NSW Labor has gone ahead and called incumbent Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore the winner of today’s furiously-contested council election, and if their prediction holds, the independent will serve an unprecedented four terms as mayor.
NSW Labor’s general secretary Kaila Murnain claims “there is no way anyone can beat” the early lead Moore has taken, which may also be enough to overcome her closest competitor, Liberal candidate Christine Forster.
It’s still eaaarly in the counting process, and Moore herself hasn’t dropped the balloons and fired the confetti cannons just yet, but Murnain contends Moore’s 66% primary vote in Redfern is a solid omen for victory.
Despite Labor’s fatalism, Forster hasn’t backed out of the race.
The lead-up to this election has been especially full-on, considering the new voting rules instituted beforehand. Around 23,000 businesses that operate within the council area were given license to vote, allowing companies a say in who they believe should run the show.
That move drew condemnation from some corners due to the fact that… Well, corporations aren’t people who live in Sydney proper, nor are they people at all.
Moore’s pro-sustainability stance and emphasis on preserving the city’s nightlife are just a couple of policy positions that Sydney’s businesses could disagree with big-time; a victory would mean she not only convinced the people, but enough of the city’s businesses, to keep her in the job.
Expect the results to be confirmed later on tonight. In the meantime, ya might like to know PEDESTRIAN.TV spoke with the candidate about the election earlier in the week. Have a squiz below:
Source: The Daily Telegraph.
Photo: Don Arnold / Getty.
