New mayor letting his actions do the talking

Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor hits the ground running

“I am a doing person. Generally my actions speak loudly.

It has been the case throughout my life.

People trust in my ability to deliver.

I’ve always been a team player.”

That was one of the many reasons Patrick Ross put his hand up to contest the mayoral position at the Naracoorte Lucindale Council at last November’s local government elections and the community clearly believed he had what they were looking for, installing him in the role, replacing the long serving Erika Vickery OAM.

The newly installed mayor initially threw his hat into the ring for two key reasons.

“I always think it’s good to have competition in any elections – it is healthy for the community to have options,” he said and he also had contesting the role suggested to him by members of the community.

Mr Ross had never contested a Naracoorte Lucindale Council election although back in the 1980s did flirt with being part of the then, stand alone, Lucindale District Council.

He also felt, following the previous election four years earlier, that representation on the council was Naracoorte-centric and required some more rural community representation.

As a landholder and livestock farmer at Woolumbool for the past four decades that saw Mr Ross as an ideal candidate to lend his skills to the council decision making process.

And that decision making group seems to have hit a sweet spot with a good blend of new faces to council, along with some longer serving members to help guide the debutantes through the red tape, meeting procedure and life in the local government sphere.

Mr Ross has hit the ground running and admits it has been a steep learning curve. “We are starting with a brand new team,” he said. “And there is an administrative arm around that brand new team as well.

There has definitely been a learning curve.

Getting to know everybody and what their aims and aspirations are and how we can go about achieving real change for the community.”

Mr Ross looms as a rates, roads and rubbish mayor, believing strongly in local government staying in its lane and working hard for the local community.

“Unfortunately of a $10million budget, half goes in labour, the other half sees a large sum go to roads so there is not much money left to spend here and there,” he said.

“Local government needs to main infrastructure to a high standard. You need to have really good infrastructure so you can attract more business.”

Of course part of developing that level of infrastructure requires working hand in hand with State and federal Governments and Mr Ross is aware he will need to build on the relationship Naracoorte Lucindale Council already ahs in the halls of power and start to build his own networks.

“We need to start that ball rolling to get our infrastructure in first class order,” he said. “We hope the State and Federal Governments will support projects like housing for workers that come to the region for employment and the meatworks etc.”

The new mayor was complimentary of the working party that is looking at the worker housing challenge, with the first report due out in March, and he was hopeful the regional approach, with the working party including representatives from across the region including the Tatiara, Coorong and Mallee councils, will entice higher levels of government to provide support.

“The thought of collaboration and not working alone is really good and State and Federal Governments do like to see regional councils working together,” Mr Ross said.

Both sides of South Australian politics have touched base with the new look Naracoorte Lucindale Council. “We want to make it clear to them that the regions are a powerhouse for the economy and for economic development,” Mr Ross said.

He also knows council needs to have an eye on the future, as well as the here and now, and a formulating a strategic plan is also high on the priority list.

And the good mix of the new council will only help put that future blueprint together with business owners, a PhD in science, farmers among the skillsets sitting in the chamber.

One of Mr Ross’s key election campaign platforms was a focus on communication and that will be an overarching principle of everything the Naracoorte Lucindale Council does going forward.

“We will constantly looking for ways to engage with people,” he said.

“They are not going to come to us – we have to go to them.” And he already has the Smith Street and Ormerod Street traders in his sights to ascertain their vision for Naracoorte’s CBD.

He is also proposing quarterly town hall community get-togethers with councillors.

“All our councillors have different availability but I want people to be able to speak to us directly when possible,” Mr Ross said.

“We need to be able to gauge how the relationship is going and if we are responding to what they want.”

Safe to say – the sentiments of his election pitch still ring true two months into his four year tenure.

“Given our location with our natural and human resources it becomes even more important to ensure local government embraces good governance in a modern and contemporary way,” he said.

“To achieve this goal, I will bring the community and the council towards a more collaborative partnership.

This will be enhanced with an open, honest, transparent and accountable council.

The ratepayers throughout the council district have made a significant contribution towards the future maintenance and improvement of services and facilities and they must all share the benefits in a strong, progressive and united community.”

NEW LOOK TEAM: Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Patrick Ross & Deputy Mayor Monique Crossling