Mayor of Darwin

Katrina Fong Lim (born 1961) is the Lord Mayor of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Katrina completed a Bachelor of Business and Master of Professional Accounting at the University of Southern Queensland.

Katrina was born in 1961 in Darwin; the fourth daughter of respected local couple Alec and Norma Fong Lim. Alec was a businessman who eventually became a very popular Lord Mayor in the 1980s. Katrina completed her primary and secondary education in Darwin, matriculating from Darwin High School in 1979. She was an AFS Exchange Student to the USA for the 1978-79 school year.

Katrina worked for thirteen years with the Commonwealth Public Service, undertaking a variety of jobs in a range of government departments. She then left the Public Service to work in the not for profit sector where she worked for 20 years including time at the YWCA, Crafts Council, NT Centenary of Federation and most recently as the Executive Director of Australia Day Council NT.

Katrina completed both a Bachelor of Business with a double major plus a Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Southern Queensland by external studies. She has also operated a small business initially delivering Financial Management Training to builders through the Master Builders Association NT.

Katrina was voted Lord Mayor of Darwin in April 2012, and together with twelve elected Aldermen, will lead the 21st Council of Darwin for a period of four years.

Katrina lives with her husband Tony Waite in Nightcliff. She names her five sisters and mother as her strongest supporters and influencers, with the values and ethics instilled by her late father Alec Fong Lim still guiding her today.




Darwin
Darwin, is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin is the largest city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, with a population of 136,245. It is the smallest and most northerly of the Australian capital cities, and acts as the Top End's regional centre. Darwin was originally a pioneer outpost.

Darwin's proximity to South East Asia makes it an important Australian gateway to countries such as Indonesia and East Timor. The Stuart Highway begins in Darwin, ending at Port Augusta in South Australia. The city itself is built on a low bluff overlooking the harbour. Its suburbs spread out over some area, beginning at Lee Point in the north and stretching to Berrimah in the east. Past Berrimah, the Stuart Highway goes on to Darwin's satellite city, Palmerston, and its suburbs. The Darwin region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season. The city is noted for its consistently warm to hot climate, all throughout the year. Prone to cyclone activity during the wet season, Darwin experiences heavy monsoonal downpours and spectacular lightning shows. During the dry season, the city is met with blue skies and gentle sea breezes from the harbour.

The greater Darwin area is the ancestral home of the Larrakia people. On 9 September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin harbour during its surveying of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region "Port Darwin" in honour of their former shipmate Charles Darwin, who had sailed with them on the ship's previous voyage which had ended in October 1836. The settlement there became the town of Palmerston in 1869, and was renamed Darwin in 1911.The city has been almost entirely rebuilt twice, once due to Japanese air raids during World War II, and again after being devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

Mayor of Toowoomba

Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio has been Mayor of the region since 2012. Bringing more than 30 years of local government experience to the role, Paul was previously the Deputy Mayor of the Toowoomba Regional Council in its first amalgamated term, and Mayor of Millmerran Shire Council for eight years, having served continuously on Council from 1982-2008.

As Mayor of one of Australia's most family friendly cities, Paul leads the region at a time of intense growth and development. The current and projected spend in the broader region is estimated at more than $11 billion dollars which includes the construction of the much anticipated Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, one of Australia's largest ever inland road projects.

Paul is the founding Chair of the Darling Downs South West Queensland Council of Mayors and a director of the Council of Mayors South East Queensland which collectively represents in in seven Australians.

Mayor Antonio continues to advocate for Toowoomba's place on the planned Brisbane to Melbourne Inland Rail Line and is an executive member of the alliance of Local Governments likely to be impacted by the project.
Paul is also leading the business community to position Toowoomba as the transport and logistics hub of Queensland and Australia.

Other significant initiatives delivered under Paul's leadership include an extensive flood recovery and mitigation program for Toowoomba following the devastating floods of 2011 and 2013; declaration of the region a Refugee Welcome Zone; and hosting one of Queensland's largest White Ribbon Day events promoting peace particularly in families and homes.

Paul holds a Diploma of Agriculture, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has held of number of board positions.

Serving as patron of a number of local associations, Paul is also a White Ribbon Ambassador.

In his time away from Council the Mayor continues his interest in the family farming operation west of Millmerran concentrating on the production of Angus beef and grain.


Toowoomba

Toowoomba (nicknamed 'The Garden City' and the 'Queen City') is a city in the

Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. It is located 125 km (78 mi) west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The estimated population of Toowoomba as of 2016 is 165,168. A university and cathedral city, that hosts the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers each September and national championship events for the sports of mountain biking and motocross. There are more than 150 public parks and gardens in Toowoomba.It has developed into a regional centre for business and government services. It is also referred to as the capital of the Darling Downs.

