By Raquel Mustillo
NEWLY-MINTED Liberal candidate for Mount Gambier Ben Hood will seek a six month leave of absence from Mount Gambier City to contest the 2022 State Election.
Mr Hood will also not accept his $1347 monthly allowance from council for the duration of the leave of absence.
The first-term councillor – who also chairs the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre committee – will resign from the position until further notice.
Mr Hood said he will seek a leave of absence at City Council’s September meeting to focus on campaigning ahead of the March 2022 poll.
“I’ve loved my role on council, I love advocating for this city and I am very proud of what the council has achieved for the last three years,” he said.
“I’ve taken that role very seriously and taken time to invest and to be present at meetings.
“I won’t be accepting my monthly allowance… if I am taking a leave of absence, I’m not doing the work.
“I think it’s the right decision to make going forward and that would make a clear six months of getting out in the community and talking to senior citizens, industry leaders and residents to get a really solid view of what our electorate needs.”
Despite being a long-time member of the Liberal Party and serving as one of four vice-presidents, Mr Hood said all decisions he made during his two-year tenure in council had been independent of the party.
“I am a member of the Liberal Party, but I am first and foremost a member of the Mount Gambier community, which is a community I love and that I will always advocate for,” Mr Hood said.
“The decisions I have always made have been in the best interests of Mount Gambier.”
