What
made you want to work in Local Government?
I
was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work in the engineering office at
the Burnie City Council on a contract through my previous employer. I really
enjoyed the opportunity, and it gave me a taste of what Local Government was
about. The Works Co-ordinator position at the Burnie Works Depot was advertised
shortly after and I was successful in gaining that position – the rest is
history!
What
made you join LG Professionals Tasmania?
I
joined the Local Government Managers Association (now known as LG
Professionals) about 16 years ago as a result of being selected to attend the
National Congress. I have been a member ever since and gain great value from
the professional development opportunities and networking through the
organisation.
What
interests do you have outside of work?
Outside
of work I enjoy spending time with my family, going camping with friends and
family, cooking morning tea for my work colleagues and knitting.
If
you could give your 12-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t
assume or jump to conclusions, ask more questions and listen.
What
is something most people don’t know about you?
I’m
a keen Western Bulldogs supporter and I make a mean caramel slice, according to
my work colleagues.
What
do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing the sector at the
moment?
Unfortunately,
the biggest challenge for public sector workers is the lack of respect that
some members of the public have for Council and the role that Council plays.
The evolution of social media has taken this lack of respect to a whole new
level. We have a great team at Devonport that works hard to engage with the
community through various platforms, to ensure we provide services effectively
to our community.
Biggest
regret outside of work in the past 10 years?
I
really try not to have regrets; however it would have been good if my husband
and I brought more property 5 years ago instead of just talking about – we
could retire now! But that’s life.
