Integrity. Experience. Commitment.
WHY I'M
A COUNCILLOR
WHY I'M A COUNCILLOR
I ran for Devonport City Council because I believe in the opportunities this city can and should offer the next generation.
Devonport is one of the most livable cities in the country, but we can do more in terms of working harder with our community groups, building our events calendar and continuing to invest in public spaces and infrastructure for recreation, leisure and learning. Livability is also a huge attractor for new business and industry, and I would work hard to ensure this stays at the core of the city’s strategic plan.
Previous roles positioned me well for council responsibilities – I worked in commercial property in Sydney where I oversaw operational budgets and capex plans in the millions, always with a focus on getting value for money. My role on the DCCI Executive for ten years also gave me a good understanding of what businesses need from the local government and I did a lot of work when I became President advocating for the Living City Master Plan so we could grow our city while preserving what makes it special.
As the city grows in the future, I believe its really important to showcase our history, and any new developments moving forward must have a sense of place and add to the city’s story. The paranaple centre is a magnificent building, but it would look equally at home in Paramatta or Geelong – I would like future civic assets to showcase our community more, whether that’s by using more local timber products or intertwining local history in the fitout.
I also think the Living City Master Plan is a document we need to keep refining and adding to. While it was controversial at times, we’re all used to change and development now and we can’t rest of our laurels just because the waterfront precinct is nearing completion. The success of Living City can continue for generations to come, and with population growth, how we use the opportunities that brings, needs to be carefully thought through and managed. For example, could we put up with some multi-story dwellings in the CBD in order to preserve our countryside and avoid the urban sprawl of the major metropolitan cities? How do we ensure the city is attractive to people in the health and education sector? There’s no right or wrong answer, but local government needs to take a proactive role in finding out what the community wants and ensuring there’s a long term plan in place to deliver it. As the saying goes, If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail.
Finally, I think the best thing local government can do for the community is to support those at the front line – the sporting clubs, the community groups, the volunteers – this is where the expertise sits but they so often struggle for funding to run the services and activities that make Devonport a great place to live. I’d like to see our budget grow in a sustainable way over time to ensure people don’t fall through the cracks. We’ve always had great community spirit, and as the city grows we need to ensure this is always reflected in local government policy.
As Deputy Mayor I also see my role as providing support to my fellow councillors and the Mayor in particular to ensure a very ambitious program of works and events is delivered seamlessly during the current local government term.
