Falling in love with the city
Wangaratta is located some 240km from Melbourne, 650km from Sydney and, in addition to being on the standard gauge Perth to Brisbane train corridor, is also located on the Hume Freeway running between our two major capital cities. The rural City has an area of 365,000 hectares and a population of just over 27,000.
It is within easy reach of the Victorian snowfields of Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Mt Buller and has National Parks, Wineries and Recreation Rivers in abundance.
I came to Wangaratta to manage the Wangaratta Credit Union (now WAW) 41 years ago, fell in love with the City, and stayed. I was elected to what was then the City of Wangaratta council in 1981 and was a councillor for nine years, serving two one-year terms as mayor in 1985/86 and 1988/89.
Re-elected at 80
My interest in local government was rekindled in 2012 when I attended a couple of ‘Meet the Candidates Forums’ and didn’t like what I saw. Following the election of councillors, I commenced attendance at council meetings.
In September 2013 the Council was dismissed by an Act of Parliament. The Corporate Management Team had also parted ways with the organisation. I witnessed the appointment of Administrators by the State Government and continued to attend Council meetings. Being an accountant who ran my own public practice for some 30 years, I took a keen interest in the expenditure of my and other ratepayers’ money, asking questions and making submissions to the budget, especially in respect of rate rises.
It was with tongue in cheek that at the age of 80 I had the temerity to put my name up for election in 2016. Being a sub-divided Rural City and living in the urban area, I nominated with nine other candidates for the four vacancies. I was more than surprised that I was only 20 votes short of a quota without preferences. So, when the dust settled I found myself elected, having nine years experience, alongside another councillor who had served on a rural Shire for a few years, plus five new recruits elected to steer the Rural City out of the doldrums. I had indicated that I was prepared to serve as mayor if my council colleagues wanted it. It was not unanimous, but my term as mayor will be short term and I hope that I am able to mentor some of the younger members so the Council can move forward with confidence.
Moving forward with integrity
Administrators, with State Government assistance have just upgraded our saleyards and this, together with getting our rural strategy right and a further look at the Aquatic Centre proposals are the first items this council will be working on to bring to fruition. I am a great believer that if you are open and honest in your dealings with ratepayers, then you will earn their respect (something that I personally see has been lacking for the past four years, although the Administrators tried hard to overcome this stigma). I am attempting to get ratepayers to come and talk to me by having one morning a week open house. With a budget of some $65m and rates of $26.5m I know that we need to do better and I am certain that the team I have will be making sure all monies spent will be in the best interests of all of the ratepayers. I have been asked if I am too old and I reply, the legs may be tired, but the brain is still a very active part of the body.
