Labor veterans seek council seat

Alderman van Zetten is the fourth candidate to say they will run for mayor for the state's largest council, and follows aldermen Hugh McKenzie and Ted Sands, and IT businessman Darren Alexander.

Alderman van Zetten told The Examiner today, there were a number of projects and issues he'd started or had an interest in, and wanted to see them completed.

These include the Northbank redevelopment and at least a more definite plan for the Eastern bypass.

TWO Labor veterans have made the run for Northern Midlands Council just that little bit more interesting.

Both former federal parliamentarian Dick Adams and former state minister and speaker Michael Polley confirmed yesterday that they would be running for the council at the upcoming local government elections.

Combined, the men have 65 years of state and federal political experience.

Mr Adams, who served in state parliament for three years before later going onto serve 20 years as the federal member for Lyons, confirmed he was running for mayor yesterday.

Mr Polley was the state’s longest serving MP, racking up almost 42 years until his retirement in March and has thrown his hat in the ring for councillor - a day after his wife Kim Polley, who has been mayor for 14 years, announced she would not be renominating.

After a year-long break, Mr Adams told The Examiner yesterday that he was ready to re-enter public life and use his political knowledge and skills for the good of the Northern Midlands.

‘‘I am experienced enough to do some pushing and shoving; to get things done in the Northern Midlands,’’ he said.

‘‘The Northern Midlands Council needs to be an entrepreneur for business, so that business will choose the northern midlands as a location and for industry to expand.’’

He said the irrigation schemes, industrial hub and agriculture sector there was growth great potential.

Just as his wife Cr Polley’s announcement probably came as a bit of a shock to people, Mr Polley has probably surprised a few with his intentions.

Mr Polley said yesterday he had been retired since March and as he was only in his early 60s, he had become more involved in his local community and was now keen to use his extensive political experience to keep busy on council.

‘‘I think it’s really important to have good representation on a council - I think there should be greater resource sharing and I don’t support amalgamations,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t want to see rural areas thrown together - amalgamations should only be a thing of last resort.’’

Mr Polley said he would seek to get the maximum benefits for the Northern Midlands from both federal and state levels of government.