Q. How long have you been on Council?
As of this month, I have served seven years on Council, the last three as Mayor and Deputy Mayor before that.
Q. Elected at the age of 19, you were one of the youngest councillors in Australia. Tell us about your decision to run?
There were a number of factors that led to me deciding to run for election. First and foremost, like many of the candidates and my council colleagues, it was a desire to be part of the decision making forum that plays a critical role in shaping the communityÃs future. I love the Gunnedah area and thought being on Council would be a great way to contribute to its growth and prosperity, while also injecting some new ideas and experiences from my perspective.
There hadnÃt been a young candidate before, let alone an elected representative, so I must admit the prospect of breaking some new ground in that respect was also appealing.
Q. What makes Gunnedah special or different?
ItÃs definitely the people ñ warm, friendly, and welcoming. The strong community spirit and resilience is also astounding. The people are so giving of their time for others and they are always there to help each other. New residents and visitors comment on this all the time.
We are also fortunate to have a great climate, as well as wonderful sporting and recreational facilities, parks and gardens that show off Gunnedah. As the Koala Capital of the World, we boast the largest koala population of any other community.
Q. You have a passion for youth issues. How is this reflected in your role as a councillor?
My role is no different to any of my colleagues, but we all have our focus areas and areas of expertise. IÃve been fortunate that in my time on Council, all of my colleagues have been extremely supportive of myself and our local young people and their issues. Council took the decision to employ a full time youth officer and establish a youth advisory council to provide a direct link for young people to Council and councillors. We have also established youth designated positions on a number of our standing committees and continue to administer a community scholarship program to assist local young people undertake their studies.
Q. What other issues are important to you?
There are many, but the ones at the top of the list would include long term strategic planning, diversifying our local economic base and continuing to grow our local community.
Q. What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
In the near future, we hope to see the completion of our Community Strategic Plan, which will guide Council and the communityÃs priorities and decision making for the next ten years. IÃm very excited about getting this plan right and in place.
Gunnedah is growing at the moment and I hope that as a Council we can continue to facilitate this growth, use it to diversify further our economic base and deal with the challenges of greater demands on our services and infrastructure as we grow.
Q. Tell us about a specific success you have had in Local Government.
The great thing about Local Government in Gunnedah is the great team we have and that we are all able to share in our successes. Some of the more notable of the last three to four years have been stabilising and strengthening CouncilÃs financial position, undertaking a major redevelopment of the entire CBD area of Gunnedah, expanding our well used shared cycleway/footpath networks and continuing to maintain the best sporting facilities in north west New South Wales.
Councillor Julie Griffiths, Blacktown City Council, New South Wales
Q. How long have you been on Council?
I was elected to Blacktown City Council in 2008 as a Labor Councillor. I have recently been elected to the Local Government Association Executive.
Q. Why did you enter Local Government?
I have a passion for Local Government and I want to see the third tier of government recognised for the work it does in the community. Like many organisations we need to promote our business and showcase the great work that is done for, and on behalf of the community.
I have always been involved in the community as an elite coach for womenÃs soccer in both the Penrith and Blacktown districts.
Q. What is your like most about Blacktown?
The Blacktown Local Government Area currently has around 300,000 people, and an additional 50,000 people are expected to move to the area as it grows over the next five to ten years. We have some 50,000 young people living in the area, and an ageing population.
We are one of the largest Local Government areas in Australia, and we host some remarkable sporting landmarks and events. Having come from a sporting background, I am proud of the elite levels played in the local area, which have showcased some great sporting athletes. Blacktown hosted the Olympic softball and baseball events in 2000, and the stadiums now play host to national teams on a regular basis. The new Greater Western Sydney AFL team, which is coached by Kevin Sheedy, is also based at the Blacktown Olympic Park and has recently entertained many ratepayers playing other teams, like the Sydney Swans.
Q. Tell us about your current employment.
I am employed by the United Services Union as the Manager Private Sector. Previously,
I was the Director of Women, Child Care Youth and Aged Care for New South Wales.
During my time as a senior official, I coordinated the Paid Maternity Leave Campaign, which saw nine weeks full pay and 18 weeks half pay inserted into the Local Government State Award in New South Wales. We also changed legislation to give family day care workers the Right of Appeal and ran the Pay Equity Case for childcare workers in Local Government.
Families today rely on two incomes and affordable childcare to sustain a standard of living.
I really believe the work I have been part of has put me in good stead to understand the many varied roles that councils play in the community. I would like to encourage more women to get involved as it is extremely rewarding and provides a balanced approach to decision making.
Q. What innovative projects or policies is Council working on?
Blacktown City Council will host the Australian Local Government WomenÃs Conference from 26 to 28 May 2011 ñ this will be the AssociationÃs 60th Anniversary.
Council is also looking at the 50ñ50 Gender Equity Program and is doing an analysis of policies and procedures.
Council developed its 2025 vision and has key projects around sustainability. We pride ourselves on projects like tree planting initiatives, being a Solar City and much more.
Q. What issues are important to you?
Equity in leadership and assisting women in Local Government to be recognised for the role they play in the community, as well as recognition for councils and the work they perform in ensuring their communities have a decent living standard.
I strongly oppose the actions by the New South Wales Government around Section 94 funding and the removal of powers from councils.
Q. Tell us about a memorable moment.
Being asked to run on the MayorÃs ticket, and then working with the community on our Graffiti Management Project at Lalor Park. This project has brought a community together and our local artist has painted the local library, which has reduced tagging. Locals were involved in the project and it has given them a sense of pride and ownership in this site.
Graffiti is a big issue for Blacktown as it is for many other councils. We alone spend approximately $840,000 per year to remove graffiti. We are trialling the E-nose program, which detects aerosol spray and triggers an alarm at the local command centre or for police.
