An article in last week's Herald Sun February 18 edition suggesting Mayor Cr Steve Rabie's political aspirations lay beyond the "best little shire" has elicited a closed-lip response. Listed as a preselection hopeful to replace veteran Liberal Party MP Wendy Lovell as the Member for Northern Victoria Region, Cr Rabie will be up against some tough competition, with former federal candidate for Nicholls Steve Brooks and former MP Amanda Miller also raising their hands to contest the seat at the upcoming November election. Mansfield Shire Council when approached for comment stipulated they had no knowledge operationally of the claims published in the Herald Sun and had been unable to verify them, and would not be providing comment on the matter at this point. Cr Rabie also declined to comment, with the Liberal Party failing to respond to queries by the Mansfield Courier pertaining to the matter. “Preselection for the Liberal Party is a matter for Liberal Party members," Cr Rabie said. In Victoria, the rules for a mayor or councillor seeking a seat in state parliament are governed by the Local Government Act 2020 and the Constitution Act 1975. And while Cr Rabie is a prospective candidate he can technically stay in the mayor’s chair during preselection, there is also a strong "best practice" expectation to step back from public events or media appearances where his dual roles might be confused. Should he be formally nominated by the Liberal Party under standard Victorian Council policies the mayor must then take a leave of absence from his role. This leave usually begins on the day of nomination and lasts until the election is over, with the deputy mayor typically taking over all mayoral duties, becoming the acting mayor for that period. If Cr Rabie proves successful in the state election he will be required to resign from council, the vacancy filled with a countback from the previous local council election's votes.
