Councillor Peter Freshney, Mayor
Spoilt for choice
The Latrobe municipality is a great place to live and we enjoy the best of both worlds with a regional city just ten minutes down the highway, easy access to the local air and sea ports and an almost idyllic village style lifestyle which is the envy of many. Our local Mersey Community Hospital is the cornerstone for the provision of health care services in the municipality and surrounding region and is of course a major employer in the area. Residents are spoilt for choice with the option to live in the historic township of Latrobe, the beachside village of Port Sorell or one of a number of hamlets scattered around the municipality. We are fortunate to have consistently strong growth in the residential building sector while we have vibrant retail and commercial districts at both Latrobe and Port Sorell. The Mersey River precinct, including Bells Parade, and the golden beaches of Port Sorell are my two favourite places in the municipality but I also love driving through the rich farmlands that dominate the landscape at Sassafras, Harford, Northdown & Wesley vale.
A natural progression
I’ve been in Local Government for just over four years and am now into the second year of my first term as Mayor of Latrobe. Getting involved in Local Government seemed a natural progression for me after many years of involvement in the administration of community groups and sporting clubs. I had a strong desire to make a contribution on a broader scale and Local Government seemed to offer the opportunity to make a real difference in the local community and a positive impact on the lives of the ever-increasing number of people who choose to live here in Latrobe.
Outside of my Local Government commitments I also own and manage my own small communications contracting business, KissTel Pty Ltd. The business has been in operation for eleven years or so and we are again experiencing strong growth and demand for the services we provide. We currently employ twenty staff and operate state-wide from our base at Quoiba. Being in business certainly helps in my Local Government role and particularly in terms of financial management, governance, compliance and people management. The big challenge for me is time management and my commitment to make the mayoral role my priority has had a significant impact on the business, but the changes we have made will benefit the business in the long term. Outside of work and local government I get precious little time to “relax” but I really enjoy what I do and have no regrets about being busy most of the time.
A united council
With out doubt the most enjoyable part of my Local Government involvement is the time I get to spend with everyday people in our community, particularly the volunteers and local characters who have such strong links to the area. I also get to know about the issues that concern community members and in many cases we are able to assist and ease their concerns. I have been genuinely humbled by the respect and warmth afforded me as Mayor and that is something that I clearly had no concept of prior to taking on the role.
In broad terms, I have an expectation that I can make a difference in my local community and hopefully have a positive impact on the lives of those I am elected to serve. A noble ambition, I know, but we have a strong and united council with a dedicated management team and staff who are working every day to make Latrobe the best municipality in which to live in Tasmania.
