Anti-Speed Humper Takes South Ward
TENACIOUS South Fremantle businesswoman Marija Vujcic has scored a seat on council after vowing to put a sledgehammer to speed humps on South Terrace.
Ms Vujcic attracted 937 votes in local elections today, beating former councillor Jon Strachan, 849 votes.
This is a personal victory for Ms Vujcic whose campaign was derided on social media by elected members and former South Ward candidates including Greens Liam Carter who after questioning Ms Vujcic’s cognitive abilities on Facebook wished her good luck, “you’ll need it”.
“I feel great,” Ms Vujcic said when contacted by StreetWise after the vote count. “It hasn’t sunk in, I can’t believe it, I’m exhausted.”
After Ms Vujcic’s votes reached 900, she said her opponent shook her hand and conceded, “I can’t win”. South Ward councillor Andrew Sullivan also congratulated the independent, whose opposition to speed humps on South Terrace this week drew the ire of former Premier Peter Dowding.
Mr Dowding wrote to Ms Vujcic on Tuesday promising with his, ‘great number of friends in South Fremantle to boycott her anti-hump campaign, “if she was elected to council”.
Ms Vujcic thanked Mr Dowding for his feedback: “I am for the calming of South Terrace and will work to that end. I am opposed to the present dangerous speed bumps as the preferred method of calming the street. It has proved a problem for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.”
In City Ward, sitting councillor Rachel Pemberton, 680 votes, beat Fremantle Society president John Dowson by 92 votes, with High Street businesswoman Julie Morgan receiving 357 votes.
In East Ward, White Gum Valley resident Su Groome, with 801 votes, beat Michelle Cunningham, 383 votes.
In Hilton, Frank Mofflin, with 571 votes beat Lynn MacLaren, 372 votes, and Tony Miosic, 326 votes.
Beaconsfield resident Geoff Graham, with 531 votes, took the Ward seat, unsuccessful candidates Gemma Hohnen and Christopher Jenkins having pulled in 499 and 351, respectively.
In North Ward, sitting councillor Bryn Jones, with 826 votes, beat Steve Cook, 507 votes.
In Melville, former federal Labor MP George Gear, with 11,005 votes, unseated Russell Aubrey, 7549 votes.
Congratulations to all candidates and returning councillors.
