My team has delivered Port Stephens' biggest ever roads budget. We will be building on this and increasing the budget. Safe roads mean safe travel for you and your family, which is why they have been our #1 priority since day one.

Port Stephens has approximately 800kilometres of roads. Tens of thousands of potholes are filled every year, and as soon as they are reported, they are prioritised for filling and get done as quickly as possible. Response times for repairing potholes need to continue to  improve, and we will be working hard to make sure they do.

This term of Council, I moved a motion asking Council to investigate AI technology through cameras attached to our garbage trucks, to proactively identify potholes so that they can be fixed quicker. I will continue pursuing this until we have a fleet of pothole identifying vehicles that travel on every single street in Port Stephens.

Council has sealed kilometers of unsealed road in the past few years, with more to come in the next 12 months, including finishing off East Seaham Road.

Rebuilding heavily used roads is critical to avoiding potholes and reinforcing the road sub-base, and I secured an extra $10million from the NSW Government to get more roads rebuilt. This funding has all been allocated to roads including Rookes Rd Salt Ash, Italia Rd East Seaham,  Swan Bay Rd Swan Bay, Tomaree Rd Shoal Bay, Beach Rd Nelson Bay, Fairlands Rd Medowie, Avenue of the Allies Tanilba Bay, Short St Fingal Bay, Trevally St Nelson Bay and East Seaham Rd East Seaham.

Other roads that have been completed in the past year include the intersection of Gan Gan Rd and Nelson Bay Rd, traffic calming at Ferodale Rd and Brocklesby Rd Medowie, pavement reconstruction at Tanilba Rd Mallabula, widening of Swan Bay Rd, pavement rehabilitation at Clarencetown Rd, road rehabilitation at  Six Mile Road, and road reconstruction at Mount Hall Rd at the intersection of Walker Cres, Raymond Terrace - with many more completed over the past few years.

I have been advocating for more funding as I know we still have hundreds of kilometers of roads that need repair or rebuilding.  I put a motion to Council at the July council meeting requesting Council to write to the appropriate ministers requesting the Federal Government  to substantially increase Council's Federal Assistance Grant for more funding for our local roads. With increased investment from the NSW and Federal Governments, we can make every road in Port Stephens safe for locals and visitors. Our Council stands ready to do the work - we just need the additional funding. I will continue fighting for our fair share from all levels of Government. 

To help us all better understand more about roads, road repairs, road re-seals and roads budgets, I had Council put up a set of video's and FAQ's that explain road maintenance in more detail on Councils website - follow this link to learn more about our roads: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/services/roads-and-pathways/road-maintenance

In 2018, the Council tried to increase your rates by 66% to build an unsustainable wish list of pet projects. Cr Arnott opposed this proposal and was the only Councillor to vote against the proposal the entire way through. Due to the outstanding achievement of Cr Arnott and hundreds of submissions to IPAART, the 66% rate increase was defeated and did not go through. At the 2021 Election, I committed to never trying to raise your rates at the sky high levels of 66% that the former Council attempted.

Your rates have gone up through a rate increase - a much smaller one, as it was revealed to the new Council at the start of this term, that Port Stephens Council had a forecast of an $80 Million dollar budget deficit.  The first year of the Special Rate Variation (SRV) was needed to keep Council financially sustainable. Financial impacts such as the Covid pandemic ceasing airport dividends, millions of dollars for natural disaster recovery, rising inflation way above the rate peg, and over a 40% increase in costs of materials meant the Council was in financial distress, and our community and myself as a new Councillor, had no idea. 

The 2nd and 3rd year of the additional SRV will deliver an additional $7Million dollars into our roads budget, an additional $2Million dollars into protecting our local environment, $2Million dollars towards protecting our local waterways and foreshores, and an additional $1.4Million into our public infrastructure. I heard you loud and clear that you wanted more funding for local roads, so in the absence of sustainable increased funding from other levels of Government, we took action to make sure our roads got the funding they need.  To find out more about where the money from the SRV is being spent, you will find this here: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/council/rate-rise-options/about-special-rate-variation

With my 35 year background in Finance and Financial planning, you will never have to doubt about Councils financial position again. I hold Council to account regularly, with a monthly briefing with the finance team, going through the budget line by line. I am watching closely how Council is spending your money. Council's finances are looking healthier than ever, and we are receiving more grants than ever before. If my team is elected, your rates will not be increasing beyond the level set by the independent tribunal as part of its regular yearly increase determination in the next term of Council.

Every home in Port Stephens now has a green bin. I made this commitment to our community and I am proud to see it has been delivered. Your green waste goes into this bin, and Council's waste partners recycle it into products that they can upsell, which helps our circular economy, helps the environment, and best of all, costs the ratepayers of Port Stephens nothing. I will continue this green bin service, and ensure other rubbish services - green waste drop off days, roadside pickups, garbage and recycling, all remain the same, with no reduction in services.

