book.sorell - Flipbook - Page 11
JUNE 2024 - 11
Candidates spruik their strengths
Seven battle for top job
From Page 1
community’s needs would developing creative solutions to inspire residents to participate, while balancing
budgets.
One of his policies was to get Council to levy short-stay accommodation
to increase long-term rentals and funds
essential projects like playground
upgrades.
Mr Larkins said he started his business from his Sorell home when he
was 19.
“And thanks to the generous
community support have been able
to prosper,’’ he said. “My candidacy
for mayor and councillor is my chance
to offer the same to the next generation
growing up in or moving to the region.
“I believe that if the Council focuses
on building and planning the right
infrastructure and support services, we
can create a region that people want to
move to, live in, and thrive in.’’
Ms Miró Quesada said she wanted
to provide leadership that was needed
to continue work and deliver initiatives to improve the quality of life
for people who live, work, and play
in our region. “This includes better
transport, jobs, caring for the environment, access to health services,
and supporting children and young
people,” she said.
Ms Reed said she knew “government, business and community development from the inside and out’’.
“Our people are our greatest strength
and resource – councils achieve better
results at lower cost when listening
well and respecting local expertise,’’
she said.
“Working wisely together, we’ll
continue to build on our achievements
and connections, support more opportunities for young people, for local
jobs and education, improved transport
and facilities, 昀ourishing businesses
and welcoming public spaces.’’
Mr Spence said his knowledge of
the Local Government Act and internal
operations made him a strong candidate for improving on service delivery.
“As residents we need better maintenance, response times and facilities. Playgrounds should not have
been constructed without parking,
toilets, and change tables,’’ he said.
“If elected, I pledge to serve with
integrity, free from bias and political
agendas.’’
Bringing humour to the campaign,
Mr Blake said he wanted to be mayor
“to turn our municipality into an exciting thriving cultural haven and to win
enough respect from the fellers in the
Dodges Ferry Cricket Team so as they
allow me to bat further up the order’’.
“My priorities are to listen intently
to the community and then act. Leadership style? I think it could be transformational and slightly trail blazing.’’
Steve Loring of Carlton River is also
standing as a candidate for councillor.
I like to A new
Making it A steady Create a What are
get the vision for a better hand for region to the big
job done Council place
future
live in
ideas?
JANET GATEHOUSE
KRITIAN HORVATH
I FEEL a strong attachment to
this community, 昀lling many
volunteering roles as my children grew.
As chair of Sorell School
Association during the new
Sorell school lobbying and
build process I gained an
insight into government
processes.
I realised how powerful clear
and honest leadership can be.
By nature, I like getting the job
done, I’m often seen cooking a
fundraising barbecue or helping
at an event. I decided to take
part in community governance
and leadership training through
the TCF. After this training, I
felt I had what was needed to
step up and represent our whole
community.
Two years ago, I was elected
to Council, at the same time I
became unwell. The support
and affection from this community throughout my illness
reaf昀rmed my commitment and
desire to support everyone to
feel safe and connected in our
special place.
If elected as mayor, I will
support the rural industries
and collaborate with existing
organisations such as BEST to
increase employment and business opportunities throughout
Sorell. I will also seek to combine innovative methods and
traditional practices to protect
our environment.
I am aware of the challenges
facing residents. The rapid rate
of growth in the municipality
means we need to push for sustained funding from state and
federal agencies to create the
infrastructure we need supporting this growth.
WE do not have enough say
in how our neighbourhoods
evolve.
Council could be so much
more than roads, rates and
rubbish.
Together, I want to create a
new vision for council. A council that improves all aspects of
our day-to-day lives.
A council that:
• Genuinely consults the community 昀rst in any major initiative including large projects
and subdivision revenues;
• Trials a community voting
system;
• Creates volunteer-driven shuttle bus services;
• Builds more footpaths and
cycle paths; and
• Levies short-stay accommodation to increase long-term
rentals and funds essential projects like playground upgrades.
Understanding our community’s needs, developing creative solutions and inspiring
residents to participate, while
balancing budgets is essential
to this vision.
I coordinate the Sorell Community Network which:
• Assists 60+ households doing
it tough every week via the
Sorell Free Food Program;
• Installed and regularly
restocks four Free Food Cupboards and five Beach Toy
Libraries; and
• Coordinates a free lawn maintenance program for people
who need it.
