No frills candidate Peter Morton pledges to be a vocal voice for the “quiet majority”

Describing himself as a “no frills, no fuss” character, Peter Morton says he isn’t running for local council for fame or recognition.

The Geraldton local of more than 50 years said he would be straight-up with ratepayers and call it how he sees it if elected to local government this month.

“I’m straight down the line,” he said.

“What I’m picking up from the council so far is you all have to work as a team.

“But I’m not going to go along with stuff I don’t agree with.”

The school bus driver said he wasn’t affiliated with any business, union or religious group.

“I am only here to represent all ratepayers and their loves ones,” he said. “I am a vocal, local voice for the quiet majority. Some go in it for the glamour and the glitz.”

Mr Morton said he decided to run for the council because he thought it needed regeneration.

“I shouldn’t bag people, but there’s people in there that have been there for a long time,” he said.

“People in Geraldton want something different. They’ve had enough of school teachers and business people and lawyers.”

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Mr Morton said he had experience in project management and the farming, building and fishing industries. He said driving a bus every day allows him to see which parts of Geraldton need new infrastructure.

Mr Morton said he would like to see rundown suburbs transformed into leafy areas.

“I’m big on trees,” he said. “Rangeway and Utakarra are the two suburbs everyone is going on about.

“If you’ve got trees there, that’s a start.”

In semi-retirement, he said he can give the council his fullattention. “I am not going to send you glossy flyers or knock on your doors and exhale promises to you,” he said.

“My phone number and email are always available and ready to give you a straightforward response and hear your opinion.”

Mr Morton encouraged Geraldton residents to have their say on October 16.

“Express your right and vote for a candidate of your choice,” he said.