Speculation Flies As Peacock Linked To Mayoral Race
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 28, 2008
SHE'S a Melbourne girl, for sure. A leader? Well, politics runs in the family. Scrubs up nice, especially at the races and society events. And communication is a cinch - she does it for a living. Could Ann Peacock be the next lord mayor of Melbourne?
At least one person or organisation thinks so. Ms Peacock confirmed to The Sunday Age that she has been "approached specifically" to run for lord mayor in the City of Melbourne elections in November.But Ms Peacock, Crown Casino public relations manager and wife of Liberal Party figure Michael Kroger, declines to say who asked her or to confirm her candidacy. "There's no point in talking about something that may not happen," she says, before offering her support to current Mayor John So if he decided to stand for a third term.Speculating on the next lord mayor is a favourite pastime for the city's newspaper columnists and political cognoscenti. But there are more mysterious forces taking the race very seriously and doing something about it.Andrew Heslop, 38, the founder of Neighbour Day and an impressive do-gooder type, admitted he was taken to lunch recently at The European, a restaurant across the road from Parliament House favoured by deal-makers, politicians and party staffers.The former Melbourne resident told The Sunday Age that, at this lunch, "a group of corporates in Melbourne - IT and transport people" asked him to run for lord mayor. As a bonus they offered to pay for the campaign (it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund a tilt at wearing theS mayoral robes).Citing "a gentlemen's agreement", Mr Heslop remained tight-lipped about this mystery group. While flattered, he refused because he is now a Sydneysider and busy with things including his job as media advisor to NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt.Meanwhile, in other mayoral race news, Jeff Kennett has decided not to run, while Ron Walker said he thought Jeff's wife Felicity would be good - but the Fairfax chairman and former lord mayor himself declined to run.And Robert Doyle, former Liberal opposition leader, said he was thinking about it.Other suggestions for lord mayor have included Eddie McGuire, Kevin Sheedy, the Committee for Melbourne's Sally Capp, Police Commissioner Christine Nixon and even Todd Woodbridge.But many of the names put forward in fevered speculation have a common practical problem: they need to live or own a business within the city's boundaries to qualify. (The Sunday Age understands this is not an issue for Ann Peacock, however, because her business, Madison Communications, is registered in the city.)The usual suspects are thinking about it too: Cr Peter Clarke, for one, and pollster Gary Morgan. Mr Morgan ran last election and this time appears to be inspired equally by his anger about rising rates and holes in city footpaths.The two confirmed candidates so far are Will Fowles, who is a Labor Party member but not formally endorsed, and Adam Bandt from the Greens.Many potential candidates are waiting to see what John So will do. The Mayor has yet to indicate his intentions but faces a tougher task this election: many resident groups believe the council has become dysfunctional under his leadership.A dark horse in the race could be Cr Catherine Ng, who will be well placed if Cr So bows out and endorses her. Cr Ng said she was 40% likely to run for mayor. Recently, she said, a constituent nicknamed her "the city mother". "The question of running for mayor has sometimes crossed my mind," she says.The voting roll for the City of Melbourne elections closes on Friday. Nominations close on October 28.
© 2008 The Sunday Age