Charlotte Varcoe
THE Virgo brothers have taken over local government positions in the Lower Limestone Coast with Jason Virgo securing the vacant position on Mount Gambier City Council.
The position was made vacant recently after previous elected member Ben Hood was selected as a Legislative Council Member.
The Electoral Commission of South Australia then contacted all previous council candidates, questioning whether they would like to be reconsidered for the position.
Five candidates including Mr Virgo, Ian Von Stanke, Alysha Herrmann, Bruce Morale and Scott Turner agreed to put their hand up for the position.
First preference votes were distributed to the candidates and ballot papers with no preferences expressed for an eligible candidate were recorded as exhausted.
Mr Virgo obtained 3,051 votes with 2,023 being first preference.
Mr Von Stanke came in second with 1.859, Ms Herrmann received 1,751, Mr Morale received 1,282 and Mr Turner received 408.
A further 543 votes were classed as exhausted.
Mr Virgo told The Border Watch he was happy to have been elected and was hoping to get out in the community and follow the footsteps of his brother, Rodney Virgo, who was elected as the Port MacDonnell representative on Grant District Council last year.
Mr Virgo said one issue he would keep at the forefront of City Council’s mind was the issue regarding radiation therapy in the Limestone Coast and funding for the Mount Gambier and District Hospital.
“I will make sure I am a supportive advocate for that and when I ran for Council originally it was a main issue I was aware of,” Mr Virgo said.
“I will also ensure that I will attend as many council meetings as I can to make sure I represent the community and be a voice for the people who voted for me.”
He said having the votes recounted was a good alternative to a by-election and spending taxpayer money.
Mr Virgo said he was looking forward to working alongside his brother who sits on the Grant District Council and said it would be good moving forward.
“Rodney and I were both brought up in the Grant District so I think that gives me a unique perspective as someone on City Council,” he said.
“I will represent City Council as a first priority but by growing up in the Grant District I have an understanding with how the two councils sit with each other in the region because when the Grant District succeeds, City Council succeeds.”
Grant District elected member Mr Virgo said he was happy to have his brother on City Council.
“Jason was the one who encouraged me to run for Grant District so it is great we can now work together,” Mr Virgo said.
“We have always talked politics for decades and this will help us both do our jobs for our region.”
He said after securing the Port MacDonnell seat last year, he had experienced the benefits of the two councils working closely together.
“The two councils have worked together really well such as with the tri-party funding for the South East Animal Welfare League and the Mount Gambier Airport,” Mr Virgo siad.
“The Mount Gambier City Council has shown it is willing to help and it wants to work with the Grant District Council.
“It is interesting because someone can live on one side of the road and another person can sit on the other side and we use each other’s facilities as a community so it is always better if we work together.”
Since being elected, Mr Virgo said he was enjoying his time on Grant District Council and was looking forward to future works.
