Sarah Hathway elected to City of Greater Geelong council

SARAH Hathway is the new councillor at the City of Greater Geelong after the Victorian Electoral Commission ran a countback earlier today (Wednesday, June 28).

Ms Hathway, a Socialist Alliance member and candidate for the party in Windemere Ward at the 2020 council election, has replaced Kylie Grzybek, who resigned from the council on June 2.

She was the most likely candidate to win the countback in Windermere Ward as she had the third-highest number of primary votes behind Cr Anthony Aitken and Ms Grzybek.

Ms Hathway has missed the chance to influence the City of Greater Geelong’s 2023-24 Budget, which the council adopted last night, but said in late May she would have opposed the proposed budget cuts and that “the policies I ran on in 2020 are still totally relevant”.

“At the time we said we would campaign for a council that provides services, opposes cuts and outsourcing and a council that would demand more support and funding from state and federal governments. And here we are, back to the future.

“I am so impressed with how the community has mobilised against the proposed library cuts and the loss of 19 jobs in the Community Life directorate.

“Windermere has many vulnerable people who are already struggling with cost-of-living increases and now to lose more jobs and services, it just seems so wrong.

“I will continue to support the community’s fightback because once we get things back on track, Geelong has a lot to look forward to, including hosting part of the Commonwealth Games.”

In a post on Twitter, Cr Aitken confirmed Ms Hathway’s election.

“I have spoken with Sarah and wished her well,” he wrote.

“Being an elected representative is a privilege. I look forward to working with Sarah to represent the best community in Geelong.”