It is the sixteenth-largest city in Australia, the sixth largest in Queensland, after Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Cairns. Toowoomba is the most populous inland city in the country after the national capital, Canberra.

Mayor of Ballarat

Councillor Des Hudson was re-elected to Council in October 2012 having

previously held the role of Deputy Mayor in 2007 and 2008. Councillor Hudson was first elected to Council in March 2002 to represent the Sebastopol Ward. 

One of three South Ward Councillors, Councillor Hudson is also a People and Communities Portfolio Councillor.

Councillor Hudson is committed to being actively involved in the growth of Ballarat and in the development of a long term vision for the city. Cr Hudson advocates strongly ensuring all South Ward residents are well represented.

Councillor Hudson is the current President and Life Member of the Ballarat Police Blue Light Committee, Executive Member of the Ballarat & Maryborough Blue Ribbon Foundation, Chairperson of the Ballarat & District Suicide Prevention Network, Project Coordinator of ‘The BUS' Mobile Youth Entertainment Vehicle, Panel Member of the Ballarat and District Soccer Association Disciplinary Tribunal and is a Ballarat White Ribbon Day Ambassador.

Councillor Hudson is a serving member of Victoria Police with 24 years’ service.  He has been awarded both the National Medal and the Ethical Standards Medal and was a Runner-Up in the Victoria Police Youth Officer of the Year.  He is the current Youth Resource Officer for the Ballarat and Pyrenees Local Government Areas.





Ballarat
Ballarat, is a city located on the Yarrowee River and lower western plains of the Great Dividing Range in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately 105 kilometres (65 mi) west-north-west of the state capital, Melbourne. It is the third most populous urban area in the state, with a population of 96,940 It is the state's most populated inland settlement, and third most populated inland settlement in Australia. People from Ballarat are referred to as Ballaratians.

The City of Ballarat local government area encompasses both the Greater Ballarat urban area and outlying towns, with an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi), and has an urban area population of 93,501.Ballarat is its most populous urban centre, seat of local government and administrative centre.

It was named by Scottish squatter Archibald Yuille who established the first settlement − his sheep run called Ballaarat − in 1837, with the name derived from a local Wathaurong Aboriginal word for the area, balla arat, thought to mean "resting place". The present spelling was officially adopted by the City of Ballarat in 1996.

The Eureka Rebellion began in Ballarat, and the only armed rebellion in Australian history, the Battle of Eureka Stockade, took place on 3 December 1854. In response to the event the first male suffrage in Australia was instituted and as such Eureka is interpreted by some as the origin of democracy in Australia. The gold rush and boom gave birth to many other significant cultural legacies. The rebellion's symbol, the Eureka Flag has become a national symbol and is held at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka in Ballarat. Other nationally significant heritage structures include the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, established 1857, the best example of a regional botanic gardens in Australia with the greatest concentration of public statuary including the official Prime Ministers Avenue; the longest running lyric theatre building, Her Majesty's, established 1875; the first municipal observatory, established 1886; and the earliest and longest memorial avenue, the Avenue of Honour, established between 1917 and 1919.

Proclaimed a city in 1871, its prosperity continued until late in the 19th century, after which its importance relative to both Melbourne and Geelong rapidly faded with the slowing of gold extraction. It has endured as a major regional centre hosting the rowing and kayaking events from the 1956 Summer Olympics. It is the commercial capital of the Central Highlands and the largest city in the Goldfields region of Victoria—a significant tourist destination. Ballarat is known for its history, culture and its well-preserved Victorian era heritage.

Mayor of Bendigo

Lockwood Ward Councillor, Rod Fyffe, was formally elected as Mayor of Greater Bendigo City

Council on Tuesday November 10, 2015.

During his inaugural speech, Cr Fyffe said Council’s top priority must be to deliver the projects and strategies identified in the Council Plan.

“This includes having construction underway on the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre, the Bendigo Airport redevelopment and the Bendigo Stadium expansion,” Cr Fyffe said.

“It also includes investing in our city’s health and wellbeing by expanding our network of shared pathways for walkers and cyclists, and continuing to invest in maintaining the city’s existing infrastructure.

“And it means continuing to implement Council’s big strategies – the Connecting Greater Bendigo: Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy and the Residential Development Strategy, the Hospital Precinct Structure Plan and the Rosalind Park Master Plan.



Bendigo,is a city in Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) north west of the state capital, Melbourne. Bendigo has an urban population of 82,794 making it the fourth largest inland city in Australia and fourth most populous city in the state. It is the administrative centre for the City of Greater Bendigo which encompasses both the urban area and outlying towns spanning an area of approximately 3,000 square kilometres (1,158 sq mi) and over 111,000 people.

