UPDATE: Colleen Gates was elected unopposed as Hobsons Bay mayor on Friday night, earning praise from former premier Joan Kirner for making history as the municipality’s third consecutive female mayor.
An environmental engineer who bought her first home in Laverton 14 years ago, the Wetlands ward councillor replaces Cherry Lake ward councillor Sandra Wilson at the helm.
Cr Gates said the timing of her election couldn’t be more symbolic.
“Yesterday recognised 100 years of women in local government and today I have been elected as the third consecutive female mayor of Hobsons Bay.
“I first learned to think big but start small when I had the privilege of hearing the honourable Joan Kirner, AC, as the premier of Victoria, address my high school assembly.
“More than a decade later, Joan became a bigger part of my life through her support for Laverton as the patron for the community association and a role model to me.”
Cr Gates said everybody had value to contribute; leadership was not necessarily from the loudest in the pack; confidence came from within and being independent could make you strong.
Ms Kirner said she was always looking around for women of talent and was very impressed with Colleen.
“I said to her, you should really go into politics, you are so good. She’s good intellectually. She is also strong in her values and is fantastic at reaching out to people.”
Strand ward’s Cr Paul Morgan was elected unopposed as deputy mayor. Crs Gates and Morgan were elected to the council in 2012.
