My three key priorities are fair and affordable rates, backing business, and sustainable development and infrastructure. I want the Council to maintain a relentless focus on efficiency and value for money, with the aim of keeping rate increases at or below inflation wherever possible. I want to support existing businesses, attract new investment and create more local jobs. And as Victor Harbor grows, I want to ensure development is managed sustainably and that our infrastructure, services and community facilities keep pace, while protecting the character and lifestyle that make Victor Harbor such a special place to live.

Fair and affordable rates means ensuring Council does everything reasonably possible to reduce the financial burden on ratepayers while continuing to provide the services and infrastructure our community needs. I believe Council should first pursue productivity and efficiency, seek external funding from State and Federal Governments, invest responsibly in existing assets and infrastructure, and make prudent use of debt for appropriate long-term capital works. Only after these options have been thoroughly pursued should Council consider increasing rates. My position is that Council should aim to keep rate increases at or below inflation, with any increase above inflation requiring a very strong justification.

No. Keeping rates affordable should not mean reducing the services our community relies on. My priority would be to first ensure the Council is operating as efficiently and productively as possible and delivering genuine value for money. I would also pursue external funding for major projects, invest responsibly in infrastructure and asset renewal, and make prudent use of debt for long-term capital works where appropriate. Only after these options have been thoroughly pursued should Council consider increasing rates, with the aim of keeping any increase at or below inflation. Having said that, we need to ensure the services the Council are providing are fit for purpose.

No. The rates we pay are essential to fund the infrastructure and services we need for today and for the future. My focus will be on ensuring the council operates as productively and efficiently as is possible, and thereby keeping rate increases to less than, or at, the rate of inflation over the medium term.

• Homelessness: In 2014, my wife and I helped establish the Fleurieu Homelessness Fund within the Fleurieu Community Foundation. I believe how a community assists the homeless is a true measure of our understanding and compassion. I would like our Council to continue to support homelessness services as much as they are able, and to continue to support the Fleurieu Community Foundation, and other service and community groups.

• Environment: There is a lot of debate around the impact humans have on our environment. Whether you believe we are impacting our environment or not (I do by the way), we are definitely seeing the impact of the changing environment on our local area. One of the great examples of how the local council is managing climate change and adaptation is the recent completion of the Yilki Coastal Defence Sea Wall. This is the type of action Council should be taking.

• Managing rapid population growth without changing Victor Harbor’s character: One of the main reasons I have decided to run for the City of Victor Harbor Council is the recognition that Victor Harbor’s population is growing and changing. This growth is inevitable. However, it is important that Victor Harbor’s character and attractiveness is maintained during this growth. This will be a particular focus of mine, should I be privileged to be elected.

• Transport: There is no doubt that transport is a key concern for ratepayers. Whether it be transport to or from Adelaide for medical, employment or educational reasons, or just local transport across the southern Fleurieu, it’s clear more needs to be done. I support the City of Victor Harbor’s Urban Growth Management Strategy, which has a particular focus on ‘improving access and availability to public transport to, from, and within Victor Harbor to reduce reliance on private vehicles’.

• Regional Community, Sports and Recreation Precinct: I support the need for this development particularly as it pertains to facilities for families and young people. However, I also have concerns about the cost of this development and how it is being financed. I support the call for the new CEO to undertake a detailed review of the proposal and to present the results of this review to the new Council in April 2027.

• Housing affordability, housing diversity and attracting younger people: The City of Victor Harbor’s Urban Growth Management Strategy provides sound principles for housing growth and diversity. However, recent housing developments have put an undue stress on the provision of infrastructure and services, and seem to work against increasing the diversity of the population in favour of what appears to be simply retirement villages. On Council, I will be pushing for housing policies that attract young people and families.

• Council responsiveness, consultation and governance: The City of Victor Harbor has a focus on consultation with the community. However, few ratepayers engage directly with the Council via surveys, public consultation, and even social and traditional media. It is the responsibility of the sender, not the receiver, to ensure that a message is delivered. Regardless of how well the Council believes it is communicating, it is clear that it needs to do much, much better at engaging residents and ratepayers in developing and reviewing policies.

I would bring a strong focus on productivity, accountability and value for money to Council. That means regularly reviewing how Council operates, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, making better use of technology, and ensuring resources are directed towards the services and infrastructure which deliver the greatest value to the community. I would also support greater collaboration and shared services with neighbouring councils where this can reduce costs or improve outcomes. I would also support any state government or LGA initiative for greater service collaboration across councils. The goal is simple: before asking ratepayers to contribute more, council should be able to demonstrate that it is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Sustainable development means managing Victor Harbor’s growth in a way that improves our community without losing the qualities that make it such a special place to live. As our population grows, we need to ensure infrastructure and essential services—including healthcare, transport and community facilities—keep pace. We also need to invest in recreational, cultural and social opportunities that create a vibrant community and make Victor Harbor an attractive place for young families, older residents and businesses alike. Growth is coming; the challenge is to manage it carefully so we protect our character, lifestyle and natural environment while building a strong community for the future.

Managing Victor Harbor’s future growth will require careful, long-term planning. We need to anticipate the infrastructure, services and community facilities a growing population will require and invest in them at the right time, rather than playing catch-up. This means working closely with State and Federal Governments to secure funding, planning responsibly for housing and development, and ensuring essential services such as healthcare and transport keep pace. Most importantly, growth should be managed in a way that strengthens our economy and community while protecting the character, lifestyle and natural beauty that make Victor Harbor such a desirable place to live.

Put simply, create strategic flexibility through disciplined financial management.

Supporting local business starts with listening to the people already doing business in Victor Harbor and understanding what Council can do to help create the conditions for them to grow and succeed. I also want Victor Harbor to be more proactive in attracting new employers, investment and industries to the region, creating more local jobs and career opportunities, particularly for young people. Ultimately, we need a stronger and more diverse local economy where more residents have the opportunity to both live and work in Victor Harbor.

Creating more local employment opportunities requires both supporting the businesses already here and actively attracting new employers and investment to Victor Harbor. I would like Council to work closely with the local business community to identify barriers to growth, while also working with State and Federal Governments to attract new industries, investment and employment opportunities to the region. We should focus on building a broader and more diverse local economy, with more skilled jobs and career opportunities, particularly for young people. Ultimately, I want Victor Harbor to be a place where more people can build both a life and a career.

For example:

• Build an integrated Southern Fleurieu health and skills pipeline. Victor Harbor already has many of the building blocks for local health education and employment, including TAFE, the Fleurieu Study Hub, South Coast Hospital and Flinders University. However, there are still gaps between education, training and employment that mean people often have to leave the region to progress their careers.

• Expand the qualifications people can complete locally. In some areas, Victor Harbor offers part of an education or training pathway, but not the full qualification — for example, someone may be able to undertake Certificate III-level nursing or health training locally, but need to travel or relocate to Adelaide to progress to a diploma or further professional qualification. Council could work with State and Federal Governments, TAFE, universities and other education providers to advocate for more complete training pathways in Victor Harbor.

• Create a clearer pathway from training to local jobs. Better coordination between education providers, health services and employers could allow someone to begin their training in Victor Harbor, gain practical experience locally and ultimately build a skilled career here.

• Advocate for an expanded public hospital servicing the Fleurieu region. As our population grows, an expanded public hospital could strengthen this pipeline by increasing local training and career opportunities, while also improving access to health services across the region.

• Give young people more reasons to stay. Expanding local education and professional training would help address the loss of young people who leave Victor Harbor because their education or career cannot progress locally. It could allow more young people to remain living at home while they study, rather than facing the cost of relocating to Adelaide or spending significant time commuting each day.