The discovery of gold in the soils of Bendigo during the 1850s made it one of the most significant Victorian era boomtowns in Australia. News of the finds intensified the Victorian gold rush bringing an influx of migrants to the city from around the world within a year and transforming it from a sheep station to a major settlement in the newly proclaimed Colony of Victoria. Once the alluvial gold had been mined out, mining companies were formed to exploit the rich underground quartz reef gold. Since 1851 about 780,000 kilograms (25 million troy ounces) of gold. have been extracted from Bendigo's goldmines, making it the highest producing goldfield in Australia in the 19th century and the largest gold mining economy in eastern Australia. It is also notable for its Victorian architectural heritage. The city took its name from the Bendigo Creek and its residents from the earliest days of the goldrush have been called "Bendigonians".

Mayor of Albury-Wodonga

LAST year Albury saw the ascent of its new mayor Henk van de Ven.
He took over the reins from former mayor Cr Kevin Mack who served for two terms from September 2013 to September 2015.
Cr van de Ven’s main goal coming into his new posting was to preserve the future of local government.
Cr van de Ven, who had been on Albury Council for 11 years and served as deputy mayor four times strongly believed that the biggest issue was the future of council.
“We’ve lost indexation on FAG grants, we’ve had to put up the money for Fit for the Future submissions, and there’s rumours and innuendo around about what’s going to happen to councils – that they’re all going to be sacked, they’re all going to be forced to merge, and I think that’s the real hub of the whole issue at the moment,” Cr van de Ven said at that time.
During his term as mayor, Cr van de Ven said he wanted to ensure that the council was well engaged with the community and listened to what it wants for the future progress of the city.
“I think the people of Albury deserve democracy at a local level,” he said.
“I think we’ve got some tough times with the Fit for the Future and possible amalgamations so my aim really is to continue the good work this council has done in the past three years.”



The City of Albury is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The area covers 305.9 square kilometres (118.1 sq mi) to the north of the Murray River. The area extends around 10–12 km east and west along the river from the centre of Albury and up to 20 km north.

Albury is located 460 kilometres (290 mi) to the south–west of Sydney and 260 kilometres (160 mi) to the north–east of Melbourne. The national Hume Highway passes through the area. Other major road transport links include the Riverina Highway that commences east of Albury and runs west to Deniliquin; and north of Albury, the Olympic Highway connects Albury with Cowra. The city forms a major crossing point of the Murray River and also the railway junction of the Main Southern line with the North East line.

Albury was declared a municipality in 1859 and proclaimed a city in 1946.

The Mayor of the City of Albury is Cr. Henk van de Ven.

Mayor of Launceston

Albert Van Zetten (born 12 April 1954) is an Australian politician and the current Mayor of

Launceston, Tasmania. He was formerly CEO of City Mission Launceston, and worked as an accountant. He lives in Riverside with his wife Lyndle.

He is well known for his opposition to the Bell Bay Pulp Mill.

The Launceston City Council consists of 12 aldermen elected by the community. 

On 21 March 1994, following the introduction of the new Local Government Act 1993 (January 1994) the Launceston City Council reaffirmed that its elected members be called aldermen instead of councillors. From October 2014, Aldermen serve a four-year term of office.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Launceston City Council are likewise elected by public vote at Council Election every four years. The elected candidate must also be elected as an Alderman to be eligible for the position.

Information for voters at Launceston City Council Elections

There is a Code of Conduct for Aldermen (PDF 420KB) that the Aldermen must adhere to.

The Council will reimburse expenditure incurred by the Aldermen in undertaking their role as an Alderman on behalf of the Council. Mayor and Aldermens Expenses Resources Policy (PDF 64KB)

Guidelines are provided to Aldermen with regard to accurate records being made, of activities and decisions of Aldermen, undertaken whilst acting in their official capacity on behalf of the Council.  Record Keeping for Alderment Policy (PDF 25KB)

For information on previous Mayors and Aldermen please email the Council.



The City of Launceston is a local government area of Tasmania, encompassing about half of the greater Launceston area in northern Tasmania. It also includes a region to the north east of Launceston, encompassing towns such as Lilydale. The population residing in this area, 67,190, is the highest of any Local Government Area in Tasmania.

This area is governed by the Launceston City Council, led by a mayor and eleven other aldermen. The current mayor is Albert Van Zetten, who defeated Legislative Councillor Ivan Dean in the 2007 council elections. Dean's predecessor, Janie Dickenson, was, at the time of her election, the youngest female mayor in Australia. She was first elected mayor in February 2002 at the age of 27.

Professional integrity, passion and meticulous planning are only some of the attributes Mayor

Deirdre Comerford is renowned for region wide. Having grown up on a cane farm near Eton, Cr Comerford possesses a sound understanding of the region's diverse economic drivers. She cares deeply about her community and its people.

