Name: Doug Curran
Age: 38
Occupation: Sales manager
Marital Status: Married
Affiliation: Running as an independent
Standing for: Councillor
1. You are seen to be closely aligned with mayor Mike Neville and deputy mayor Domenic Testoni. Do you think the controversy surrounding them has harmed your reputation as a councillor?
I’d hope not. While I have been aligned with them because we have similar views, I am my own person and I make decisions on my own. At times, I seek advice and counsel from them but, at the end of the day, my decisions are my decisions.
2. How do you feel you have performed as a councillor over the past four years? What would you do differently in your second term?
I’ve probably spread myself a little too thin – I’m on 12 committees and am chairman of six of them. If you do your job properly, committees do take up a lot of time so I would try to bring my focus down. Having said that, nobody else put their hands up for those roles last time. I’m happy with how I have gone but it’s up to the community to give me feedback on that.
3. In a recent The Area News survey, roads came up as the number one issue for ratepayers. As chairman of the roads and traffic committee, do you think council has done enough to maintain our roadways.
No, I don’t. Our funds are limited so we do our best with the funds we have. We need to lobby harder and get more money and do a better job. We have done a good job with the funds we have been given. There have been a lot of improvements with roundabouts and traffic lights. Having no accidents since the lights went in can only be an improvement.
4. As a former head of a ratepayers’ association, why have you been so publicly critical of the Griffith Community and Development Council (GCDC)? Isn’t it important that they keep an eye on what council is doing?
It is important they keep an eye on council but it had become personal. Those types of organisations are important as long as they fulfil the role they start out with and don’t focus on individuals or individual actions.
5. The dysfunction and disunity of council has been well-documented. What will you do to make sure we have a more functional council making decisions for the good of the community?
I don’t believe council has been dysfunctional. There are occasions where I believe we have been, but not always. I believe in getting on and doing my work and making decisions based on my opinion. All I can do is encourage others to do the same. There is a faction on council but there are seven other people that decide based on merit.