Shane Dowling is an Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n politician. He was Mayor of Geelong from December 2004 to November 2005, and Mayor of South Melbourne

South Melbourne, Victoria

South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...

 from 1989 to 1991.

Dowling was a police officer outside of politics, rising to become an inspector in the Victoria Police

Victoria Police

Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...

; he was serving in Melton

Melton, Victoria

Melton is an outer-suburban city of Melbourne Victoria, Australia located 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. It is the administrative centre for the Shire of Melton Local Government Area. At the 2006 Census, the Shire of Melton had a population of 35,490...

 at the time of his election as Geelong mayor. He was elected to the City of Greater Geelong

City of Greater Geelong

The City of Greater Geelong is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia.It is located in the western part of the state, south-west of Melbourne. It has an area of 1,240 square kilometres. In 2006 it had a population of 191,000...

 council in 2001, representing Deakin Ward, and was re-elected in 2004. He was elected mayor by the other councilpersons after the 2004 elections, following the failure of incumbent mayor Ed Coppe to hold his seat on the council. He served a one-year term before relinquishing the position to former City of Melbourne

City of Melbourne

The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...

 councillor Peter McMullin

Peter McMullin

Peter McMullin was the Mayor of Geelong in 2006 and Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne between 1996 and 1999. McMullin served as a Councillor of the City of Geelong since 2004 and served as a Councillor of the City of Melbourne from 1996 to 1999...

.

Dowling resigned mid-term in 2008, ten months before the regular elections, as he had moved to Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. He contested the 2008 municipal elections for the City of Port Phillip

City of Port Phillip

The City of Port Phillip is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the northern shores of Port Phillip, south of Melbourne's central business district. It has an area of 20.62 km² and has an estimated population of 96,110 people....

, but was defeated by former Port Phillip mayor Janet Bolitho. Local businessman Andrew Katos was elected to fulfill the Geelong vacancy caused by Dowling's resignation.