First elected to Mackay City Council in 1994, she retired as Deputy Mayor in 2004 to adopt her two children from Taiwan. Re-elected in 2008 she held the Water and Waste Water portfolio. In 2012 she was elected Mayor of Mackay Regional Council.

Prior to council she worked for the Justice Department Public Trust Office administering deceased estates and managing the financial affairs of clients. This valuable experience allowed her to develop an appreciation for processes, a keen eye for detail and an impeccable memory. She then became a Real Estate agent and it was in this role she discovered her passion for land use planning.

Cr Comerford is proud of her leadership role with the Cairns-Townsville-Mackay Water Alliance (which won the 2011 National Award for Asset and Financial Management), the $154M wastewater recycling project irrigating 2800ha of farmland, establishment of the 10 bed drug and alcohol residential facility in Mackay, and Lest We Forget Soldier Street Naming Project to name a few.

Encouraging others to reach his/her full potential, Cr Comerford devoted much time and energy in implementing the first mentoring program in Queensland for staff and councillors. Cr Comerford was State President of the Australian Local Government Women's Association and served 11 years on the State and National Executives. She now serves on the LGAQ Policy Executive representing Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region.

Cr Comerford's wide involvement in community service includes Charter Member and Past President of the Pioneer Quota Club, a service club for businesswomen. She is a Trustee of the Macrossan and Amiet Charitable Foundation, Artspace Foundation, Mackay Community Foundation, Life Member of Mackay Tourism, Chair of Diversify Mackay Leadership Alliance, Chair of Whitsunday ROC, Deputy Chair of Regional Capitals Australia , Regional Co-ordinator International Adoptive Families of Queensland, a volunteer for 23 years at the Mater Hospital and has served on numerous other community groups over many years.

Happily married for more than 33 years to husband Brett, the couple's two children are aged 12 and 10.

Mackay,is a city and its centre suburb in the Mackay Region on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. It is located about 970 kilometres (603 mi) north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar.

There is controversy about the location of the region for administrative purposes, with most people referring to it as a part of either Central Queensland or North Queensland. Indeed, much confusion lies within the Queensland Government, with government services being provided through both Townsville (North Queensland) and Rockhampton (Central Queensland). Generally, the area is known as the Mackay–Whitsunday Region.

Mayor of Rockhampton

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.

Mayor of Bunbury

THE new Mayor of the City of Bunbury is Gary Brennan after tonight’s count at the City of

Bunbury offices.

Mr Brennan was previously a City of Bunbury CEO for six years as well as a ministerial chief of staff in the state government to Bunbury MLA John Castrilli. 

During the campaign Mr Brennan listed his strengths as being in leadership, team building and community engagement.

The newly elected Mayor of Bunbury thanked his supporters and outgoing Mayor David Smith in his inaugural speech. 

"It's an honour to take on this responsibility and I am going to deliver the things I think Bunbury wants to have delivered through their Mayor."

"I am looking forward to working with a very dedicated team of councillors."

"I want to thank the people who supported me through the ballot." 

For the first few weeks of the campaign Mr Brennan and his team ran their campaign from North America as he was travelling.

Mr Brennan paid respect to outgoing Mayor David Smith and said it was "a tough job" and a very onerous task to be the Mayor of Bunbury.

Eight candidates ran for the position of Mayor in a tightly fought contest where Mr Brennan received 21.45 percent of the vote (1636) while Michelle Steck was second on 18.13 percent (1383) and incumbent Mayor David Smith was third on 17.95 percent (1369).  

7628 votes were returned in this election accounting for around 35 percent of the eligible voting population.  

Grab your copy of the Bunbury Mail this Wednesday to find out more about our new Mayor and his plans for the City. 

To see exactly how the counting of the votes in this year's election took place visit our live coverage pages which includes a photo gallery of the night's proceedings here. 

The City of Bunbury is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, covering an area of 65.7 square kilometres (25.4 sq mi) along the coast about 180 kilometres (112 mi) south of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The City of Bunbury is one of four local governments comprising the Greater Bunbury sub-region. As at 30 June 2010, the City of Bunbury had an estimated population of 34,626.

Mayor of Bundaberg

MORE than 35 new mayors are expected to step into the roles, with Queensland’s peak local

government body pointing to “voter grumpiness” in the bush and upheaval in indigenous communities as counting continues.

Former Queensland police minister Jack Dempsey was among the new faces claiming victory in the aftermath of Saturday’s election. The newly-elected Bundaberg mayor, who secured 70 per cent from more than three-quarters of the tallied votes, vowed to set the national standard in running a local government and called on the State Government to make it more affordable to live in Queensland.

