Burgeoning epicentre
Palmerston is a dynamic young city in all senses; it is only 32 years old with a median age of 28 (30 percent under 15!). We have high residential development. This has been a key driver for economic development, with over $600 million of commercial development rising out of the ground as we speak. Palmerston is set to become the epicentre of the Greater Darwin region and is superbly placed to become a regional capital, despite being 20 kilometres from Darwin City.
Palmerston has a great sense of community. With plenty of green space, and easy access to amenities, Palmerston residents new and old feel comfortable – it’s a place to come home to.
Passion to help
I was appointed to Council in October 1999 as an Alderman and elected as Mayor in 2012. I have always had a passion to assist the community. Starting my own business limited my ability to be involved with a club that required an ad hoc time commitment, but Council had set times I could work around. This gave me the opportunity to engage with the community and make a difference.
I continue to operate a commercial cleaning business. This has certainly given me good insight to financial, strategic and governance management. Although I run a small-medium enterprise, Council is big business and needs to be treated as such. It also keeps me grounded in community views.
I have a good work/life balance thanks to an ever-supportive wife, Ana, who ensures I make time. I love my AFL, especially Territory Thunder in the NEAFL. I also enjoy reading, spending quality time with friends and family and avoiding gardening and maintenance.
It sounds cliché, but the community and the people I meet are inspirational for their work and the commitment they have to making a better lifestyle.
Supporting growth
Growth and the inherit challenges of keeping up with the demands of the community is a key focus. As we have such a young population, we continually need to work with the Northern Territory Government to supply infrastructure that is beyond Council’s ability to provide. Another necessity is encouraging and responding to economic development.
A recent Council achievement is the development of a City Centre masterplan, which sets out council vision on the future growth and protection of the CBD, encouraging development to include residential, commercial and retail components. We have also just completed the redevelopment of our ‘Goyder (town) Square’.
Furthermore, Council is working toward a Service Sharing agreement with other council across Australia, and potentially globally.
One of the trying aspects of working in local government is fighting for every scrap of funding for things we believe have positive economic and social outcomes.
Into the future, I would personally like to see schools being opened up to the community rather than building community halls, both having significant capital and recurring cost demands, which could be better spent on community activity and improved infrastructure.
When I leave Council, I believe a strong, vibrant and progressive community is the legacy I will leave for future councils. Success in Local Government is about the people, not individual accolades.
