Chloe Foster says she is “incredibly humbled” after being elected mayor of Waratah-Wynyard on her first attempt at local government.
The Boat Harbour Beach businesswoman beat four other candidates and was declared the winner by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission on Thursday.
She finished with 5,638 votes after preferences, ahead of Michael Johnstone on 3,630.
“To receive more than 43% of the primary vote just shows me the faith and trust that Waratah-Wynyard have put in me,” Foster told Pulse.
“Now I just want to repay them by getting to work and earning that.”
Foster said bringing people together would be her first priority.
“That’s what leadership is all about,” she said.
She also wants more opportunities for young people, a strong local economy and “a council that really listens to its residents”.
The mayoralty became vacant after former mayor Mary Duniam stepped aside ahead of the election.
Duniam and fellow former mayor Robby Walsh both endorsed Foster during the campaign.
Foster said her campaign had succeeded because she stayed positive and spent time listening to residents.
“It’s not about me. It’s about what the community want to see for the future of Waratah-Wynyard,” she said.
Foster’s win comes as Giovanna Simpson looks set to become mayor of Burnie, while Alison Jarman has returned to the Devonport mayoralty and Cheryl Fuller to the Central Coast mayoralty.
“It looks like we’re gonna have a bit of a girl gang,” Foster said.
In Hobart, by contrast, the new council could have just one female councillor.
Foster said the north-west results were about merit rather than gender.
“To me it really comes down to the quality of the individual as opposed to the gender,” she said.
“We’ve got some really intelligent and forward-thinking, positive-minded female leaders up this way that put their hands up and the result speaks for itself.”
Foster said she would celebrate with family and friends on Thursday night “somewhere nice within the municipality”.
