I am of a certain age 🙂 , married to Darryl and we have four grown up children – Deborah,
Alan, Elizabeth and Priscilla.
Darryl’s family have been five or six generations in the Rockhampton region. His dad was Alan – who worked at the railway as a plumber, his mum was Beryl (who made legendary sponge cakes) and family members have been active in Cricket and Hockey forever!
I was born in Toowoomba, had a bit of a messed up childhood (what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger) and eventually ended up at the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education (now Central Queensland University) studying to be a Primary Teacher.
Darryl and I married in 1978 (which gives my age away a bit 🙂 )
Since that time, I have been a teacher, a full time mum, a Child Care Director and a perpetual student. And Mayor of Rockhampton for eight years.
I have my original teacher’s diploma and four other qualifications in education and history, including two degrees and a Masters in Education Studies.
I am an active member of my church, a keen gardener and I will read just about anything I can lay my hands on.
And I am convinced that we all have something to offer.. and that we need to be willing to do the offering!
Project such as the Gracemere Industrial Area, the ‘food bowl’ and the weirs on the Fitzroy River and engagement with the mining community were projects lead by Rockhampton Council.
I championed amalgamation and regional co- operation.
I did not contest the election in 2008 believing that a new Mayor would give the newly amalgamated council the best chance.
By early 2012 it was obvious that the amalgamation was not going well and so I answered the call from many in the community to nominate in 2012.
I found a bitter and divided community which was reflected at the council table.
The budget was in serious deficit and debt had risen from $84 million at amalgamation to $220 million with several multimillion dollar items ordered but not yet paid for at the time I was re- elected.
The newly elected Newman Government had promised a vote on deamalgamation. And the rest is history.
In the last four years I have stopped the ever upward rise in debt and have actually paid four and a half million dollars down.
I’ve returned the budget to a comfortable Surplus and the strength of our finances now is evidenced by the fact that we were able to sustain the financial shock of Marcia with only a 1.9% Rates rise.
I put the topic of the Fitzroy Weirs back on the agenda, allocated funding to finish the work at Gracemere – both residential and industrial, and I have begun a major renewal programme in the CBD of Rockhampton with new technology and jobs firmly at its heart.
I believe it’s important for Rockhampton regional council to be very focused on its own economic health at the moment.
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the river mouth, and some 600 kilometres (370 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. Rockhampton has a north and south side with three bridges connecting both sides, one for trains and two for vehicles and people.
The estimated urban population of Rockhampton in June 2014 was 80,345. Rockhampton hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the central, coastal part of the state.
Rockhampton experiences over 300 days of sunshine each year, which lends itself to tourism activities all year round and an abundance of outdoor activities. Popular attractions include Riverbank Parklands, a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Fitzroy River; the Capricorn Coast, the coastal strip between Yeppoon, Emu Park and Great Keppel Island, a large neighbouring island off the Capricorn Coast, the vast majority of which is national park.
Darryl’s family have been five or six generations in the Rockhampton region. His dad was Alan – who worked at the railway as a plumber, his mum was Beryl (who made legendary sponge cakes) and family members have been active in Cricket and Hockey forever!
I was born in Toowoomba, had a bit of a messed up childhood (what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger) and eventually ended up at the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education (now Central Queensland University) studying to be a Primary Teacher.
Darryl and I married in 1978 (which gives my age away a bit 🙂 )
Since that time, I have been a teacher, a full time mum, a Child Care Director and a perpetual student. And Mayor of Rockhampton for eight years.
I have my original teacher’s diploma and four other qualifications in education and history, including two degrees and a Masters in Education Studies.
I am an active member of my church, a keen gardener and I will read just about anything I can lay my hands on.
And I am convinced that we all have something to offer.. and that we need to be willing to do the offering!
Project such as the Gracemere Industrial Area, the ‘food bowl’ and the weirs on the Fitzroy River and engagement with the mining community were projects lead by Rockhampton Council.
I championed amalgamation and regional co- operation.
I did not contest the election in 2008 believing that a new Mayor would give the newly amalgamated council the best chance.
By early 2012 it was obvious that the amalgamation was not going well and so I answered the call from many in the community to nominate in 2012.
I found a bitter and divided community which was reflected at the council table.
The budget was in serious deficit and debt had risen from $84 million at amalgamation to $220 million with several multimillion dollar items ordered but not yet paid for at the time I was re- elected.
The newly elected Newman Government had promised a vote on deamalgamation. And the rest is history.
In the last four years I have stopped the ever upward rise in debt and have actually paid four and a half million dollars down.
I’ve returned the budget to a comfortable Surplus and the strength of our finances now is evidenced by the fact that we were able to sustain the financial shock of Marcia with only a 1.9% Rates rise.
I put the topic of the Fitzroy Weirs back on the agenda, allocated funding to finish the work at Gracemere – both residential and industrial, and I have begun a major renewal programme in the CBD of Rockhampton with new technology and jobs firmly at its heart.
I believe it’s important for Rockhampton regional council to be very focused on its own economic health at the moment.
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the river mouth, and some 600 kilometres (370 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. Rockhampton has a north and south side with three bridges connecting both sides, one for trains and two for vehicles and people.
The estimated urban population of Rockhampton in June 2014 was 80,345. Rockhampton hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the central, coastal part of the state.
Rockhampton experiences over 300 days of sunshine each year, which lends itself to tourism activities all year round and an abundance of outdoor activities. Popular attractions include Riverbank Parklands, a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Fitzroy River; the Capricorn Coast, the coastal strip between Yeppoon, Emu Park and Great Keppel Island, a large neighbouring island off the Capricorn Coast, the vast majority of which is national park.
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