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Cr Clark elected as new President

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The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is pleased to announce that Cr David Clark, of Pyrenees Shire Council, has been elected President for the next two years.

Cr Clark has been a past deputy President of the MAV Board and served on the Board from 2013 to 2019.

He will join the 12 Regional MAV Board Members, who are as follows:

  • Interface: Cr Joseph Haweil (Hume City Council, new member)
  • Metro Central: Cr Rohan Leppert (City of Melbourne, unopposed/returned member)
  • Metro East:  Cr Tom Melican (Banyule City Council, new/former member)
  • Metro West: Cr Kathy Majdlik (City of Melton, new member)
  • Rural Gippsland:  Cr Brett Tessari (Bass Coast Shire Council, new member)
  • Metro South East:  Cr Jami Klisaris (City of Stonnington, returned member)
  • Metro South:  Cr Kristopher Bolam (Frankston City Council, new member)
  • Rural North Central:  Cr Jennifer Anderson (Macedon Ranges Shire Council, returned member)
  • Rural North East:  Cr Aaron Scales (Towong Shire Council, new member)
  • Rural North West: Cr Murray Emerson (Northern Grampians Shire Council, unopposed/returned member)
  • Rural South Central:  Cr Kylie Grzybek (City of Greater Geelong, new member)
  • Rural South West:  Cr Ruth Gstrein (Corangamite Shire Council, unopposed/returned member)

Cr Clark was honoured to be elected to the position of MAV President and said strong engagement with the local government sector and other levels of government would be a hallmark of his term of office.

“I am truly humbled to be elected to the role of President of MAV, coming as I do from one of the smallest Councils in Victoria,” Cr Clark said.

“In Councils like mine, the issues we share across the entire sector are always sharply in focus as they can often limit Council undertaking both its legislated responsibilities and its service role to its communities.

“A key part of my role will be to help Victorian’s understand the many ways in which they depend on Council services every day.

“With just 3% of the nation’s tax base to spend and half the nation’s community assets to care for, local government must continue to be more efficient in what it does as well as maintain its revenues through rating and through partnerships with State and Federal Government, in order to continue delivering for communities.”

The MAV President is a popularly elected position decided by the State’s 79 MAV Representatives.  Board Members are elected to represent 12 regional grouping of councils who are elected by MAV Representatives from within their region.

Cr Clark also acknowledged the efforts of interim President Cr Josh Gilligan, of Wyndham City Council, who was elected by the Board in November 2020, and the former President, Boroondara’s Cr Coral Ross, who retired at last year’s local government elections.

“Both Cr Gilligan and Cr Ross, as well as the interim Board members, are thanked for their service, stewardship and contribution to local government,” Cr Clark concluded.

The MAV is the peak representative and advocacy body for Victoria’s 79 councils. The MAV was formed in 1879, with the Municipal Association Act 1907 appointing the MAV the official voice of local government in Victoria.

For further information, contact the MAV Communications Unit on (03) 9667 5590.