Warrnambool Ratepayers Association is targeting all seven city councillors in a campaign to see a clean sweep of new faces after October's elections.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Association president Brian Kelson has put up corflutes featuring the faces of the seven councillors calling for people to "vote them out", "don't re-elect them" and "time for a new council".
Mr Kelson, who unsuccessfully contested the last council election, said it was too far out to make up his mind if he would nominate this time around.
"I have had a lot of people contact me," he said.
The ratepayers association, which was formed after the election four years ago, is taking its campaign to Mr Kelson's front yard.
"My message is what the people have told me, that we need to get rid of every one of them," he said.
"The signs indicate that.
"From what the people are telling us, we need to start off afresh and this is the way we're doing it."
Mr Kelson labelled the current group of councillors as "the worst council in living memory".
"You just don't need to make up anything. Wait another day and they'll give you something horrific to go on with," he said.
However, Mr Kelson said he believed there were some good candidates in the running for the upcoming election.
Association vice-president Ben Blain, who has signalled his intention to run for council, said they were not his signs and not part of his campaign.
"They're the ratepayers association signs. We've taken on the feedback from the residents and the ratepayers association believes the ratepayers of Warrnambool want a new council," Mr Blain said.
He said his own signs were going up around town which say: "Vote 1 Ben Blain candidate for the ratepayers."
Mr Kelson said he believed the signs complied with regulations. The deadline for people to enrol to vote is 4pm Friday, August 28 but the Victorian Electoral Commission recommends it be done online because with delays in postage it was unlikely to reach them in time.
An electoral office will be opened in each municipality on September 16 where candidates will be able nominate between September 17-22. The October 24 election is by postal vote.
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.