Brisbane Mayor voted fifth best in the world

By Lilia Guan
 
Mayor Newman rounded off the top five in the 2010 World Mayor prize for his “can do” attitude, this week.
 
On the World Mayor website, tCr Newman was described, by a supporter, as having “a great vision and determination and has tackled the issues of a growing city with vigour when so many before him have put it all in the too-hard basket. He is a person with great intellect and a can-do attitude. Brisbane people have grown to respect and admire this Mayor who puts all of his energy and enthusiasm into the job.
 
Mayor Newman was beaten for the top spots by Marcelo Ebrard, Head of the Federal District Government of Mexico City – who took the top honours; Mick Cornett, Mayor of Oklahoma City, US; Domenico Lucano, Mayor of Riace, southern Italy; Dianne Watts, Mayor of Surrey, British Columbia.
 
A media spokesperson from Brisbane City Council told Government News, the Mayor wasn’t commenting on the recognition.
 
He stated the Council had “nothing to do with the award” and first heard about it when the office was “contacted by a media outlet” on the seventh of December.
 
CrNewman was a signatory on the World Mayor's Code of Ethics and the organisation has stated on its site that “mayors wishing be considered for the World Mayor Prize are expected to sign up to the Code of Ethics”.
 
This isn’t the first time an Australian mayor has entered the top five for best mayor in the world.
 
Melbourne City Lord Mayor, John So took out top honours for the award in 2006.
 
World Mayor was a bi-annual project organised by the City Mayors Foundation (both established in 2003), to “raise the profile of mayors worldwide, as well as honour those who have served their communities well and who have contributed to the well-being of cities, nationally and internationally”.
 
The City Mayors Foundation declares on its site that it has “no connection with any city or organisation and is run on strictly non-commercial lines”.
 
The organisation doesn’t seek sponsorship, advertising, subscriptions, donations and any “kind of revenue will be rejected, if offered”.
Votes for the best mayor were canvassed over an 18-month period, starting last year.
 
For this year's competition a worldwide audience was invited to submit nominations of “mayors deemed worthy of being counted among the most outstanding city leaders in the world”.
 
About “118,000 voters nominated a total of 840 mayors” in 2010.

 

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