Mr Dempsey said he had been “unshackled” from a political party to focus on making the Bundaberg region one of the best in the country. He planned to boost local jobs and use the Bundaberg port to increase the agricultural economy of the region, which he said nets in $550 million a year in fresh produce. “There is enormous potential for our port to promote produce out of our region,” he said.

“I want to show all of Australia what a beautiful region this is. I want to have the best operating council in Australia which will boost our local economy.”

The local government shake-up which was expected to be smaller than the changes in the 2012 election result, was being witnessed more in rural communities.

“The voter grumpiness was in the bush,” Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam said.

“We saw some really high-profile, long-term mayors like Rob Loughnan at Maranoa … some of the longer-serving people in local government lose their seats.’’

He said the turnover in the 17 indigenous communities was also particularly high .

There was stability in the southeast corner where voters backed incumbent mayors such as Ipswich’s Paul Pisasale and the Gold Coast’s Tom Tate.

Mr Hallam said the return of the leaders was a sign of confidence in the administrations.

“Tom Tate (Gold Coast), Graham Quirk (Brisbane), Paul Pisasale (Ipswich), Allan Sutherland (Moreton Bay), Mark Jamieson (Sunshine Coast), Paul Antonio (Toowoomba), they got very high votes – and most of their council was returned,” he said.

The City of Bundaberg was a local government area located in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, encompassing the centre and inner suburbs of the regional city of Bundaberg. The city covered an area of 95.5 square kilometres (36.9 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity in various forms from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the surrounding area to form the Bundaberg Region.

Mayor of Coffs Harbour

The Coffs Coast is a place very close to my heart, one in which my children grew up, I want to

see it grow and thrive for the children of the future.
I have lived in Sawtell with my husband Christopher for the past 32 years and am the mother of three children - Katherine, David and Amy - and the proud grandmother of two fantastic grandchildren. 

I am a Registered Nurse by profession and have worked both in the Emergency Department of  the Coffs Harbour Health Campus and, more recently, at Baringa Hospital.  
I am actively involved in current health issues, local theatre and many fund-raisers for the community.  You might say I am a bit of an all-rounder as I’m  interested in sport and promoting tourism in this wonderful area.  I work for the community by providing a different dimension to Council.

During my term, Council has achieved many of mine and the community’s  goals.  These include building a long-awaited state-of-the-art skate park, a revitalised boat ramp and a popular coastal walk. The transformation of the Jetty Foreshores is well underway while renewal of the  City Centre has begun, as well as many other projects of which I am passionate.  I am still working towards getting an entertainment centre up and running, which I hope will including a new library and art gallery.

The City of Coffs Harbour (Also known as Coffs Harbour City Council) is a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area under administration is 1,175 square kilometres (454 sq mi), expanded in 2004 to take in parts of the former Pristine Waters local government area.

The administrative seat is located in Coffs Harbour; and the area is adjacent to the Pacific Highway, and the North Coast railway line.

The Mayor of the City of Coffs Harbour is Denise Knight, an independent politician.

Mayor of Wagga Wagga

CHANGE to Wagga City Council's leadership team was touted in the lead-up and delivered on Monday night.

Councillor Dallas Tout was elected deputy mayor unopposed at the council meeting, replacing Councillor Andrew Negline.

Mayor Rod Kendall withstood a challenge from Councillor Paul Funnell to retain his position at the helm for another 12 months.

Councillor Kendall won 6-4 in an open vote, with Cr Funnell backed by himself and councillors Negline, Yvonne Braid and Kerry Pascoe.

Councillor Julian McLaren was absent for the vote.

Moments after his victory, Cr Tout stressed leadership sat with the entire council, not the two individuals elected to lead them.

"To me the deputy mayor position, and the mayoral position in some ways, is more a representation than a leadership," Cr Tout told The Daily Advertiser on Monday night.

"People call them leadership positions, (but) I don't really do that.

"To me, the leadership still sits within the core group of 11 councillors."

Cr Tout, who works as a finance manager at Charles Sturt University, said the role was another step towards "correctly representing the feelings and the thoughts of the other councillors" regardless of the forum.

Having spent three terms on Gundagai Shire Council (GSC) - including time as deputy mayor - Cr Tout said he would use the relationships he has already forged with other councils to the city's advantage.

"With the local government review going on now, and what's going to happen there, part of that representation is all about relationships," he said.

"I think those kind of networks (developed with GSC) are going to help us moving forward in what's going to be very turbulent times in the next 12 months in local government regionally and across the state."

Cr Tout's wife, Janine, was surprised he was elected unopposed, but said he was driven when it came to local government.

Mayor of Hervey Bay

Mayor Chris Loft

Phone: 0418 227 142
Email: chris.loft@frasercoast.qld.gov.au

A Fraser Coast resident for more than 30 years, I have had experience as a small business consultant and accountant, and owned several businesses during that time.