I will investigate organic waste bins for all of your scraps and organic material, and if required, will ensure this is rolled out at no cost to ratepayers. 

I was sick of seeing Council bins full and overflowing in our peak holiday periods, so I put a motion to Council that was unanimously supported to increase the volume of bin servicing and monitoring during peak periods so that our beautiful Port Stephens does not look like a rubbish dump and instead looks pristine as it should look. 

Sometimes Council's garbage trucks miss a bin or two, and when that occurs, I commit to help any resident get their bin emptied ASAP. Mistakes happen, but they should and will be fixed as soon as possible. 

Housing is one of the most important aspects of a stable life. There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a housing and rental crisis.

Council can do a lot to help out in this space, the most obvious of which is to allow more housing to be built. That's why I'm proud that on this term of Council, we have delivered a Housing Strategy and Housing Supply Plan, which provide the strategic framework for increased density in our existing suburbs, and for new housing in growth areas such as Karuah.

At the same time, Council has responded to the concerns of communities in the Rural West of Port Stephens, and has protected them consistently from development proposals that would massively increase density in quiet, rural areas. I have supported the protection of the rural amenity and when local people talk, I listen.

It is important to protect the amenity of our local communities - to an extent. We should welcome more people into our towns and suburbs, to allow others to experience all that Port Stephens has to offer. We live a great lifestyle in a treasured environment. However, new housing should always be accompanied by appropriate infrastructure. Current residents should never be left behind.

Council is also seeking funding and support to knock down and rebuild derelict Department of Housing homes in Raymond Terrace, to provide social and affordable housing in areas that are close to the CBD.

I also started and chair the Council's Homelessness Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which brings together all 3 levels of Government, and agencies and not-for-profit support organisations to deal with the issue of homelessness, where we work together to drive increases in housing and tackle homelessness at its core, all in collaboration with all of the key players in each meeting.

A council that I lead will be open for business. I want investors to feel confident investing in Port Stephens. I want our community to feel comfortable that investment in Port Stephens will benefit them and protect their lifestyles as much as possible. I want this Council to continue having the lowest Development Application approval times in the entire Hunter. I will make sure that Housing is given the urgency and attention it deserves.

In the 2022-2023 financial year, I supported a budget which has delivered $14million on roads, bridges, footpaths and car parks, $3.1million on drainage, $2.8million on buildings, $2.3million in open spaces and recreational assets. Some projects I have supported include:

• Little Beach for all access

• Refurbishment of the Port Stephens Mobile Library service, which ensures everyone all across Port Stephens has regular access to library services

• Sporting Complex Masterplans for Lakeside and Mallabula

• New amenities building and kiosk at Stuart Park, Hinton

• New amenities building at Yulong Oval, Medowie

Events I have supported include NAIDOC Week, the Newcastle Rugby League Grand Final in Raymond Terrace, Outdoor sunset cinemas at Raymond Terrace, Nelson Bay and Medowie, Friday Flavours at Nelson Bay and Raymond Terrace, Homegrown Medowie, Tastes Like Summer series, Seaham & Nelson Bay community carols, Medowie Christmas Carnival, Christmas activations at Nelson Bay and Raymond Terrace, New Years Eve fireworks at Nelson Bay, Australia Day events at Raymond Terrace, Nelson Bay, Tilligerry and Karuah, Port Stephens Annual Awards, Kids Zone series, the Mayoral Academic Scholarship program, the Peter Wilson Memorial Cup, the Garmin Billfish Shootout at Nelson Bay, the NSW Game Fish Championship at Nelson Bay, Seniors Week, Port Stephens Produce Market, International Women's Day Scholarship, Clean Up Australia Day, Youth Week, ANZAC Day commemorations across Port Stephens, Karuah by Night, Sail Port Stephens, Port Stephens Surf Festival, Illuminate Raymond Terrace, Port Stephens Triathlon, Citizenship Ceremonies, and much, much more.

Council plays a central role in creating, developing, and promoting events across Port Stephens, and I will continue working to ensure our events sponsorship program is accessible and targeted to get the best events for Port Stephens.

Throughout the 2017-2021 term of Council, that elected Council tried relentlessly to sell off prime land at 109 Foreshore Drive Salamander Bay, which the community demonstrated is regularly used by koalas, birds, other wildlife, and the local community. In this term of Council, we finally managed to protect this block of land - forever. It is now in the community's hands. This would never have happened without my team and I being elected at the 2021 Council Election. 

I brought a motion to Council that was unanimously supported to reclassify a large parcel of land at Homestead street Salamander to environmental protection. This has created a permanently protected large corridor of land for our Fauna and Flora to survive and thrive. It has also provided the Port Stephens Koala Hospital with a large parcel of land for a Koala feed tree plantation. 

