The Illawarra Greens Party has selected a full ticket of 13 candidate to contest Wollongong’s September 9 council election.
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For now, the party is holding its cards close to its chest about exactly who these candidates are.
However, incumbent councillor – and the party’s previous Lord Mayoral candidate – Jill Merrin, will not be on the ticket, after she was not selected to represent her local northern suburbs area (Ward 1).
"I nominated for Ward 1 again this year, believing that I could achieve much more as a second term councillor with the experience of council's policies and processes, and plans under way,” she told the Mercury.
“However, I was not selected by the Illawarra Greens. Instead, the group asked me to stand for Ward 2 [central suburbs] and the Lord Mayoralty, because of my high profile in the city.”
"After having a little time to consider this properly, I decided it would be disrespectful to the people of Ward 2, and of Ward 1, to treat them as interchangeable in this way.
“I am sad that I will no longer have the opportunity to fight for the environment and social justice in Wollongong.”
Cr Merrin said she had been “greatly honoured” to have represented the Greens for the past six years.
"I believe the current council has been the best ever in Wollongong, partly because of the broad mix of political views, and the commitment to the public interest,” she said.
“There are some very dedicated and smart people among the councillors and staff, and I am grateful to have worked alongside them."
Asked about Cr Merrin’s preselection Illawarra Greens co-convener Cath Blakey said she did not wish to comment, and said the party was not yet ready to reveal its line up.
Incumbent councillor George Takacs has chosen not to run at the upcoming election, due to other responsibilities, but, along with his wife Elena Martinez, will be running the party’s campaign.
He said the candidate line up would be “our youngest and freshest team”, and would be revealed next Thursday.
He also noted the Greens would run a full ticket in Ward 3, which covers Wollongong’s southern-most suburbs. The party did not contest this area last time.
In 2011’s council election, Cr Merrin was the party’s lord mayoral candidate, gaining 5.7 per cent of the vote across the LGA.
The council election will be held on September 9.
Nominations for Labor candidates will close at 5pm on Friday, and nominations for Liberal candidates closed in April. Despite the early deadline, the Liberal Party is yet to reveal its candidates.