What is your rating out of 10 for council’s performance this term, and why?
Cr Liam Wood (mayor) – 7/10
“I think we have managed to achieve a lot being a relatively new group of councillors … but there is always room for improvement. I think the organisation as a whole is in a very good spot since the external review and the new strategy and growth department added.”
Cr Mark Eckel (deputy mayor) – No rating
“I believe this council over the last term has been thorough with a more determined approach to consultation and transparent than previously. Fortunately, that’s today’s strict requirement by government regulation.”
Cr Helen Healy – 8/10
“There have been ups and downs in our near four years. But I think we’ve come out of it as quite a progressive council, and we’ve made brave decisions and achieved good outcomes for the community.”
Cr Glenn Milne – 4.5/10
“That rating is based on a number of disappointing events this term and compared to past councils that laid the foundations for all the current major projects. Sadly, council is becoming more disconnected from our community with huge incomes, overbearing red tape and a general disconnect from the world of an average citizen in Mildura whose income and living conditions are far further down the scale. We need to reconnect.”
Cr Ian Arney – 6.5/10
“We’ve really been trying to achieve a lot, and there’s a lot in the pipeline, but we’ve been restricted by processes. More often than not we’re told (by council staff) of what we can’t do, as opposed to what we can do. I’ve personally found this difficult to help move forward good ideas from the community.”
Cr Jodi Reynolds – 7/10
“Council is like any other large business: it has the same challenges when it comes to finding staff, the cost of materials, lack of funding from state and federal governments and it doesn’t always get everything right. Council does a lot of ‘first ever’ projects, like the MSP and the Powerhouse, and along with that comes a lot of learning. The important thing is to value and support our staff (and) have clear aims, a vision for the future and the plans to back those visions up, and I think we have those plans.”
Cr Troy Bailey – 6/10
“I think this council has struggled with the same issues as every other council and state and ended up following the trend. The pursuit of progress and expansion has created winners and losers, while the machine of council continues to expand. I gave this rating because of the many services and infrastructure council have provided but also because of the outsourcing of decision-making and assumption of knowing what residents need.”
Cr Stefano de Pieri – 8/10
“Considering we had to deal with the COVID pandemic and the flood, I give it a good eight. When you have nine people on a council, it is very hard to apportion wins and losses, but I think we have all contributed to delivering some positive outcomes.”
Cr Jason Modica – No rating
“I believe it is the community and ratepayers who have the final say on where MRCC are as a council. My position on MRCC’s successes is based on the strategies of councillors and staff and the ability to bring funding to a region which historically has been overlooked. Mildura Future Ready, which straddles the 2016-20 and 2020-24 councils, has proven to be very successful, including Mildura Sporting Precinct and the Powerhouse precinct.”