I am excited at the potential for the Fraser Coast.  We are fortunate to have such diversity across our region and I am passionate about promoting an inclusive community which inspires confidence and boosts our local economy.

It is my goal over the next four years to build a better Council and look forward to working with the community to achieve our potential.

Mayor of Shepparton-Mooroopna

I am a long term resident and business owner, with a passion for the region and a commitment to make a meaningful contribution.

Cr Dennis Patterson
Cr Dennis Patterson
I am a team player with a community focus. I want to see Greater Shepparton become a regional powerhouse of country Victoria. I recognise that Greater Shepparton has a lot of good things to offer, such as our strong community, and our natural environment.

Committee appointments

Greater Shepparton Aerodrome Advisory Committee
Murray Darling Association
RiverConnect Community Advisory Committee
Shepparton Liquor Licensing Accord
Shepparton Showgrounds Advisory Committee
Tatura Park Advisory Board
Contact details

Phone: 0427 935 282
Email: dennis.patterson@shepparton.vic.gov.au

Mayor of Gladstone-Tannum Sands

Today I announce my intention to nominate for the position of Mayor of the Gladstone Regional Council at the Local Government election on 19th March 2016.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my role of Deputy Mayor, but a cross section of the community is asking me to step up and nominate for Mayor.

I believe after almost sixteen years' experience in Local Government, five of those years serving as Deputy Mayor, it's time.

My campaign will be based on the issues that many residents have raised with me.

I won't be campaigning as part of any team, but if elected as Mayor, I will closely and co-operatively work with all Councillors as chosen by the people.

During my time as Councillor and Deputy Mayor, I have always had the best interests of the community at heart, and that will continue should I be elected Mayor of the Gladstone Regional Council.

Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett.
Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett.
Brenda Strong
I have been fortunate to have learnt much from the three Mayors with whom I have worked since my election to Council in 2000, and each of them has impacted on my goals for the region in some way.

However, I pledge to provide the Gladstone Region with the change of leadership many residents are now seeking.

Over recent times I have had many pass the comment to me that as a Council we should be doing better.

Those comments have been part of my decision to run for the position of Mayor, and I give my assurance that I am dedicated and determined to deliver for the whole of the Gladstone Region.

Before making my final decision, I sought advice from several long term local identities from every area of the Region.

Each of those people has closely watched the changes in the Region and I greatly value every helpful view and opinion.

I believe the people are best served by all candidates showing respect and value for each other's skills, knowledge and beliefs, and that's what my campaign will reflect.

I have never, and will never participate in a negative, nasty campaign.

Regardless of what may be thrown at me I will remain positive and focussed on my priority goal, which is always striving to better the Gladstone Region.

Mayor of Port Macquarie

Peter Edward Besseling (born 8 March 1970) is an Australian politician. Besseling is

the Mayor of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, elected on 8 September 2012, as an independent candidate.Besseling served as Member for Port Macquarie between 2008 and 2011.

Prior to entering politics, he was a professional rugby union player.

As one of four children, Peter grew up with his family on a property north-west of Sydney along the Hawkesbury River.  His early working days were with an equipment rental company, moving from equipment service to management.

An introduction to rugby union led him to train with Sydney University, and a debut in First Grade that same year for the club.

In 1995, Peter and his wife Meaghan, moved west of Wauchope to Byabarra, in order to start a family and run a wholesale palm business.  A year later, rugby union turned professional and Peter took up a contract offer with the Brumbies in Canberra.

Having moved back to the Mid North Coast following the birth of his daughter, Peter assisted his rugby teammate Rob Oakeshott in his successful campaign to become the NSW Member for Port Macquarie, before again being lured south to run the Development Program for rugby union in Western Sydney, managing five development officers and playing for Penrith.

In 1999 and as captain of the Penrith team, Peter was selected for both NSW and for Australia A and capped off a wonderful year by winning the Ken Catchpole Medal for best Sydney premiership player. The following year, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his services to rugby for his work with rugby development.

In 2001, Peter accepted a contract with IBM Japan and moved with his family to Chiba, just outside Tokyo, for three years.

Returning home, he teamed up once more with Rob Oakeshott to become his Senior Advisor and was then elected to the NSW Parliament in 2008 following a by-election for the vacant seat of Port Macquarie, which he held until 2011.

Peter was elected Mayor of Port Macquarie-Hastings in the 2012 Local Government Election.

Mayor of Tamworth

Councillor Maureen Gant has been sworn in as the new Mayor of Tamworth at the

Annual Council meeting held at Tamworth Town Hall.

Cllr Gant was appointed to the role by unanimous vote, after the opposition did not propose an alternative candidate. Opposition Group Leader Cllr Simon Peaple said: “We will not propose an alternative candidate for Mayor, due to the fact that we have enormous respect for Cllr Gant and for the way she conducts herself.”

