Trading places
Newly elected city councillor Kyran O’Donnell says he will not back a bid for extended trading hours in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Cr O’Donnell polled the most votes of any candidate in Saturday’s local government elections with 2892 to upstage five incumbents – four of whom were re-elected while Anne Petz lost the seat she has held since 2005.
Allan Pendal, Deborah Botica, Laurie Ayers and Amanda Cruse were all re-elected.
Cr O’Donnell was sworn in yesterday at the Kalgoorlie Town Hall alongside Gary Brown as the new faces on the council. Suzie Williams rejoins the council table after a six-year absence.
Extended trading will remain a hot topic, with Cr Cruse basing her campaign on a platform of proposed changes for retailers to stay open until 9pm during the week.
“I have no qualms about an extra hour after work during the week, but we don’t have the population to support seven-day trading,” Cr O’Donnell said. “Although I can see where she is coming from there is no way in the wide world I would support that.”
Cr Cruse has collected close to 1000 signatures in favour of extended trading with the petition set to be tabled at council before Christmas.
“I made it my point of difference for the campaign and my goal is to represent what the community wants,” Cr Cruse said.
