FRANKSTON mayor Nathan Conroy has begun a period of unpaid leave from Frankston Council to contest the Dunkley by-election.
Conroy’s preselection for the Liberals was announced on Sunday 14 January. The following Tuesday he began a period of unpaid leave from council to campaign.
The by-election will be held on 2 March. While Conroy is on leave, deputy mayor Liam Hughes will fill in as mayor.
Hughes became one of the youngest councillors to ever be elected in Victoria after winning a spot on council in 2020 aged just 18. His father, Steven Hughes, was also elected to Frankston Council at the same time. Steven Hughes resigned from council late last year.
Liam Hughes is currently overseas and is not expected back until next month, The Times understands. Frankston Council has confirmed that while Hughes has been promoted to the mayoral role for the campaign period, the CEO will oversee council’s Australia Day ceremony and a temporary chair will run its 29 January public meeting.
Frankston Council acting CEO Kim Jaensch said “at the citizenship ceremony and citizen of the year awards, the CEO will perform presiding officer duties and councillors are invited to present citizenship certificates and citizen of the year awards. At the council meeting, the CEO will open the meeting and call for a temporary chair as the mayor and deputy mayor are unable to attend. The temporary chair will then take the role of chair for this meeting.”
Jaensch also said that Conroy would not have access to council resources during the campaign. “Mayor Conroy ceased his allowance from council on Sunday 14 January, and his leave took effect from 5pm Tuesday, 16 January, following the conclusion of council’s governance and transition processes. Mr Conroy will not be using council resources during the by-election campaign period,” she said.
Conroy’s leave is for the entirety of the by-election campaign. If he is elected, he will resign from council and a countback will be held to fill his spot on council. Once a councillor is appointed, a new mayoral election will be held.