A respected Council must deliver on basic services such as roads, waste and environmental management, public health, community facilities and effective planning. This starts with fair rating and effective management of scarce resources.

A large rural Council must also work hard at attracting additional funding, working co-operatively with community, promoting the region and building relationships with other stakeholders and governments.

I aim to build a positive and progressive team of Councillors, with open communication, respectful and thorough deliberation and deep community collaboration. Through these strong principles a Council that I am part of will be better able to deliver the projects that matter to community and solve the complex problems we face.

The housing crisis is affecting us all whether you are an employer, first home buyer or if you are waiting for community housing.  This crisis cannot be fixed by local government alone and will need a coordinated effort by community and all levels of government.  I look forward to working alongside the Greater Swan Hill Housing Action Committee to tackle this head on.

I understand and acknowledge climate change as a fundamental problem for our community and humanity more generally. 

Climate change is already having a significant impact on our region in reduced in flows and water allocations to the Murray River system, reduced growing seasons for crops and increased intensity and occurrence of heatwaves.

Policy and planning and for reducing emissions and mitigation of impacts will require quality leadership, clarity of purpose and the best available science. The current energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables offers our region an immense opportunity in the development of a renewable energy industry and optimisation of rooftop solar for households and businesses. 

As we participate in this energy transition, it is imperative that we ensure there is long lasting community benefit from any developments that do occur in our region and that and potential risks and concerns are understood and addressed.

• Riverfront Masterplan and Enhancement

• Drag Strip

• New Bridge

• Relax Constraints and Barriers on Environmental Water

• Renew Nyah and Tresco Irrigation

• Nature Trials and bike track to Boga as part of the Murray River Trail

• Reconciliation Action Plan

• Community Renewable Energy Hub