Mick Morland and Susan Serey have been elected to Edrington Ward. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
By NICOLE WILLIAMS
THE new kid on the block and the experienced former mayor have been elected to sit on City of Casey’s Edrington Ward.
Mick Morland, with 18 years’ council experience, has been elected with 22-year-old Chilean councillor Susan Serey.
“I am really excited to work with someone who has so much experience,” Cr Serey said.
“He’s been around for a long time and he knows things I don’t even know about.”
Cr Serey pulled 16.51 per cent of the first preference votes and Cr Morland pipped former councillor Neil Lucas at the post once preferences were distributed.
Cr Morland said the result was just ‘a bit of’ luck.
“There were five of six good candidate and 12 people who actually wanted to be on council,” he said.
“The two that got elected were the luckiest two of the 18 and it is now time to get down and work out where we are going.”
Cr Serey is the youngest councillor to be elected to the City of Casey this year and is also the first Chilean councillor to sit on any municipality in Victoria.
“I’m feeling really overwhelmed but really excited,” she said.
“I can’t believe I have so much support from my community. I am 22 but I am very mature, I take on a lot of responsibility and I’m not afraid of responsibility.”
Cr Morland said he was keen to work with Cr Serey.
“She’s a young lady and hopefully we will work well together for the people of Edrington.”
Both Cr Serey and Cr Morland already have their eyes on projects for Berwick Village.
Cr Morland said he wants to get a free multistorey car park for Berwick Village and Cr Serey said infrastructure, including bike and walking paths, were extremely important.
Ousted councillor Judy Owen said she was disappointed to be defeated after only two years in the role.
“I came in on the countback and I worked extremely hard in those two years,” she said.
“I thought I was on track to put in another four years and do even more.”
“It’s a disappointment because I felt I was in touch with my community.”
Ms Owen said she hoped the elected councillors listen to residents and think about the many that are under financial pressure – young and old.
Mr Lucas was running a close second to Cr Morland but in the end preference votes saw him lose the highly contested seat.
He said he held no hard feelings.
“I had a go and I didn’t win but that’s how it goes,” he said.
“I congratulate those who won and I am excited for the new councillors that have been elected.”
