Mayor backflips on job

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams has backflipped on her commitment to step down as mayor, claiming the City’s uncertain future surrounding local government reform needed experienced leadership.

During the State election campaign, when she unsuccessfully ran as an independent for the seat of Kwinana, Cr Adams said she would stand down as mayor in October.

She made the election commitment to stand down midway through her campaign in February after she claimed voters had told her they would not vote for her at the ballot box because they did not want to lose her as mayor.

Almost five months on from her election defeat, Cr Adams said her decision to nominate at the upcoming local government election was swayed by the prospect of Kwinana being amalgamated with the City of Cockburn.

“The announcement of a pending amalgamation and any fight that the council and community may have with the government to stop the merger, coupled with the need to secure a new chief executive and ensure the Kwinana community is not compromised has made me rethink my previous decision,” she said.

“I believe I owe it to the community to see the process through — if we are to merge, it is going to be a very busy and challenging 18 months.

“Likewise, if we are to stand and fight against a merger, we are going to have to rally together under strong leadership.”

Cr Adams, who was first elected to council in 1997 and mayor for the past eight years, said it was almost certain Kwinana would not remain as its own local government.

“Although, even at this late stage it is still speculation, we do believe that the map will include Kwinana and Cockburn merging, and whilst out of all of our neighbours Cockburn is our preferred partner, the loss of our independence will be a major blow for our community,” she said.

“In all honesty, this is the time when we need experienced leadership.

“There is no way I could not now nominate myself to provide that leadership especially as Kwinana has a real fight for its very existence on its hands now.”

Carol Adams on being mayor

February 21

"I keep getting told, time and time again, that people were not actively going to vote for me at the State election because I had done too good a job as mayor. It’s extremely humbling but it’s time people realised that I would be finishing in any event in October."

March 11

"If I am not the Member for Kwinana but the mayor of Kwinana and there is a local government election in October, then it is my intention to stand down as mayor."

March 24

"Given the local government reform agenda and the Liberal landslide win a fortnight ago, it is conceivable that the State Government may extend the current terms of councillors to facilitate amalgamations. If this is the case for Kwinana, obviously I would continue as mayor until the current term ends, whenever that might be."

July 29

"Kwinana is now facing challenging times ahead. In light of this I have decided to run for council again. I believe I owe it to the community to see the process through. If we are to stand and fight against a merger, we are going to have to rally together under strong leadership."