Council
27 November, 2025
Lockett, Murrihy form Moyne leadership
MOYNE Shire Council has welcomed councillors Jordan Lockett and Myra Murrihy as the new mayor and deputy mayor leadership team, who will eye advocacy during a busy 2026 as the State Election looms.
Councillor Jordan Lockett was elected mayor for a one year period at this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council, replacing outgoing mayor councillor Karen Foster after she made the decision to not seek re-election to the top job.
Cr Lockett defeated councillor Jim Doukas with a majority vote with a raise of hands from himself in addition to councillors Myra Murrihy, Lisa Ryan and Karen Foster.
As a veteran presence on council for the past decade, Cr Lockett said stepping into the mayoral role was something he had wanted to do at the right time – which he feels was now.
“It is one of the biggest privileges others than getting married and having kids,” he said.
“It is a big responsibly but I am excited to lean into the role and give it the best I can.
“We have a lot of challenges such as the roads being a disgrace – while it is wonderful, personally, to become mayor, I am not taking light the challenges we’ve got ahead.”
In his first act as mayor, Cr Lockett set clapper sticks on the table and a paisley scarf to represent diversity and truth telling.
“It is to remind us about the differences we all have and that we all share,” he said.
“I’d like to put these here as a reminder to myself and all of us about truth telling – obviously, with our Indigenous history but also with the truth telling that we all wish to speak.”
Cr Lockett said there would be “a lot of work” for council in 2026 with a State Election looming.
“We have a lot to do in advocating, a lot of work to do as a council to the Federal and State Governments know that the state of our roads is not okay,” he said.
“Our farmers are still recovering from drought, and they are something we need to continue to advocate for.
“Wind farms, as we know, bring many challenges and they bring many opportunities – and this is something, at a federal and state level, we have a lot of advocacy work to do.
“We often say the social license has expired with wind farms – it’s curdled, in fact.”
Cr Murrihy was voted deputy mayor for a period of one year with votes from herself, Cr Lockett, Cr Foster and Cr Ryan – defeating Cr Jim Doukas.
Cr Murrihy said she felt prepared to tackle the year ahead.
“I’m excited because I am confident I have the time, the energy and the skills to do this,” she said.
“I think I’ve put in a lot of work over the last 12-months so, hopefully, I have instilled that confidence in my fellow councillors that I am up for the role.
“It is going to be a big year next year – there will need to be a lot of advocacy surrounding the state election.
“Hopefully we can get some election promises but I am looking forward to supporting Jordan and the other councillors.
“I think we are a great team.”
Despite having only served as a councillor for one year, Cr Murrihy said she was confident in what she could bring to the role and grateful for the show of trust from her fellow councillors.
“As our outgoing mayor Karen Foster said, this is a privilege,” she said.
“I am honoured they’ve seen that I am up for the challenge, so I’m feeling grateful.
“It’s not something everyone gets to do, so I’m grateful they see I am up for this and will give it my all.”
Cr Lockett said he had no doubt in what Cr Murrihy could bring to the role, calling her the right person for the job as she, along with other first-term councillors, had proven themselves more than capable.
“Our new councillors in their first term just hit the ground running,” he said.
“They’ve been big time and Myra is more than capable.
“She’s a gun, and the right person for the job.”
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