Wanneroo council election attracts 29 candidates

A RELATIVE newcomer will contest the Wanneroo mayoral election, putting her hand up against the current long-serving mayor.

North Coast Ward Councillor Sonet Coetzee has nominated to run in the October 19 election against Tracey Roberts, who has been mayor for eight years.

Cr Coetzee was elected in 2017 and has served two years in her four-year term.

Having told Community News he was undecided last week, Central Ward Councillor Paul Miles confirmed on Thursday he would not nominate for mayor and would support Cr Coetzee.

“She has got new ideas; she has got good ideas,” he said.

The former Wanneroo MLA said it also allowed him to potentially run again as a candidate in the next State Election in 18 months’ time.

Acknowledging the councillor’s nomination as part of the democratic process, Mrs Roberts said she was passionate about continuing to represent the City and had worked hard to deliver important infrastructure through advocacy.

“I put my hand up because I want to continue to represent this fabulous City of ours which has so much potential,” she said.

“I want to see it thrive.”

Cr Coetzee said she believed the council needed new ideas and “new blood”.

“I’ve been there for two years; I’ve learnt a lot (and) I still have a lot to learn,” she said.

The Yanchep mother-of-two said the community needed more jobs, not just more houses, and investment in infrastructure such as libraries as well as the railway.

“I would like things to happen faster for the people,” she said.

Like Mrs Roberts, Cr Coetzee said she was not a member of any political party and would fund her own campaign.

Having migrated to Perth from South Africa 13 years ago, she has built up connections in local clubs and is a committee member at Sun City Yacht Club and ladies vice president at Wanneroo Golf Club.

Mrs Roberts said it took time to get to know and understand the needs of all the residents associations, sports clubs, multicultural groups, business and other groups in the City.

There will also be seven ward seats contested during the postal election, with 27 people putting their hands up by the time nominations closed on September 12.

There will be at least two new faces due to vacancies in the South Ward, where incumbent Cr Brett Treby is one of 12 candidates for three seats.

Other nominees are Siham Carollisen, Janine Wood, Vinh Nguyen, Warren Nel, George Okulicz, Marina Salinas, John Cumalkovs, Anh Truong, Rona Chiera, Domenic Caccamo and Glynis Parker.

In the Central Ward, Frank Cvitan and Samantha Fenn have both renominated, with nine candidates contesting the two seats.

The other candidates are Peter Newbound, Aaron Sawmadal, Michael Aspinall, Shelley McGinn, Andrew Baillie, Gideon Rossouw and Jacqueline Huntley.

North Coast Ward councillors Natalie Sangalli and Russell Drive have also renominated, with Chris Baker, Matthew Bettinaglio, Godwin Fernson and Azeem Shah contesting the two seats.

Visit www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au/elections for more information.