Maribyrnong councillor Sarah Carter has made history, being the first female elected as mayor for the third time in the history of Maribyrnong councillor, as well as the City of Footscray.
Elected unopposed during a special meeting on Tuesday, November 8, she said she was looking forward to serving the council for a third time.
“For all the joy that being appointed mayor brings me, it is a great responsibility to undertake and one that I do not take lightly,” Cr Carter said.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to my fellow councillors for putting their faith in me for the third time.
“It’s a great source of pride to me to be the first woman in the council’s history to achieve this feat.”
Since she was first elected to council in 2008, Cr Carter was elected as Maribyrnong mayor in 2011 and in 2020 and has been deputy mayor to outgoing mayor Anthony Tran during 2022.
She would be the second mayor in Maribyrnong’s history to serve a third term, following Cr Michael Clarke, who was elected as mayor in 2021.
Cr Carter said she was a passionate advocate for a proposed new performing arts and cultural hub for the western suburbs, as well as other cultural festivals.
“This mayoral term, I will be advocating for the construction of a performing arts space with a 500-seat plus capacity,” she said.
“Our municipality has been without a cultural facility of this type for far too long.
“I also aim to explore how we can reimagine and optimise our existing open spaces and acquire more for the community.”
Cr Carter said she would aim to drive initiatives which enhance the community’s wellbeing and provide for high-quality community infrastructure.
“Getting the basics right and to the highest standards is my motto,” she said.
The council also elected Cr Cuc Lam as deputy mayor.
