At the 2007 Local Government Managers Australia National Congress in Hobart, Local Government FOCUS invited delegates to nominate individuals or teams from their Council who are improving Council’s operations or enhancing service delivery within their community. In this edition, we showcase two more of our high achievers for 2007.
Veronica Dayman, Mayoral Liaison Officer, City of Albany, Western Australia
As Western Australia’s first settlement, the City of Albany on the south coast has a profound and continuing connection with the Anzac legend.
Albany was the place of assembly and departure for some 30,000 troops serving in the Great War and Gallipoli in 1914. It was also the place of Australia’s first official dawn service.
City of Albany Mayoral Liaison Officer Veronica Dayman said this Anzac heritage is one of many aspects of Albany’s rich maritime and military history that have made her job with Council most enjoyable.
For the past four years, Veronica has provided secretarial support to both the Mayor and Manager Economic Development. She coordinates events, travel and civic functions and attends to diary management and correspondence. In 2005, she coordinated a week long ceremony marking the 90th anniversary of the Anzac landing in Gallipoli. The ceremony included a Freedom of Entry ceremony for HMAS Anzac, which then left Albany on a voyage recreating the original path of the Anzac fleet in 1914.
Veronica said as well as organising the celebration in Albany, she coordinated a trip for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and CEO to visit Gallipoli – Albany’s sister city – at the invitation of the Mayor of Gallipoli.
“The Anzac history is so rich and treasured in our City and it was an honour for me to be part of such a significant and historical occasion as the 90th anniversary of the Anzacs,” she said.
Veronica said another highlight of her career was a recent visit from the Governor General and his wife. Veronica coordinated a day tour of Albany for them. She said it was satisfying to hear their positive feedback on Albany and a civic reception that was held in their honour and brought together a broad spectrum of the community.
Veronica enjoys the diversity of her role and the broad contact she has with the community. While she said it can be challenging to fit everything in to one day, the tight schedule keeps her on her toes and makes the job all the more stimulating and exciting.
“Albany is a vibrant, rapidly growing and expanding City and it is great to see first hand the projects and plans Council is developing for the region,” Veronica said. “In the four years I have been with Council, I have yet to have had two days the same. Every day holds something new, which definitely keeps my role challenging and interesting.
“Patience and the ability to stay calm and deal with things systematically is the key.”
Veronica said she particularly enjoys researching and writing speeches for the Mayor. She has been able to draw on her love of reading and her broad range of personal and life experiences to assist her in this task.
Council elections were held recently in Western Australia, and Veronica is currently taking the time to acquaint herself with the new Mayor and eight new Councillors.
“It is important that we get to know each other early in the term, so that I can familiarise myself with what he hopes to achieve and assist those aspirations in every way possible,” Veronica said.
The City’s former Corporate Governance Coordinator, John Byrne, nominated Veronica to appear in FOCUS.
He said she works tirelessly and presents a high degree of professionalism and friendliness to customers of the City of Albany.
Communications Team, Hobsons Bay City Council, Victoria
Located at the northern end of Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, the City of Hobsons Bay is home to a range of diverse and vibrant communities and a rich, natural coastal environment.
The region’s major attraction is the historic seaport of Williamstown, but beyond lies the remainder of Hobsons Bay with beaches, nature reserves, parklands, cafes, restaurants, boutique shopping and a hospitality all of its own.
Council’s Communications Unit is responsible for promoting these significant features but also has a strong focus on reducing the organisation’s environmental footprint, as highlighted in its communications strategy.
Developed to guide Council’s communications activities over the next three years, the communications strategy outlines methods to reduce hardcopy communications by heightening Council’s presence in local newspapers.
Communications Coordinator, Steve Coldham, said Council undertook research that highlighted local newspapers as the most popular source for information on Council.
“In 2004, Council decided to discontinue its regular hardcopy community newsletter in place of a full page weekly advertorial in the local newspaper called ‘Pelican Post’,” he said. “Launched in 2005, Pelican Post provides a comprehensive listing of Council news and events as well as consultation opportunities, current Council employment vacancies, tender opportunities, and relevant statutory and planning notices. The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Steve Coldham said the team is now on the verge of launching a series of online newsletters. Council recently purchased an e-newsletter application for its website and has employed an additional communications team member to specifically manage online communications, including Council’s website and staff intranet site.
“Not only will the online newsletters save related print and design costs, but it is good for the environment as well,” Steve Coldham said. “Keeping up with online communications is now more important than ever. Increasing numbers of people have access to computers and are looking more widely to use the internet for their information needs.
“Our new Online Communications Officer is developing appropriate guidelines for writing for the web and at least one staff member from each department is completing a training schedule, enabling them to become experts in the field of updating and editing online information themselves.”
Hobsons Bay’s Director of Business and Finance, Helen Anstis, said the team is to be congratulated for the energy and enthusiasm with which it takes on its role.
“Their continued development, implementation of the communication strategy and their ideas for disseminating Council messages and initiatives are second to none,” she said.
“While they are sometimes referred to as the ‘corporate identity police’, they have built a strong and recognisable brand within the Hobsons Bay community, respond within tight timelines to media inquiries, meet weekly deadlines and still provide advice to staff and Councillors on a multitude of issues and promotional opportunities.
“They are energetic, motivated, always positive, and really enjoy what they do. They are a truly dedicated team and are great ambassadors of Local Government communications professionals.”
Steve Coldham believes the team works well together as it is very adaptable to change and in touch with the latest trends in communications and the PR industry.
Steve particularly enjoys the element of surprise that comes with his position.
“You never know what is going to turn up on your desk – there is always something new and different,” he said.
