Historic location
Holdfast Bay is relatively small with a population of 35,000 but our profile is very high due to our history and events such as the City Bay fun run and the Bay Sheffield footrace, as well as the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Glenelg is the site of the landing by Governor Hindmarsh on the Buffalo on December 28, 1836 and every year we celebrate the proclamation of the colony of South Australia under the Old Gum Tree on that day. There are many attractions in Holdfast Bay including Jetty Road in Brighton and Glenelg, historic buildings, a marina and inland boat harbour. However, my favourite is our Coast Park which is a shared path along the beach for cyclists and pedestrians. There are green reserves with facilities and kiosks along the way. This project is nearing completion with the help of the State Government.
Valuable skills and experience
I’m a gynaecologist working in both the private and public sector. Up until my election as Mayor I was also an obstetrician and delivered many babies in this area, most of them now adults. I’m currently employed as a consultant at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where I was an intern before studying for my specialty in England. I was appointed senior consultant gynaecologist there in 1971. My contact with patients (admittedly all female) has made me aware of numerous issues which may never have surfaced otherwise. Since I’m now working only part time I have more time to deal with local government. Having been in private practice I developed business and management skills which have been of great value in decision making. Sadly, I think these skills are lacking in some areas of government.
Challenges and achievements
Key challenges relate mostly to community expectations. Numerous projects, plans, ideas or suggestions exist and are promoted by Council, but funding to achieve all of these won’t happen in the short term. It’s better to concentrate on a few items which are high priority, e.g. saving the Buffalo replica and preserving the only remaining suburban town hall in Adelaide built prior to 1870. The most difficult part of the role for me is to convince councillors of the merit or otherwise of some projects, especially when the outcome is obvious. Decide and defend is not my practice. Having the ability to influence others is an enviable asset.
The most important issue for me is to preserve our historical sites – once gone they can never be replaced. However, it is also important that community halls and minorities such as seniors are not overlooked. My main aim is to convince others to stick to principles in Government, i.e. to be responsible and not over commit, to be fair and not favour one area over another, to be consistent and only change direction if and when more correct evidence is produced. The best advice I’ve had is to be consistent, even when support is lacking. Some leaders have suggested that giving in is the best option and will sometimes later win support from opponents but I’m reluctant to do this.
The best part of being a councillor is the community involvement, meeting so many people and on occasion, being able to help improve their lives. A good councillor will listen to the community. In some issues where there is both support and disagreement it is impossible not to be a little biased but councillors should try hard to look at the long term rather than the short term benefits. The worst part of being a councillor is the effect it has on the family. Many sacrifices have to be made, especially time. Meetings and functions take priority and family and friends miss out.
