Lisa Ruffell
Lisa Ruffell | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of the District Council of Robe | |
| Assumed office 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Alison Nunan |
| Councillor of the District Council of Robe | |
| Assumed office 2022 | |
| Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo | |
| In office 2012–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Alec Sandner |
| Succeeded by | Barry Lyons |
| Councillor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Whipstick Ward | |
| In office 2012–2016 | |
| Councillor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Epsom Ward | |
| In office 2008–2012 | |
| Preceded by | Trudi McClure |
| Succeeded by | Ward Abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Liberal[1] |
| Children | 3[2] |
Lisa Ruffell is an Australian politician who has served as mayor of the District Council of Robe since 2023 and as mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo from 2012 until 2013.[3][4] She has served as a councillor for the District Council of Robe since 2022 and was a councilor for the City of Greater Bendigo from 2008 until 2016.[5][3]
Political career
[edit]City of Greater Bendigo
[edit]In the 2002 Victorian state election, Ruffell contested the division Bendigo East but failed to defeat the incumbent Labor member Jacinta Allan.[6] Ruffell won 27.9% of the primary vote and 37.0% of the Two-party-preferred vote.
Ruffell was elected to the City of Greater Bendigo council in the 2008 election in the Epsom Ward, achieving 32.34% of the primary vote and 63.38% of the two candidate preferred vote, defeating incumbent councilor Trudi McClure, also a member of the Liberal Party.[7][8]
In the 2012 election, Bendigo switched to a multi-member ward system. Ruffell was elected to the Whipstick Ward with 30.02% of the primary vote.[9] In that election, incumbent mayor Alec Sandner lost his seat, leading to Rufell to be elected as mayor by the council.[10]
In 2013, while serving as mayor, Ruffell began a long running dispute between fellow councillors Elise Chapman and Helen Leach.[11] The dispute started in March of that year when the two councillors were alleged to have intervened to prevent a disabled woman from dancing at a disability event, which led to the complaint from the service provider, Amicus.[12] Chapman and Leach raised concerns about how Ruffell handled the council's response.[11] A review by a councillor conduct panel later concluded that Ruffell had denied the pair natural justice in the council's handling of the complaint, however the misconduct finding was later overturned.[13][14] Ruffell indicated that she would challenge the panel's ruling.[13] The dispute was solved through a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal mediation with Ruffell giving an apology from the council.[12] At a meeting of the council in August 2014, the pair accepted an apology from Ruffell, however, Chapman stated during the meeting that she found her treatment to be "appalling and unfathomable".[12]
Ruffell did not contest the 2016 election.[15]
District Council of Robe
[edit]Ruffel was elected as a councilor to the District Council of Robe in the 2022 election.[5] As Robe failed to receive any nominations for directly elected mayor, Ruffell was elected by the council as deputy mayor. A supplementary election for the position of mayor was held in 2023, with Ruffell winning the position uncontested.[4]
Personal life
[edit]In 2013, Ruffell stated that she has lived in Bendigo "for over thirty years", though she was not born in Bendigo. Ruffell has children and grandchildren who were born in Bendigo.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Liberal lashings of infighting at elections". www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Candidate Profiles" (PDF). Robe District Council. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Past Councillors | City of Greater Bendigo". www.bendigo.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ a b Voice, S. E. (1 February 2023). "New coastal mayor appointed | The SE Voice". Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ a b Voice, S. E. (13 December 2022). "Coastal council deputy chosen | The SE Voice". Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "Libs want candidates on the ground early". ABC News. 26 August 2003. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- ^ "2008 council election results". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ "Gibbins to head up Bendigo council". ABC News. 2 December 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "2012 council election results". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ "First-time mayor to lead Bendigo council". ABC News. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ a b "VCAT mediation settles Bendigo councillors' stoush". ABC News. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ a b c "Council CEO urged to apologise over handling of complaint against councillors". ABC News. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Bendigo councillors to consider new rules about handling media". ABC News. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "Four years that will shape Bendigo's future". ABC News. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ Hinchliffe, Joseph (21 March 2016). "Which councillors will run again in 2016?". www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ Grant, Jan, ed. (2013). The Local Heroes: City of Greater Bendigo. Vol. 3. Photography by Simmon Pang. Shepparton, Victoria: Local Heroes Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-9806160-2-6.