All councillors bring their own unique set of skills and experiences to our regular council meetings.
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We have ex-public servants, farmers, educators, skilled tradesmen and small business operators on our current council.
Their life experiences and skills help shape their perspectives and decisions.
Take councillor Gordon Markwart for example.
Councillor Markwart is our only sitting Greens representative. He has over 20 years of experience in large corporate organisations and more than 10 in a variety of small businesses.
In these roles he has gained extensive project management, information technology and systems experience.
Never one to seek the spotlight, he is perhaps best known for his environmental passion and commitment to social justice issues.
This may be councillor Markwart’s first term on council but I believe he is already leading by example.
Take for instance council’s revised Investment Policy which was deliberated at our last meeting.
Council’s current policy was last adopted in 2011 and staff recently re-visited the document.
While the primary objectives of the policy, which are designed to safeguard council’s investment portfolio remain unchanged, some minor amendments were led by councillor Markwart.
Most notable were the positions preferencing financial institutions which do not support fossil fuel industries and provide greater priority for local institutions.
Not everyone may agree with this position, but I believe Councillor Markwart’s commitment to this stance is not only true to his core values but testament to his character.
Councillor Markwart said these inclusions would have a profound effect on council and our shire’s citizens.
And I agree with him.
In effect we are saying that in the future when council looks at equivalent investment opportunities and their prospective returns, we will give preference to local institutions and those who don’t support the fossil fuel industry.
It means we’re not just focusing on short-term dividends, but thinking about the legacy we leave our children.
Taking a position like this is not only the right thing to do, but provides council with a strong future direction.
