Close Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
  • Home New
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Monday, July 7
Facebook X (Twitter)
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
Breaking News
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»Council candidate wins seat on second count
News

Council candidate wins seat on second count

By Keith PlattApril 19, 2021Updated:July 16, 2024No Comments4 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

SUSAN Bissinger is the replacement councillor for Hugh Fraser in Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Nepean Ward.

Ms Bissinger’s appointment follows Tuesday’s (13 April) recount of votes cast in the November 2020 election.

Ms Bissinger, pictured, told The News that she was “looking forward to getting things done, or at least having a go at getting them done”.

After being sworn in at this Tuesday’s (20 April) council meeting and with several meetings to go before council is scheduled to adopt the 2021/22 budget Ms Bissinger will have several opportunities to make known her preferences on council spending.

In her candidate’s statement before the November election (won by Cr now fellow Nepean Ward councillor Sarah Race and Mr Fraser) Ms Bissinger said “my goal is to improve the look, feel and function of our local communities in a cost effective way, whilst conserving and protecting the natural environment”.

“A large chunk of the [shire’s] revenue comes from the Nepean Ward, yet very little funding comes back to us – we need to divert funds back to Nepean Ward and ensure best use of resources for all council projects.”

Ms Bissinger said the shire’s budget “through its overspends and lack of belt-tightening highlights just how out of touch they are with our community”.

She said that in her years as a project manager “I have never failed to deliver, and if elected, I won’t let you down”.

In a news release announcing Ms Bissinger’s election, Cr Race said she was looking forward “to working with her to support our local community”.

“I’d also like to point out we now have seven female councillors, one of the highest representations of women on a local council in the state,” Cr Race said.

The Committee for Mornington Peninsula is also looking forward “to working with Cr Bissinger in the priority areas she identified in her election campaign, including rebuilding businesses, upgrading infrastructure, improving public transport, encouraging tourism and improving town planning processes”, according to its executive officer, Briony Hutton.

The election of Ms Bissinger, who received 17.21 per cent of Nepean Ward’s 20,000 primary votes at the election, means that nine of the shire’s 11 councillors are first-timers.

Hugh Fraser’s surprise resignation in March left the shire with 10 councillors and some still unanswered questions (“Fraser bows out over ‘differences’ with CEO” The News 29/3/21).

Candidates who missed out on winning on their second chance in the wake of Mr Fraser’s departure were Mechelle Cheers, Simon Mulvany, Mark Davis and Gary Naughton.

For her part, Ms Bissinger, through her Nepean Voters Action Group website “All about Sorrento”, said websites with a similar format would have been started for all areas from Tootgarook to Portsea if she had been elected.

Now that she has a seat on council, Ms Bissinger will be able to make good on that promise.

She will also be able to voice the opposition expressed on her website to  the shire’s draft master plan for Sorrento foreshore.

“We think it seems to be an expensive, unattractive and inappropriate mismatch of styles and materials and doesn’t address function or respect the history of this particular area,” the Nepean Voters Action Group website states.

Among many other actions, it also wants storage racks for boats on Sorrento beaches with boat owners paying a fee to the shire.

“We need to upgrade and future proof our local areas including footpaths, bike lanes, roads, inclusive beach access, maintaining and improving foreshores and sporting venues,” the then candidate stated.

“It is vital that our small businesses receive immediate assistance to rebuild, initially focusing my energy on getting us out of the COVID metro zone mess.”

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 20 April 2201

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Advocates celebrate abuse law change

July 3, 2025

Railway station scam

July 1, 2025

Flinders result unaffected by poll blunder – AEC

July 1, 2025

Grand Hotel’s tower revamp signals new chapter for icon

June 26, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Peninsula Essence Magazine – Click to Read
Peninsula Kids Magazine – Click to Read
Letters to the Editor
Property of the Week

14 Bass Street, McCrae

June 3, 2025
Council Watch

Shire secures $3.9m to tackle road safety

June 16, 2025

Kinder flyer flag snub prompts councillors to take over

June 10, 2025
100 Years Ago This Week

Baxter – On The ‘Wallaby’ with a walking group

July 1, 2025
Interview

Firefighter shows skills from sea to snow

February 5, 2024
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.