𝐌𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫

Recently the question has been raised in many a conversation that I have had as to what I think makes a person suitable to be a Councillor. Well anyone can put their hand up and if get elected become a Councillor for better or worse, but the way I look at it, is this:

Being a Local Government Councillor is a job, a very important job that when done right can enhance the lives of so many and when done badly can have a disastrous effect on everyone. With any job you need three things to succeed. These are Knowledge/Experience, Commitment and Passion. I have all three of these necessary traits which is why I believe the last eight years as your Councillor have been so productive and progressive for Division 1 and the Region.

Let me explain:

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 / 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

My whole working life has involved Local Government in one form or another. My trade apprenticeship was served with Local Government, the first 16 years of my working life was in various roles ranging from working on the tools to management in Local Government.

I have had to deal with Councils from the outside as a business owner/operator and I have had to also deal with the red tape of Local Government when undertaking various developments over the years.

I have also now served three terms as a Councillor on two different Councils, and I have previously worked for the Council I am now a Councillor on, so I understand Council and its workings, which has given me the ability to know how to get things done.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Anything that I take on, I commit to 100%. Being a Councillor is a full-time role and needs to be treated that way. I have been a full time Councillor for the last 8 years with the Bundaberg Regional Council and the role has only come in second to my family.

These Councillors that take on the position and then juggle it between their businesses, executive positions on boards and other employment etc. aren’t only spreading themselves to thinly, they are cheating you the ratepayer. At times there isn’t enough time to fit in everything that is involved with being a Councillor, so I can’t understand why anyone would put their hand up for the job if they weren’t going to fully commit.

𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧)

I have Local Government in my blood as it has always been part of my working life. I like helping people with their problems and issues and I enjoy being able to enhance the lives of the community I serve by providing what they need and want.

Those of you who know me, know that I like a yarn and can talk about Council all day. They say when you find something that you love to do, then it comes easy and I love being your Councillor. I am passionate about Division 1 and the Bundaberg Region and will continue to fight to ensure that the liveability and lifestyles that we all enjoy, continues to improve.

With the election coming up, before casting your vote, I would ask that you assess all candidates against my 3 simple requirements.

1. 𝘋𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘳?

2. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?

3. 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦?

𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝟏 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐒 “𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫”

Young Jason in a previous life

Now 12 years experience over 2 LGA's

𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘑.𝘗.𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘴, 14 𝘙𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥, 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘑.𝘗. 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘴 (𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦)