Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — Last night I attended the statutory meeting of the newly elected Hume City Council, with the election of the mayor, and I congratulate Drew Jessop on his election to the position of mayor and Ann Potter for her election as deputy mayor. I would also like to thank our outgoing councillors Chandra Bamunusinghe, Casey Nunn, Alan Bolton, Helen Patsikatheodorou, Adem Atmaca, Vic Dougall and Jack Ogilvie. Each of them has made an invaluable contribution to our community.

Likewise I congratulate all candidates who nominated for election for the passionate ideas that they shared throughout the campaign. Eight councillors have been elected to represent the constituents of the Yuroke electorate at a council level: Carly Moore, Drew Jessop, Joseph Haweil and Jodi Jackson in Aitken ward and Karen Sherry, Jana Taylor, Geoff Porter and Naim Kurt in Meadow Valley ward. I am also delighted that Ann Potter has been re-elected in Jacksons Creek ward, along with Leigh Johnson and Jack Medcraft.

Our new council includes three councillors under the age of 30, and 5 of the 11 are women. I know that our diverse council will work to improve services and infrastructure in our community. I wish them all the very best and look forward to working with them over the coming term.