Former shire president among candidates for Exmouth extraordinary election in July

The former Exmouth Shire president, who guided the local government in the wake of a corruption scandal, is one of three candidates to have thrown their hat in the ring for the upcoming extraordinary election. The election was called when councillor Anne McCarrol resigned from her position in April, with councillors that month passing a motion to hold a postal election in July. Former president Matt Niikkula will face off against Kai Broedner and Zayden Boogaard for the vacant seat. Mr Niikkula previously held the position of Shire president for four years, taking over the role in the wake of a Corruption and Crime Commission investigation into the then-chief executive Bill Price’s signing of a $1m contract for the Ningaloo Centre. He did not contest his seat in the 2021 local government election. In Mr Niikkula’s ballot biography, he said he would once again like the opportunity to contribute to the community by becoming a councillor. “I have completed a diploma in Local Government and have four years experience as Exmouth’s shire president, which I feel would make me a beneficial addition to the current council,” he said. Meanwhile, in his ballot biography, Mr Boogaard said he moved to town after falling in love with Exmouth. “Many years ago, I sold everything I had to live in a tent at Lighthouse Caravan Park. Like many, I’d fallen in love with Exmouth and was determined to belong here,” he said. Mr Boogaard said financial or personal gain was secondary to the well-being of the region’s fragile coastlines and preserving these assets for generations to come. The third candidate Mr Broedner used his ballot biography to outline his vision for Exmouth, hoping to create a town that supports a thriving ecosystem and future opportunities for all. “Currently, our town has a reliance on the tourism industry to keep our town going. However, for our community and businesses to survive, we need to start investigating new opportunities to help take the pressure off our reef and diversify the local economy,” he said. “I stand for affordable housing, investments in upgrading towns utilities, sustainability, usage and development of renewable energy, access to Medical Services and Health Care.” The election will be held on July 22.