After a career as a chemical
engineer, I currently work fulltime as a project manager in a
not-for-pro昀t organisation, providing me with a strong foundation to achieve this vision.
MARISOL MIRÓ
QUESADA
I AM grateful for the opportunity our community has given
me to serve them as councillor.
This has allowed me to focus
on the issues we care about and
work hard to get results.
I’ve been busy building collaborative relationships with
my fellow councillors, council staff, and throughout our
community.
These relationships have
allowed us to take actions to set
a path for long-lasting change
in our council, including a plan
to improve transport so residents can have better access to
jobs, school, and social activities, improving the governance
and transparency of council,
making council’s engagement
with our community more
meaningful and developing
a plan to guide services and
infrastructure for children and
young people.
There is still a lot of work
to be done.
That is why I am seeking
the support of our residents
to allow me to serve them as
mayor.
I want to provide the leadership needed to continue this
work and deliver initiatives to
improve the quality of life for
people in our region.
This includes better transport, jobs, caring for the environment, access to health
services, and supporting children and young people.
I would like the opportunity
to lead a collaborative council
that works hard and gets things
done to make our communities an even better place to live,
work, and do business.
MELINDA REED
MICHAEL LARKINS
JEFFREY BLAKE
LOCAL, skilled and trusted,
I am thoroughly quali昀ed and
well prepared to be mayor.
I’ll bring a steady hand with
the passion, dedication and
know-how to work with people from all walks of life; to
treasure the local character and
lifestyle we love; and to keep
working hard for thriving, welcoming, resilient communities
across the South-East.
Sorell is one of the fastest
growing municipalities in the
state with a skilled staff team,
well-established 昀nance and
asset management systems
and a regional approach that
supports jobs, education and
prudent future development.
As a Sorell councillor for more
than 昀ve years, I am a respected
community advocate, company
director and writer/editor.
I know government, business
and community development
from the inside and out – a calm
and collaborative leader, with
governance expertise backed
by 30+ years of public sector,
business, volunteer and government experience at local, state
and national levels.
Serving on council, the
Sorell Audit Panel, the Sorell
Planning Authority and getting
to know councillors around
the state, I understand the systems and relationships critical
to maintaining con昀dence in
council and the Sorell region.
Our people are our greatest
strength and resource – Councils achieve better results at
lower cost when listening well
and respecting local expertise. Working wisely together,
we’ll continue to build on our
achievements and connections,.
I AM running for mayor and
councillor to ensure our municipality continues to be a place
where people want to live.
When I was 19, I started my
business from home in Sorell
and thanks to the generous
community support have been
able to prosper.
My candidacy for mayor and
councillor is my chance to offer
the same to the next generation
growing up in or moving to the
region.
I believe that if the council
focuses on building and planning the right infrastructure and
support services, we can create a region that people want to
move to, live in, and thrive in.
With the right resources,
individuals can confidently
start families, businesses, pursue higher education and chase
their dreams.
It is my ambition to achieve
this while delivering predictable rates through more proactively purposing state and
federal grant opportunities as
the primary means to renewing
and improving our community’s amenities.
I WANT to be mayor to turn
our municipality into an exciting thriving cultural haven, and,
to win enough respect from the
fellows in the Dodges Ferry
Cricket team so as they allow
me to bat further up the order.
My priorities are to listen
intently to the community and
then act.
I have been door knocking
for the last six months and these
are three key takeaways:
1. Many people think Sorell
needs a space program. They
believe it would complement
the new Sorell School, inspiring kids to reach for the stars.
I think it’s a terri昀c idea so I’m
in the throes of linking NASA
to our municipality.
2. Another desire has been
transforming Primrose Sands
into the next Silicon Valley
and an Agricultural Institute
for Nugent - people want a
smarter municipality so I’ll be
driving for that.
3. A huge surprise was people demanding the controversial
AFL stadium (with cricket nets)
should be built in Dodges Ferry
– Great idea let’s do it.
Pledge of intergrity
JASON SPENCE
AS a former Sorell council
employee, I saved ratepayers
money by renegotiated contracts, assisting police at reducing vandalism, thus lowering
repair costs.
My knowledge of the Local
Government Act and internal
operations makes me a strong
candidate for improving on service delivery.
As residents we need better maintenance, response
times, and facilities. Playgrounds should not have been
constructed without parking,
toilets, and change tables. If
elected, I pledge to serve with
integrity, free from bias and
political agendas.
