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A new Deputy for the Lord Mayor

Tony Pooley, last month became Sydney’s new deputy Lord Mayor. Tony, former Mayor of South Sydney Council, was elected in 2004 to the then newly-merged City Council. The Labor Party won three seats, the Liberal Party one, the Greens one and the Lord Mayor’s team achieved five seats reports Trevor Davies in the Have you heard? Column of the South Sydney Herald of October 2007.

In the early stages, Greens Councilor Chris Harris worked closely with the Lord Mayor’s team and that allowed the Lord Mayor to get her choice of Deputy – John McInerney.

That was for a year, then things changed and the position of Deputy was drawn out of a hat. This allowed Labor’s Verity Firth to become the Lord Mayor’s Deputy. Twelve months later in 2006 it was the turn of the Greens Councilor, Chris Harris. Then, out of the blue, the Lord Mayor’s team decided that the City was not going to have one position of Deputy Lord Mayor – the argument was that other large international cities have numerous deputies. After a fairly lively Council meeting, Chris Harris became Deputy Lord Mayor. This year there was no argument and no walkout and, as a result, Tony Pooley became Deputy.

Should be an interesting 12 months. The next Council elections are September 2008.

Source: South Sydney Herald October 2007