The City of Perth has a new look council following Saturday’s election which saw radio and television host Basil Zempilas elected as Lord Mayor.
The Council has been run by appointed commissioners for more than two years after the previous council was suspended in March 2018 and an inquiry launched into its administration.
Following a closely-contested election with six candidates running for top job, Zempilas was elected with more than 29 per cent of the vote, beating rival Di Bain who attracted almost 25 per cent of votes.
Eight councillors were also elected, four taking up one-year terms and four for three years. Bain will be among the new councillors.
There were 6,300 votes for the mayoral race with a total voter turnout of 41 per cent.
The six mayoral candidates had set out their vision for Perth at a Property Council event in the lead-up to the election.
Congratulating Zempilas on his election win, Property Council WA executive director Sandra Brewer says the result will provide welcome certainty for the City of Perth community.
“The Property Council looks forward to working constructively with Basil Zempilas and all the newly elected councillors over the next three years,” Brewer says.
“Having such a passionate advocate for Perth as our Lord Mayor will be a tremendous boon for the revitalisation of our CBD and realising its potential for investment and tourism.
“The City of Perth is the epicentre of economic activity in the state, and the Property Council is ready to work with the City to deliver policy settings that will ensure businesses across the CBD and surrounding neighbourhoods succeed and thrive.”
Brewer looks forward to working with the new council to implement policy ideas contained in A Plan for Perth: Nine ideas to boost economic activity, create jobs and build confidence, released by the Property Council in August.
“We are eager to work with the Council on policy reforms to address issues such as homelessness, economic recovery from COVID-19 and council rates – which are the highest capital city rates as a proportion of business costs across Australia,” Brewer explains.
“We are also keen to support strategies to activate key city locations and leverage the opportunities contained within the recently announced Perth City Deal.”
The Perth City Deal, announced in September, promises to deliver new university infrastructure, including a new campus for Edith Cowan University focused on technology, industry and creativity, Murdoch University’s digital innovation campus and expansion of Curtin University’s Historical Heart Cluster. Other initiatives include rejuvenation of the Perth Cultural Centre, Perth Concert Hall and WACA.