Council has adopted a modest carbon neutrality target and is taking practical measures to achieve it, while also reducing the cost of providing services to the community. We have put thousands of solar panels on Council buildings, and continue to invest in more sustainable options to do business. Hydrogen vehicles (including heavy machinery), electric vehicles, battery storage, LED lighting for street lights, recycled tar for roads, and entering into power purchasing agreements alongside other Councils to reduce our energy costs and buy electricity from sustainable sources are all ways that we have done our bit for the environment all without increasing any costs for ratepayers across Port Stephens. As other options become available to reduce our carbon footprint, if it will be at no cost to ratepayers, I will support pursuing those options to reduce our carbon footprint and meet our environmental targets sooner.

Council recently adopted its Coastal Management Plan, which had input from hundreds of locals and was something I have been pushing for. I was out and about in our community continually through the community consultation period, making sure the plan is fit for purpose. This plan will help us protects areas of sensitive shoreline such as at Shoal Bay, where recent heavy seas have taken out significant sections of the beach and led to popular walking tracks being closed. The weather is getting more intense as time goes on due to the effects of climate change, and if Council doesn't have a leader who believes in climate change and is willing to do the work to protect people from the impact of it, we will be left behind and people will suffer.

Council continues to support local wildlife groups such as the Port Stephens Koala Hospital in protecting local wildlife, saving injured wildlife, and keeping endangered species alive and thriving. I will continue this support the Port Stephens Koala Hospital and other local wildlife protection groups if my team is elected.

I brought a motion to Council in my very first year of being elected to restore DA advertising to both local newspapers. I made this promise to our community, and I made sure I delivered. It was not acceptable that the previous Council had supported the removal of such critical information on development applications from our community. 

All votes in Council meetings have a record of who voted in favour and who voted against. It is important for you to know what those elected to represent you are doing on Council. My team has made sure that you know in the Council meeting minutes how every vote is cast and by whom. 

I brought a motion to Council that was unanimously supported to allow the recording of Public access on Councils Webcast (subject to approval of the person doing public access). As Councillors, we often hear from members of our community via Public Access about an issue or an item on a council agenda. We get to listen to them and ask them questions, and take what they say into consideration before we vote on the item. Previously, you could only hear Public Access if you decided to drive to Raymond Terrace and sit in and watch the Council meeting live. Now, you can watch any approved Public Access speakers by jumping on and watching Councils webcasts. You can find information and recordings of Council Public access and Council meetings here: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/council/council-meetings

I requested more community access to our General Manager and Senior Staff this term of Council. After discussions with myself and our GM, we commenced "Community Catch Ups" . This provides an opportunity for members of our community to speak to our GM, his senior staff, and Councillors, about matters that are important to them. It is like a Council mobile office, where the Council comes to your location. You can find more about our Council community catch ups here: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/community/community-catch-ups

Since I was elected, I've been working hard to improve Council's communications with the people of Port Stephens. In the 2022-2023 financial year, Council held 21 formal engagement projects, had over 6,000 surveys completed, had 28 face to face engagement sessions, and met with over 600 individuals at face to face engagements. Projects the Council consulted on includes the Shoal Bay, Tilligerry and Hinterland Place Plans, the Wellbeing Strategy, the Green Waste drop off project, the Boat Harbour off-leash dog area, and Smart Parking extensions, with much, much more being consulted on much more regularly. It's one thing for the Councillors to respect and value your opinion, but when it comes to making decisions, we need the Council as a whole to do the work and communicate with the community so they develop plans and ideas to present the best options possible to Councillors.

I have a 100% attendance record on my first term of Council. I take this role that you elected me to do very seriously. I have not missed one Council meeting or briefing the entire term. I give this role the attention it deserves as it is so important that I am representing the community who elected me. 

I turn up to site visit requests, I regularly attend local community group meetings, and I meet with members of the community who request my attention to help them. I return your phone calls, and I return your emails. It is a matter of respect. If you take the time to reach out to me, I make the time to get back to you.

I chair and sit on  the following committees and groups, because I want to be actively involved hands on with getting things done!

• CHAIR - CKPOM - (Comprehensive Koala Plan of management Committee)

• CHAIR - PSGLMP - (Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Parks Committee)

• CHAIR & FOUNDER - HSAG - (Homelessness Stakeholder advocacy group)

• CHAIR & FOUNDER - EAG - (Environmental Advisory  group)

• CHAIR -CEAG - (Communications and Engagement  Advisory group)

• MEMBER - Traffic Committee

• MEMBER - Aboriginal Strategic Committee

• MEMBER - Nelson Bay Hall Committee

• MEMBER - Port Stephens Sister Cities Committee

•  MEMBER - Tomaree Sports Council

• MEMBER - ARIC - Audit Committee

• MEMBER - Australia Day Committee

• MEMBER - Port Stephens Local Health Committee

•  MEMBER - Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel

• DIRECTOR - Newcastle Airport Boards 3 & 4 

I will be your full time Mayor.  What that means is I will dedicate myself to the role of Mayor of Port Stephens 7 days per week. I will not hold another day job. You will have my focus and attention 100% of the time. This is how serious I am in being the Mayor that Port Stephens deserves. 

