By Hamish Heard
SPOTSWOOD councillor Bill Baarini was last week elected unopposed as Hobsons Bay’s new mayor.
Hobsons Bay’s seven councillors voted unanimously for the 32-year-old lawyer to replace outgoing mayor Leigh Hardinge during a statutory meeting of council on Friday night.
Star last month revealed Cr Baarini, a member of the council’s dominant faction of Labor-aligned councillors, was the only runner in the mayoral race.
Cr Baarini had already served two mayoral terms, in 2003 and 2004.
Cr Baarini said he was honoured councillors had backed his third run at the mayoralty but predicted a challenging year ahead. “The role of mayor is both challenging and rewarding and I am looking forward to the year ahead. I aim to serve the community with energy, pride, commitment and sincerity,” he said.
Cr Baarini said he would use his term to focus on the environment and advocacy for better health services in Hobsons Bay.
“Climate change is at the forefront of people’s minds and we need to act now to tackle this issue,” he said.
He also said he would support local industries by lobbying the new Federal Government on issues including manufacturing tariffs.
Cr Baarini said he had big shoes to fill and thanked Cr Hardinge for his leadership over the last mayoral term.
“Cr Hardinge did an exceptional job and worked tirelessly for the community during his term as mayor,” Cr Baarini said.
Cr Hardinge was quick to pass on his best wishes to his successor.
Cr Hardinge described his 12 months as mayor as a “magical experience”. “My wife Merridee and I have thoroughly enjoyed the involvement with the community and also the opportunity to represent the city and the council outside Hobsons Bay,” Cr Hardinge said.
He listed improvements to road safety through programs targeting students, the promotion of volunteers, the mayoral arts program and strengthened links with the drought-ravaged Buloke Shire as major achievements of council during his time at the helm.
Cr Altair said there was an “elegant synergy” to the fact that she would be serving as Cr Baarini’s deputy.
“Cr Baarini was my deputy when I was mayor in 2002,” Cr Altair said.
She said she looked forward to supporting Cr Baarini as the council strived to achieve its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2020.
