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By Bill Kyriakopoulos

6th December 2005 11:24:01 AM

Fellow councillors ... Father and daughter duo Frank Merlino and Elizabeth Nealy say they won’t necessarily agree on council matters.

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ELIZABETH Nealy spent a lot of time in council chambers as a child.

But last week the 25-year-old was sitting in a councillor’s chair, making the decisions she watched her father make over the years.

Her father, Frank Merlino was sitting four seats down.

One of Whittlesea City Council’s new East Ward councillors, councillor Nealy has always been interested in politics.

Some would say it was in her blood.

As the daughter of a three-time mayor and long-time councillor, she surprised many by not mentioning her family connections in her recent election campaign.

Cr Nealy, who was elected alongside councillor Sam Alessi and councillor Mary Lalios in the East Ward, defended her decision to make it to council on her own steam.

“To be honest, I consulted more with Sam Alessi than with my dad, because we wanted to keep everything professional,” she said.

“I got elected without my dad’s help, and that’s the way we wanted it.”

Cr Nealy, a secondary school teacher, said with Lara Carli and Cathy Hayes retiring, she saw a good opportunity to run for council and follow in her father’s footsteps.

“It’s funny how things worked out the same way for us,” she said.

“My dad was a high school teacher as well, and now we’re both into politics.”

Cr Nealy was four when her father was first elected to Whittlesea Shire Council.

However, councillor Merlino said he was surprised when his daughter decided to run for council.

He was less surprised when she got in.

“Once she puts her mind to something she’s very persistent,” Cr Merlino said.

The proud father also believes she will do well in her first term.

“The pressures of high school are greater than those of council,” he said.

“There you’re dealing with human management, with teenagers.”

Like most fathers and daughters, the two do not always agree, but Cr Nealy promises it will all be very professional.

“It’ll be okay,” she said.

“We don’t agree on everything, but it’ll be definitely interesting.”

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