For the sake of clarity - I am opposed to the proposed wind farm located offshore of Port Stephens, and I will maintain that position until there are independent environmental studies provided which could convince me otherwise. I will not be easily convinced, and I will, as always, take my lead from the community's response to those studies and all critical analysis of those studies. This is a 7 year process for the feasibility study to be done.  I will make sure that our community is kept regularly informed by the Federal Government on the progress of the feasibility studies and that there is regular community information and consultation. 

I understand that there are a lot of people out there concerned about the impact of the offshore wind farm proposal on our local tourism, wildlife, and amenity. That's why I worked with Councillor Arnott to  jointly prepare and support his urgency motion in 2023, which was lodged in response to a large community meeting in opposition to the proposal. This motion was unanimously supported. The wording of the motion is as follows:

• It was resolved that Council:

  • 1) Notes the ongoing consultative process the Federal Government is undertaking with the community and other stakeholders into whether an offshore wind farm industry should be established off the coast of Port Stephens and Newcastle.

  • 2) Notes that the Federal Government Minister for Energy Chris Bowen states that an offshore wind farm in this location has the potential to create 3,000 construction jobs and 1,500 ongoing jobs, as well as 5gigawatts of electricity for the East Coast Energy grid.

  • 3) Notes that there are 1,454 published responses to the proposal on the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water consultation hub web page.

  • 4) Notes that the Federal Government Minister for Energy Chris Bowen, the Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson, and several MPs from the opposition and alternative parties have met with residents of Port Stephens to discuss this project.

  • 5) Notes that the Federal Government will still engage in 3 consultation phases before any works actually start, and that it is unlikely that any works would begin for several years from now due to the enormous amount of reports and consultation that is required to be undertaken.

  • 6) Notes the concerns raised by the community about the project, including its potential impact on the fishing industry in Port Stephens, potential impact on the environment including marine life, potential noise pollution, potential impact on the tourism industry, and what such an industry would look like when viewed from Port Stephens.

  • 7) Notes that Local Government, in particular Port Stephens Council, has had nothing to do with the proposal so far, and has no role to play in the consideration, approval or consultation of any offshore wind farm now or into the future.

  • 8) Agrees that until environmental impact statements and other scientific evidence is made available to the community in a full, open and transparent manner, it is opposed to the construction of any wind farm off the coast of Port Stephens.

  • 9) Requests the General Manager write a letter to the Federal Minister for Energy Chris Bowen and Federal Member for Paterson Meryl

  • Swanson, noting Council's position, and requesting their attendance at a Council briefing to allow Councillors to better understand the proposal and to pass on the concerns of the community.

  • 10) Requests the General Manager provide a report to Council at each stage of the consultative process, outlining any recent progress on the matter.

  • 11) Requests the General Manager provide a report to Council seeking the Council's opinion on whether to continue opposing the offshore wind farm, or whether to support it, at the following stages:

    • a. When the Environmental Impact Statement has been made available, and

    • b. At the first meeting at the start of the new term of Council in 2024 to reaffirm Council's position.

While I continue to advocate our community's view and Council's view to the Federal Government, it is important to note that Port Stephens Council has no role to play in the approval process for the wind farm proposal. Council is still unsure whether Council will have a role to play in any onshore cabling, as most energy infrastructure is exempt development or goes direct to the NSW Government for consideration and approval. Regardless, we will keep the community regularly updated on any part that Port Stephens Council has to play. 

We are honest and transparent. What you see, is what you get. 

We have nothing to hide, myself and my team are open and honest about being members of the Australian Labor Party, and being Labor Councillors.

We do not "Tow the party line", because this is illegal in Local Government.  Councillors must not participate in binding caucus votes in relation to matters considered at council or committee meetings. Refer to Page 2 of the Model Code of Conduct for local Councils in NSW: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/Model-Code-of-Conduct-at-a-Glance-Councillors.pdf

There is an entire term of Council meetings on Port Stephens Council Webcast. You can clearly see for yourself that our team does not "Bloc Vote". 

I vote on items on Councils agenda based on the facts before me, and what decision I think is the best for the community. It's as simple as that. No one tells me how to vote. My team is the same. They take the time to read the Council reports, research the facts, speak to the community, and vote the best way they personally believe is the best decision for their community.