Former councillor wins Warrnambool council vote countback to replace Hulin

Cr Sycopoulis was one of 16 candidates in the running to replace Mr Hulin after two candidates from the 2016 election - Jennifer Lowe and Ben Pohlner - were declared ineligible.

The computerised countback took less than two minutes, with the winner's name flashing up on the screen.

Mr Hulin's 3278 votes from the last election were redistributed with 702 first preferences flowing to Cr Sycopoulis. After preferences his share of the votes increased to 1277.

Under the complicated system, preference votes that were allocated to Mr Hulin at the last election were redistributed to other candidates at the value he received them.

Christine Thompson was the next closest candidate, received 634 votes ahead of Brian Kelson on 602.

Mr Kelson, who secured 1046 first preference votes at the 2016 election, lost his seat on the council after polling just 12 votes shy of elected councillor Robert Anderson. Those votes were not taken into account in the countback.

Mr Hulin had directed his first preference votes to Mrs Thompson at the last election, but voters chose to ignore the how-to-vote card and sent them Mr Sycopoulis' way.

Cr Sycopoulis was not at the vote countback, but was able to leave work to come to the council chambers to sign the paperwork after he was notified of his success.

"I was a little bit shocked, though I don't deny that I had made my math calculations and expected that there may have been a surprise for me," he said.

"I've been following local council for some time and I know how the system works."

Cr Sycopoulis said his close working relationship with Mr Hulin, and similar ideals, meant that he was going to be a frontrunner in the countback.

He said he was disappointed for Mr Hulin when he announced his resignation.

"I was a bit disappointed that Peter did retire, but I can understand with health concerns. Enough's enough in the end," he said.

"He has been so committed and dedicated to the community and it's just been unfortunate in the manner in which that has played out over the years.

"I guess that's where personalities come into it and personalities definitely should not come into local council or any government for that matter.

"At the end of the day it's like anything else, you need four votes to make a difference."

Cr Sycopoulis said he would do as he always had done and work openly, honestly and with accountability.

"I certainly don't take it lightly that my role has always been and always will be to represent the community, not the establishment," he said.

"That's where I think a lot of people get a little bit skewed is they represent the establishment rather than the community.

"It comes back to numbers, and if you don't get the numbers nothing will ever move. It will always stalemate."

Cr Sycopoulis said it was an understatement to say he was "quite disappointed" to miss out on a seat at council at the last election.

He had failed to win at his first tilt at local government in the 2008 election, but served a four-year term from 2012 to 2016 before losing at the last election.

"I felt I did a very good job of council. I also felt we got a fairly bad rap during my term," he said.

He said that's why he, and others, has always advocated for live streaming of council meetings "because if the community saw what went on you wouldn't have the council that you have now".

Cr Sycopoulis said that while he didn't want to drag up old issues such as McGennan car park views, the diving boards at the pool and car parking in the city, they were still things that needed to be addressed.

In his acceptance speech, he thanked Mr Hulin for his years of dedication and commitment to honesty, integrity and accountability.

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