Torquay ward seat still empty as countback restarts

October 30, 2025 BY Ellie Claringbold

Only two potential candidates remain to fill the vacancy on the Surf Coast Shire council, the Greens' Phoebe Crockett and former councillor Martin Duke.

THERE will be an empty seat on the Surf Coast Shire council for at least another week, after provisionally elected candidate Eric Menogue failed to return the required paperwork.

Menogue, a member of the Surf Coast Back to Basics team, had 48 hours to provide the Victorian Electoral Commission with a written declaration confirming his eligibility to serve on the council, following Tuesday’s countback.

Eric Menogue’s failure to return a written declaration to the Victorian Electoral Commission has triggered a second countback to fill the empty seat on the Surf Coast Shire council.

A second countback has now been scheduled for Wednesday to fill the Torquay ward position that has been vacant since Rebecca Bourke’s resignation in September.

Two candidates, Greens member Phoebe Crockett and former Surf Coast Shire councillor Martin Duke, remain in contention for the spot.

At last year’s local government election, Crockett received 1,501 first preferences votes to Duke’s 848.