I am a senior town planner working in development assessment at Wagga Wagga City Council, having commenced with WWCC in the early 2000s. I feel a strong connection to regional NSW after spending almost my whole life in Wagga, moving to the city from Dubbo at the age of 7.

I have been a member of the Committee of Management for the past two years and am seeking re-election to the Committee of Management so I can continue to help contribute to the strategic operation of the union and to achieving positive outcomes for the benefit of the whole membership. Having lived with cancer for the past five years, I also believe that I bring a unique insight to the Committee, as an individual balancing a serious medical condition with full-time work.

As a delegate, as well as chair of my Council’s Consultative Committee, I am a keen advocate on day-to-day industrial matters. However, I also hold a keen interest in depa’s role providing professional advocacy and support for the various professions represented by the union, particularly to government in these times of seemingly consistent reform within the planning system and local government.

I believe that it is important to be involved on the Management Committee of depa to make an active contribution to the promotion of the various professionals it represents. I will support the promotion of depa to ensure that member views are represented and appropriate employment conditions are maintained. I will also contribute to the strategic policy settings of the union as well as the Local Government Award and other legislative changes which may affect our professions. The union has a demonstrated history of sound advocacy for the members that I will seek to continue in a professional manner and to further the objectives of the union.

Our union is a well run organisation which delivers excellent results to our members in a cost effective manner which will be maintained by increasing our membership and maintaining good management practices.

I will continue to advance our members’ workplace conditions and strengthen our professional standing in local government and the community through my involvement with and leadership of the Management Committee.

I started my career as a Student Environmental Health and Building Surveyor at North Sydney Council, followed by 8.5 years as a Building Surveyor at Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby Councils. After completing studies in urban and regional planning, I had a sea and career change moving to Great Lakes Council as a town planner. I now live in Newcastle, working at Newcastle City Council as an urban planner.

My experience in a diverse range of development and environmental roles in both metropolitan and regional councils provides me with a good understanding of the varied challenges that depa members can face.

I believe it is important to actively contribute to depa to ensure the continued growth and success of the association, and for the past 6 years I have served as a committee member on the Committee of Management. I will continue to advocate to ensure the best possible outcomes for members in all policy and legislative changes.

I have been a committed member of this association since I began my career as a health and building surveyor in local government back in the early 80s.

I have a deep conviction in preserving the rights and benefits of all local government employees and in particular professionals within the planning, health and building field for which depa currently represents.

I find great purpose in the role of committee member of depa as it keeps me up to date with all the current industrial issues and challenges that face local government and further provides me with the ability to participate and represent my fellow members on all award negotiations.

It also provides me with an insight to some of the organisations and individuals that may not be looking after the interest of their employees and to do something about it.

I am a senior development assessment officer at Coffs Harbour City Council, having worked in local government for the past 15 years as a town planner in various development assessment roles. I am currently a depa delegate and also represent members on the consultative committee. In my time as a delegate I have been involved in a range of industrial activities, including a restructure and more recently the negotiation of an enterprise agreement.

For the last two years I have served on the depa Committee of Management. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I am seeking re-election this year.

Having worked in development assessment, I appreciate the ongoing challenges and pressures that environmental and development professionals regularly face in local government. As a delegate and member of the Committee of Management I have had the opportunity to see first hand the important role that depa plays in supporting members in the workplace and providing constructive and effective input into the local government industry.

I look forward to an opportunity to continue my role on the Committee of Management.

After my first term on the committee I have developed a desire to continue what I consider an important contribution to our profession and organisation.

Along with my 30 years in local government and membership of our association, I have represented depa on Council consultative committees, many years as chair. I maintain qualifications and practical application across the roles of building, development and environmental health and maintain an understanding how these roles are impacted professionally and industrially in the current local government environment.

I believe that I have developed and maintain a skill set that not only provides a practical endorsement of our current association’s position but the ability to openly review and enhance its direction to provide contemporary application to its long held mission.

I would very much like to be part of a leadership group that strives for workplaces that are fair, appropriate and reasonable and reflect this in its policy development and approach and dealings with all industrial matters.

I have over twenty years experience in Local Government, working in a range of positions including Building Surveying, Planning and Environmental Health. I have also worked in a range of Councils including small rural Councils (Bland and Junee Shire), metropolitan (Parramatta City) and large regional Councils (Wyong Shire and now Central Coast).

I believe that my experience in Local Government allows me to better understand the issues faced by depa members and the industry in general. I have also been the depa delegate at Parramatta City and Bland Shire Councils so I’ve had considerable experience representing members on various workplace reform committees, consultative committees and in the IRC.

I am extremely proud of the role that depa plays within the industrial framework of Local Government and our reputation, whilst hard-earned, speaks for itself. If we’re involved, there’s a fight to be fought.

I’ve been a member of the Committee of Management for nine years now, seven of those as Vice President. During this time I’ve been involved in setting the strategic direction of the association, as well as representing the Union in a number of forums.

I look forward to continuing my role on the depa Committee of Management.

I have been a local Council delegate for over 10 years and am happy to be nominated to join the management group of depa.

I am keen to assist ensuring that the association remains a vital and relevant force into the future for the benefit of all members – current and upcoming.

Phone: 4645 4566
Email:

I am a senior planner at Canterbury-Bankstown Council. I was previously employed at the former Canterbury and was the delegate at Canterbury from 2016 and continued in the role of delegate after the merger with Bankstown City to form Canterbury-Bankstown.

I represented depa on the Consultative Committee both at Canterbury and at Canterbury-Bankstown, including chairing of the CC. For the first 18 months of the merger the Council operated with an interim consultative committee with delegates from Canterbury and Bankstown and I was elected by members to be sole depa representative after the interim period.

I actively participated in the construction of the new structure, appointment and expression of interest processes, policy development and all those other things that need to be done creating a bigger Council. I have a broad knowledge of the new merged organisation, and the industry and I have also worked in the private sector.

I think depa provides value for members in providing professional and capable advice and would like to be elected on the committee to increase my knowledge of employment related issues to that I can better represent my fellow colleagues/depa members.

Phone: 9789 9843
Email:

On 14 May 1984, while the rest of Australia was focused on the release of the gold $1 coin, I started work at a small, timid men’s club called the Health Surveyors’ Association.

I knew, as did some of those who appointed me, that it had the potential to abandon its obsequious and conservative past and grow to be a dynamic, assertive and professional union.

How lucky was I to be given an opportunity like this and how lucky have I been to be supported by members, and (usually) a Committee of Management, equally as committed to being part of a respected, effective voice for our professions in local government.

Government respects our views and ignores them at their peril, employers often fear us (a perfect relationship for any union), other unions can’t match our capacity for immediate Blitzkrieg action and depaNews puts our view dramatically, colourfully and authoritatively in a way our members love. And there is no issue they love more than our December Golden Turd Award.

No-one ever wonders what depa thinks.

While my default mode is charming, good-humoured, patient and diplomatic, we go hard when we need to.

I’ll have another four more years, thanks.

Phone: 9712 5255
Email: