My parting address to Council

(Said at my final meeting as a Councillor for South Ward, City of Joondalup.)

When I was elected, I was full of hope that I could make a positive difference. And upon leaving, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the differences I have made that make me proud.

I’d like to do that, but unfortunately, they are too few to list and like any Council decision, can be overturned in the future.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t for want of trying. And I’m sure some around this table might attest to just how trying they found me!

But the hoops I had to jump through, just to try, for example: • To get written agreement not to rezone part of Percy Doyle reserve for commercial purposes • Turn the tide on the decision to lease out our leisure centre • Stop a spend of $2.15 million on a Chinese garden, or even • Help residents with a basketball pad that exceeded noise regulations.

To my mind, getting things like these done seemed disproportionately difficult. And my positive progress in general hasn’t amounted to nearly what I had hoped for.

The best I can say for the motions I put forward that went my way is that they were a compromise that tempered decisions which I opposed – or… after many exhaustive attempts, I got changes over the line when (as for example with the HOAs) a lot of damage had already been done and it was all a bit late in the day.

I actually made my decision not to run for Council this time, around Easter of 2022. But I stuck it out and can honestly say that I have continued to fight for fairness and in the interests of Joondalup’s residents and ratepayers - to the best of my ability and understanding – right up until the last. So I guess in the end, that is what I am most proud of.

For those running this time, if you hope- as I did – to genuinely serve our community, I offer you this advice:

Think critically about all the information you receive. Read the reports, read around the reports and ask the hard questions. Don’t let anyone tell you that this is not your role or that you must simply go along with a report’s recommendation.

And remember that neither the CEO - nor any elected official - is your boss. The ratepayers hired you and you make answer to them. Which is not to say that the squeakiest wheels amongst them should get the most grease – a good Councillor acts with fairness and in the whole community’s best interests, not just on what seems most popular.

If you do that, I believe you will be a good Councillor and community advocate – but as I have alluded to already, temper your expectations on how far that will get you.

Hope that the rest of the Councillors around you will also carefully read the reports, and around the reports and without prejudice, make their decisions, based on what is most fair and beneficial for the ratepayers.

Hope that when the debates happen, good reason will be listened to - and will carry the day. But also know that this is not something you can control - and the chances that it will happen are far from guaranteed.

And be prepared that - in standing your ground - you may well have to face vitriol, bullying and personal attacks – the depth of which caught be by surprise, at times…

But of course, if being a good Councillor is your aim, I am sure you do hope you can make a positive difference, if you didn’t, you simply wouldn’t bother running. I wish you luck.