Mandurah Mayor Williams will step down in December, but the city cannot confirm a replacement

Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams will step down in December after being announced as the Labor candidate for the seat of Mandurah last Tuesday.

The possible move from local to state government came after David Templeman announced last month he would step down as Mandurah MP after 24 years in the role.

“The December council meeting will be my last council meeting,” Williams told reporters during Tuesday’s announcement.

“It is a job that requires a full-time commitment and a full-time focus and I understand that it is also a full-time commitment to be able to pursue my case and the case of WA Labor here in Mandurah for re-election.

“That makes an appropriate transition possible and I can then focus full-time on the candidacy.”

Mr Williams and the City of Mandurah are yet to confirm the process of installing a new mayor. The next mayoral elections in Mandurah are not scheduled until later in 2025.

Cr Caroline Knight was elected deputy mayor, but it was not confirmed whether she would serve in the role until the next election.

Mr Williams was Mandurah’s youngest councilor when he was elected to the coastal district seat in 2009.

In 2013, the young man took his first chance as mayor and lost to Marina Vergone by just two votes.

Had he been elected, he would have broken another record as WA’s youngest mayor at the age of 25.

In a second attempt for the position in 2017, he dismissed Ms Vergone as mayor of Mandurah.

Prime Minister Roger Cook posed for a photo with Williams last week and said he is “getting Mandurah”.

“He knows the opportunities this city has and will be a strong voice for his community in our WA Labor team,” Cook said.

“He grew up in Mandurah and went to school locally.

“He was mayor for seven years and helped transform Mandurah into the modern and vibrant city it has become today.

“David Templeman leaves big shoes to fill Mandurah and Rhys Williams will be the champion this community needs going forward.”

Mr Cook also took the opportunity to attend the Liberal Party’s “train wreck” pre-selection in Mandurah.

A week earlier, James Hall was sidelined as Mandurah’s Liberal candidate over a series of historic anti-immigration posts on social media.

This prompted WA Labor to launch an attack ad asking: “Why won’t Libby Mettam oppose this”, telling members in an email obtained by The West Australian that Mr Hall had been out must be put in place before he resigns.

“It is yet another disappointing example of how Liberals have learned nothing from Libby,” the email said.