FOLLOWING a second countback of October 2020’s Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) election to find a replacement for councillor Greg McAdam, Coleraine’s Fran Malone has accepted the offer from the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Cr McAdam resigned last month due to poor health, then earlier this week, a countback was held by the VEC in which Nick Brown was elected, but declined due to living and working in Brisbane.
This triggered a second round of sorting through voting preferences on Wednesday morning, after which Ms Malone was next in line.
On being informed of the result at about 11am Wednesday, Ms Malone said, “I’m still a bit shocked” and would have to use the 48-hour window she had to think it over.
However, by the next morning she had decided to accept.
Ms Malone said she originally didn’t consider she was a chance given the first preference results ahead of her, and “never thought anything of it” until the VEC rang and she realised, “this is serious” and had to talk it over with her husband and friends.
“I spoke about the hours that might have to take me away,” she said.
“I also spoke about the committees that I’m currently on – do I still have the time to stay with them? And if it comes up in Council, I just declare my conflict of interest and walk away from the discussions.”
Ms Malone is well known in Coleraine – as secretary with the Coleraine District Association, also Bendigo Bank minutes secretary and board director, and Old Shire Hall secretary.
“It’s a great opportunity to thicken the skin,” she said, aware of the greater public scrutiny.
“I think it’s a huge learning curve for me and I’d love to know how Council works.”
Ms Malone said she loved living in a community such as Coleraine – even though with her running for Council “they all thought I was mad” – and pointed to even just last weekend where the town rallied to search overnight for a missing local woman who was found safe and well in a neighbour’s house in the morning.
“There were people in their private cars, they were on bikes, they were looking out on their own properties … looking down (in) the back sheds … just to make sure that they didn’t miss anything,” she said.
“We do come together, we definitely do come together.”
She and her husband moved to the area from a Queensland mining and railway town several years ago, choosing Coleraine to be much closer – although still three hours away – to their “beautiful daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren”.
“(With) a three-hour trip, you get bigger cuddles when you don’t see them,” she reasoned.
Ms Malone said she wanted to ensure those outside Hamilton had representation but stressed, “I’m not all about Coleraine” and “I’m also for Balmoral and Penshurst”.
“I’m very much for small communities,” she said.
SGSC mayor, David Robertson, said he was thrilled to hear of her acceptance.
“On behalf of Council, I welcome Fran to the team and I’m looking forward to working with her to represent the local community,” he said.
“Fran is a passionate community member, and we are excited to have her on board to share her knowledge, expertise and passion with us.” Ms Malone will be sworn in on Wednesday at Council offices by SGSC chief executive, Tony Doyle, and will be councillor until the next election in October 2024.
