Janie Finlay (formerly Dickenson) was the mayor of Launceston City Council from 2002 to 2005 before being replaced by Ivan Dean on 31 October 2005. She served as an Alderman 2000-2007. When Janie was elected as Mayor in February 2002 she was the youngest female mayor; at age 27, to serve in Australia. It was widely reported in The Examiner that Janie had a long running standoff with local alderman and MLC Harry George Brookes.
She lost her Mayoral position in the October 2005 elections to Ivan Dean by a slim majority of preferences (see Single transferable vote). In the 2005 elections she was tipped to secure a second term as Mayor and on the 26 October 2005 The Examiner local newspaper ran a front-page story claiming she was winning by 2000 votes. But by the next day it was revealed Ivan Dean through preferential elimination had secured the lead by some 400 votes. Janie did secure her position as Alderman by the largest majority exceeding two quotas. For many in the community there was some outrage that Janie had been defeated seeing she had actually received the most votes for mayor.