Two candidates have left the party ticket following the charges.
Multiple candidates have left the ticket of Byron mayor Michael Lyon after he was charged with assault and stalking following an alleged domestic violence incident.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports police attended an address at The Pocket last Thursday and were told a man had allegedly assaulted a woman known to him before fleeing the scene. There were no reports of injuries.
Lyon was arrested a the following day and charged with common assault, as well as stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm – domestic violence. Police are now seeking an apprehended violence order (AVO) against him.
Lyon has stated on Facebook that the future of his party ticket, Byron Independents, is now up in the air.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Byron Independents may not run a group at the Council elections, a final decision on this will be made before Wednesday. I have also not made any decision on whether I will run again for Mayor."
"At the heart of this matter is a misunderstanding that I hope will be cleared up as quickly as possible so that my name can be cleared and that my family can move back out of the public eye and receive the love and attention they need. I abhor violence in all its forms and respect the need for the strong processes that are in place to protect the safety of people in the home."
Two candidates from Byron Independents, Mark Swivel and Meredith Wray, have now withdrawn from the ticket ahead of the September local government elections.
Swivel ran at the 2021 mayoral election with the Mark Swivel Team. He was one of the two remaining candidates after preference distribution − the other being the eventual winner, Lyon. Prior to that election, the Greens held the mayoralty.
Swivel was instead elected as a councillor, and is now considering whether to run separately this September now that he's left Byron Independents.
Wray is a longtime local doctor, according to a Facebook post from Lyon in May where he announced the party's candidates. Former councillor Jeannette Martin is also standing.