term when the mayoralty comes up for re-election in November.
By then it could be a very different council with two Bass Coast councillors so far nominating for election to the Victorian Parliament.
Cr Halstead was selected from two candidates who nominated for the Liberal Party. She previously ran for the Liberal Party in the Frankston electorate in 2006 but was unsuccessful.
Cr Mat Morgan is the endorsed Greens candidate for the Upper House seat of Eastern Victoria. He has previously stood for the Greens at state and federal elections.
Both candidates stand a realistic chance of being elected this time round.
If Cr Halstead wins the seat of Bass, her council position in the Western Port Ward will be offered to Nikole Shellekens, the highest-ranking unsuccessful candidate at the 2024 council election.
If Cr Morgan is elected, his council position in the Bunurong Ward will be offered to former councillor Leticia Laing.
Cr Tessari and Cr Meg Edwards both stood at the 2022 state election, Cr Tessari as a National Party candidate and Cr Edwards as a “conservative independent”. Both told the Post they would not contest this election.
“Bass is the most marginal seat in the state and we’ll be front and centre of every minister pushing Bass Coast’s case.”
Cr Tessari was the sole nomination for the mayoral role but there was jostling for the deputy role he had vacated.
Bass Coast’s mayor and deputy mayor positions are usually decided behind the scenes before the public meeting but unusually there was a public vote this time.
Cr Ron Bauer, a second-term councillor, secured the position six votes to three over Cr Jon Temby.
Cr Tessari has not committed to seeking a fifth term when the mayoralty comes up for re-election in November.
By then it could be a very different council with two Bass Coast councillors so far nominating for election to the Victorian Parliament.
Cr Halstead was selected from two candidates who nominated for the Liberal Party. She previously ran for the Liberal Party in the Frankston electorate in 2006 but was unsuccessful.
Cr Mat Morgan is the endorsed Greens candidate for the Upper House seat of Eastern Victoria. He has previously stood for the Greens at state and federal elections.
Both candidates stand a realistic chance of being elected this time round.
If Cr Halstead wins the seat of Bass, her council position in the Western Port Ward will be offered to Nikole Shellekens, the highest-ranking unsuccessful candidate at the 2024 council election.
If Cr Morgan is elected, his council position in the Bunurong Ward will be offered to former councillor Leticia Laing.
Cr Tessari and Cr Meg Edwards both stood at the 2022 state election, Cr Tessari as a National Party candidate and Cr Edwards as a “conservative independent”. Both told the Post they would not contest this election.