Newly elected Fremantle mayor and councillors sworn in

A new chapter for the City of Fremantle was marked on Monday night when a newly elected mayor and six councillors were sworn in at a special council meeting.

The local government election held on the weekend resulted in Hannah Fitzhardinge becoming the second female mayor in Fremantle Council’s history.

Two new faces for Fremantle Council, Fedele J Camarda in Beaconsfield Ward and Ben Lawver in Hilton Ward, were elected to four-year terms.

Councillors Adin Lang in City Ward, Doug Thompson in North Ward, Andrew Sullivan in South Ward and Jenny Archibald (unopposed) were also re-elected for another four years.

In addition to the swearing in of the mayor and councillors at Monday's meeting, Cr Frank Mofflin was elected as Deputy Mayor.

Mayor Fitzhardinge, a councillor since 2016, said the election sent a clear message about positivity and highlighted her vision for Fremantle as a place of inclusion, optimism and creativity.

“There really is no other place like Fremantle, a community-focused, creative and much-loved port city to its residents on one hand, while also being a vibrant regional centre that’s a magnet for visitors all over,” she said.

“We have so many opportunities to embrace the uniqueness of Fremantle and strengthen its place as Perth’s second city.

Mayor Fitzhardinge said she was looking forward to leading a council that would continue to advocate for Fremantle’s interests and flagged that she intended to be a very inclusive mayor.

“The culture I want to create is one of collaboration, both within council and our community,” she said.

“Of course, the first step towards collaboration is listening and understanding, so I plan to be your coffee shop mayor, someone you can see around town and have a chat to about all-things Freo.

“Freo has an exciting and fantastic future ahead, and we have the opportunity to shape that future for generations to come. I look forward to working with you all.”