Following the vote, Cllr Gant said: “Thank you for having bestowed on me the honour and privilege of serving as Mayor of Tamworth.”

She thanked outgoing Mayor, Cllr Richard Kingstone, for the ‘fantastic job’ he did during his year in office, and thanked Mayoress Lisa Kingstone for her ‘unstinting support’. She added: “You are a hard act to follow”.

Cllr Gant also announced that her charities during her year in office will be Tamworth Talking Newspapers and Tamworth Samaritans.

Outgoing Mayor Cllr Richard Kingstone said: He said: “The past year has just whizzed by and it has been such fantastic fun. It has been a huge privilege to be your Mayor and to meet so many wonderful Tamworth people. This is something that we will remember for the rest of our lives. At the same time, my wife Lisa and I have raised around £2,500 for our two chosen charities – St Giles Hospice and The Pathway Project.

“I've also presented more than 300 Be Tamworth badges, spoken in too many school assemblies to mention, hosted almost 100 different Tamworth-based voluntary groups to special 'thank you' receptions in the Town Hall, handed out flagpoles and flags to several primary and secondary schools and much, much more.

“We have been to some amazing places and met some amazing people. We knew that Tamworth was good, but we didn’t know it was that good. It is a brilliant place filled with amazing people.

“We hear claims that the town centre is dying, but in my year as Mayor, I have been asked to open nine small businesses in Tamworth. These are people who are prepared to invest in Tamworth and drive the town forward. Tamworth is not dying, but is evolving into something new and we need to encourage that.

“I have really been very lucky and would like to thank the people of Tamworth for their special support. None of this though would have been possible without the support of Derek, Roger and Lin who make up the civic team. They have looked after me and enabled the duties of the Mayor to run without a hitch.

“I would also like to thank Lisa, my wife. Without her acting as my conscience I would have made many mistakes. Tamworth is an amazing place full of the most delightful, funny and incredible people. I am proud to have been your Mayor."

Mayor of Orange

I have lived and worked in Orange for most of my life. I went to school here and have

children now bringing up their families here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

For good reason, every day new residents are calling Orange home.

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in April last year found that the
population of Orange was growing faster than almost any other country centre in the state and was ahead of many parts of Sydney.

Nine of the ten fastest growing local government areas outside the Sydney were in inland NSW and Orange was 3rd on that list.

The most recent Census data shows that Orange’s population grew by 7.7 % up from 35,339 in 2006 to 38,057 in 2011.

And the largest age group in Orange is the 0-4 year olds and anyone that has been to an event in Orange can attest to the happy stampede of young families, of toddlers and strollers.

I understand what attracts people to live here.

In Orange, I see the best PCYC in NSW with indoor courts, cutting-edge gymnastic equipment and more than 3000 members. I see a Regional Conservatorium with more than 900 talented young students finding their feet and the hitting right notes in the world of music. I see an indoor aquatic centre that delivers year round activities and I see more than 500 hectares of open recreation space and parks.

If there is a better example in Australia of a Victorian era park than Orange’s Cook Park then it would certainly be worth seeing.

In Orange, I see a growing education sector and a university with vision to expand. I see at a cost of $290 million plus the newest and best hospital in the State offering services to close to half of NSW.

I see a city at the heart of regional economy with a gross regional product of around $2 billion. I see wide, tree-lined streets and a buoyant retail sector. And I see Orange as a food and wine destination rivalling and surpassing longer established areas across the country. I see a diversity of industry and employment opportunities from mining to health and from winemaking to boiler making. I see four distinct seasons of which my highlights are the colours of Autumn and the vibrancy of Spring.

Mayor of Geraldton

Like Durack's Labor candidate, when Shane Van Styn was preselected by the

Nationals he was facing a virtual mission impossible to unseat Liberal Back Bencher Barry Haase from his very safe Liberal seat he had held for 15 years. Since then Mr Haase has announced his retirement and the Australian political landscape has been reshaped by the return of Prime Minister Rudd.
Mr Van Styn is a City of Greater Geraldton Councillor, business owner and accountant. In 2011 he was fined $15,000 and banned from any involvement in a licensed premises for three years after an employee died from acute alcohol toxicity in a Geraldton nightclub owned by Mr Van Styn.
Mr Van Styn is continuing something of a Nationals' tradition in saying he will vote against coalition policies where he believes they are at odds with the Durack electorate. He is calling for a moratorium on unconventional gas due to the potential for groundwater pollution from shale gas fracking. He's at odds with state Nationals in that he doesn't believe controversial plans to develop James Price Point north of Broome should proceed.
Mr Van Styn has a more conventional Nationals position around other development issues in the seat of Durack.

