Shane Dowling

Shane Dowling (born 16 June 1954) is an Australian politician. He was Mayor of Geelong from December 2004 to November 2005, and Mayor of South Melbourne from 1989 to 1991.
Dowling was a police officer outside politics, rising to become an inspector in the Victoria Police; he was serving in Melton at the time of his election as Geelong mayor. He was elected to the City of Greater Geelong 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 councillor Peter McMullin.
Dowling resigned mid-term in 2008, ten months before the regular elections, as he had moved to Melbourne. He contested the 2008 municipal elections for the City of Port Phillip, but was defeated by former Port Phillip mayor Janet Bolitho. Local businessman and future state Liberal MP Andrew Katos was elected to fulfill the Geelong ward vacancy caused by Dowling's resignation.