I came to the Shire in the early 1990s, drawn by family and friends near Mulloon Creek at the heart of QPRC. By 1996, I had acquired land there and developed a farm, wetland, and bird sanctuary. Over the years, I expanded the farm into a certified organic property – Landtasia – producing beef and lamb and recycling organic waste (FOGO) into wholesome compost for home and commercial gardens.

In addition to my commitment to regenerative agriculture and the environment, I had a 35-year career in technology, as an entrepreneur and serving as chairman and director in successful private and public enterprises. This experience in enterprise governance informed my work as a Councillor from 2008 to 2016, before the Queanbeyan/Palerang amalgamation. It allowed me to embrace the diversity of opinion that local governance demands while achieving balanced, timely, and financially responsible outcomes.

If elected in 2024, I will again serve the whole shire with integrity, optimism, and professionalism. I am running as an independent candidate, free from party doctrines, social ideologies, or unhealthy needs for control and power. My platform is to listen to the norm in what residents have to say, not the extremes, and represent that in Council’s policies and determinations.

I have a different view of leadership compared to typical political office seekers. They often believe it is you who needs to be led. I see it differently. We are elected to lead the bureaucracy on your behalf. Bureaucracies resist control and prefer to lead rather than be led, which can result in a wild and debilitating ride for residents. We all feel this now with our higher rates and declining essential services.

Since its formation in 2016, QPRC has been economically deteriorating as a result of misguided ambitions to build hundred-million-dollar boondoggles that have buried the residents in Council debt and charges.  Whatever analysis was undertaken at the time, it seems not to have weighed in the capacity of the residents to shoulder such debt.  To prove the bankrupt thinking behind such expenditure approvals, recently the bureaucracy sought a near 100% increase in rates with no, zero, increase in services. When the so-called Special Rate Variation was finally approved at 64% we were told services would decline.  64% higher cost for lower services – this is thanks to Councillors and the Administrator who voted for those boondoggles and rate rises. (See FAQs)

I realise what I say and the frank way I say it will not please everyone. But for those residents seeking lower rates, good core services, competent and respectful local government, a thriving community, and encouraging small businesses to be the great community amenity, employer, and economic generator that they can be, I am your Councillor. I will not shy away from the fight against debt-ridden projects that exploit us all, for someone’s misguided ego.

The elected Councillors are still, in recent Council meetings, approving expenditures put forward by the bureaucracy to spend more money on uncosted projects.  One such project at a July meeting was for Council to go into the EV Charging Station business.  I know from personal experience the set-up cost of such stations is very expensive, yet a majority of the Councillors voted to effectively give the General Manager a blank cheque to start developing them.  How the hell does that work?  Council said it had to raise rates by 64%, and lower our level of road repairs, but still has money to start capital intensive, guaranteed loss-making projects.  It is truly madness.  Actually, its political ambition, ideologies, and simple numerate incompetency! I don’t suffer from such deficiencies.

While Councillors are not actually hired, this election is our opportunity to ‘hire’ the people who will repair the shire and put it on a stable track again. Let’s prioritise skill over ideology and achievement over allegiance. The power IS in your vote. By choosing wisely, we can create a united, prosperous Shire with common strengths and common sense, free from excessive rates, charges, and disrespect.

The problems that the current council has caused all of us are real and will not go away without a complete change of attitude and abilities of the leaders. Click here to read about 4 key issues.