Mayor of Dubbo

While the year has started off positively for Dubbo with businesses generally

recording good Christmas sales numbers and events and projects for this year starting to roll out already, it is hard to think about long-term strategies and positive progress for Dubbo at the moment with the threat of a merger hanging over our heads. 
I encourage everyone to read the Merger Proposal document on the State Government Web site at www.councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au so you can gain more information on the proposal. I must admit to being incredibly disappointed with the quality of the document in my readings so far. The more I read the more inaccuracies I pick up. If one of my children was handing this in for a high school assignment I would be disappointed with the lack of attention to detail and just the plain inaccuracies in the document. Given that this will be the most important process in Dubbo’s history since our amalgamation with Talbragar Shire Council on 1 April 1980, I was hoping for a document of accurate and unbiased information to allow the people in our community to have a fair say on the proposal. 
We are sending off information to the State Government highlighting some of the mistakes in the document in the hope they will be corrected and a new copy placed on the Web site. To give you but a few examples, on Page 10 a table lists the number of dwellings in Wellington as 15,934. Anyone familiar with the area would know this is more than their total population! It is an amateur copy and paste error as that is the number of dwellings in Dubbo. On Page 7 the number of residents are listed in Dubbo and Wellington as 41,573 and 8,951 with the new combined population cited as 50,627. A ten-year-old could tell you that those numbers add up to 50,524. Only a basic error I admit but it points to the level of accuracy in the document. In fact, the Government is not even clear on the population of Wellington. On Page 7 the population is 8,951 and on Page 11 the population is listed in a table as 9,054. It becomes much worse when you start looking at philosophical errors. I quote from the document: “These communities [Dubbo and Wellington] have a common heritage in both agriculture and mining.” In my opinion, after “four years of extensive consultation, research and analysis” as quoted in the document, I would have hoped that someone would have worked out neither Wellington nor Dubbo have any mines (yet) and Dubbo only employs 2.8 per cent of our employees in agriculture compared to Wellington’s 21.7 per cent. 
For Dubbo ratepayers though, they should be most worried by the statement on Page 8. “The two councils are projecting divergent operating performance over the next 10 years. Dubbo City Council forecasts that its negative operating ratio will improve as it brings in more revenue than it spends, while Wellington Council projects that its expenses will grow faster than income over the same period.”
I would strongly encourage you to have a say – the submission form is open now at www.councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au and it is very easy to send in your submission. People power will hopefully win the day in this scenario.
On the positive side, we have the solid backing of our local Member and the Deputy Premier, Troy Grant. I have often said that it is fantastic having the Deputy Premier as the local Member and Troy does an excellent job undertaking both roles. At our time of need when we need someone sitting at the table with our best interests at heart, it is comforting to know he is backing Dubbo to stay as a standalone Council.

Mayor of Busselton

City of Busselton Councillors and Officers offer their support and well wishes to Mayor Ian Stubbs who announced today that he would not be standing for re-election in the forthcoming Local Government Council elections.

Deputy Grant Henley said that on both a professional and personal level he had learnt a great deal working alongside Mayor Stubbs.

“Ian’s involvement in Local Government goes back to 1968, but despite this amazing breadth of experience he never took anything for granted. He constantly questioned things and was always looking at new or better ways to serve the community. He stood by his decisions and respected the opinions of others; he’s been a really strong Mayor who provided great wisdom and guidance and was a great mentor for new Councillors. He will be missed at the table.”

CEO Mike Archer said that Mayor Stubbs has guided the City through many challenging but exciting periods. “Both as an organisation and a community we’ve benefited enormously from having a Mayor with so much knowledge of and experience with Local Government – that doesn’t happen very often.  We’ve achieved so many important milestones over the past few years and Mayor Stubbs has played an integral role in them all. 

He was passionate about the Shire pursuing City status. He was the driver behind the City’s strategic push to become the Events Capital of WA and he’s worked really hard to build important relationships with neighbouring Local Governments to advance the South West region.

He successfully advocated for Government grant funding to pursue major projects such as the Busselton and Dunsborough Foreshore redevelopments and, most recently, expansion of the Busselton Regional Airport.  He’s done all this with the view to growing jobs and opportunities here in the City of Busselton.

Perhaps, most importantly is the work Mayor Stubbs has done behind the scenes to instil stronger governance practices within the organisation and greater community engagement. This legacy will continue to serve the organisation and the community well into the future.”

Mayor Ian Stubbs was elected onto the then Busselton Shire Council in 2007. He was voted in as Shire President in 2009. He re-stood for Council in October 2011 and was re-elected and voted in unopposed by fellow Councillors for a second term as Shire President. He became the Municipality’s first Mayor when the Shire of Busselton became the City of Busselton in January 2012.