AS we embark on our new term as councillors, I want to talk about leadership, what it means in the Local Government setting, and what you, the community we serve, can expect from us in the coming four years.
Firstly, I don’t think it’s lost on any of us that it really is an honour and a privilege, and an incredibly important responsibility that we have as representatives of our community.
We need to set the tone for others to follow in terms of showing what good leadership looks like.
Always acting with respect and integrity, and above all, listening to and empowering our community.
It’s also important for us to be courageous and not shy away from making unpopular decisions if it means the best outcome for our community.
As councillors we are provided with plenty of research and reading to help us understand the implications of the calls we make in the chambers.
It’s then our responsibility as leaders to bring our community along with us – to provide them with the data and understanding behind these sometimes difficult decisions.
For me, it would be a far worse outcome if we made a decision purely because we believed it would be popular, rather than the right decision based on facts, research and long-term benefits.
This is where always being honest and transparent with our community and communicating effectively is critical.
We need to take responsibility for the decisions we make and bring our community along with us.
Equally, if we make a mistake, we need to own it. No spin.
Another priority for me is engaging with young people as ultimately they are our future leaders.
We can do this through our Youth Council and other leadership groups.
For example, I’d really like to invite every student representative group in our region across primary, secondary and tertiary levels to come in and have a meeting in the Council chamber – just to get a sense of where leadership decisions are made and to give them a taste of what it’s like.
To hopefully inspire the next generation of community leaders.
Finally, I’d like to say how proud I am to stand alongside our new-look council, representing an incredibly diverse range of expertise and experience.
We have a team that includes a scientist, an educator, a marketer, an IT expert, a lawyer, two farmers and a welfare industry specialist, with many of us also business owners.
Along with addressing safety and crime, affordable housing and supporting growth strategies, these are just some of the priorities I see as important as we look ahead to the coming four years working for our community’s future.
