As the Griffith City Council byelection approaches, The Area News chats with the candidates to see what makes them tick.
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Name: Bill Lancaster
Family: When I meet somebody for the first time they usually say, “Oh, are you Jane Bonny’s father” or refer to another of my children, Michael, Megan, Kate or Sarah. I am proud to say my children are known for caring about other people. It’s in their DNA.
My children and their partners include four nurses in Griffith, an irrigation engineer, an agricultural consultant and agronomist. Sarah is a TAFE teacher in Wagga and Megan is the director of community consultation for the Government’s Multicultural NSW department.
What do you do for a living? I have spent most of my working life representing and advocating for others. I have assisted many ordinary people with development application to councils, either supporting or objecting to them, I have frequently appeared in our courts, tribunals and at council meetings arguing the strengths of a case or application and persuading the adjudicator to see both sides of the story and encouraging a fair outcome.
I served two terms on council between 2008 and 2016.
If I am elected I am ‘shovel ready’ to start immediately without any need for induction and training or need to spend any time observing how it all works.
How long have you lived in Griffith? 46 years.
What is the best part of living here? Family, friends and being part of, mostly a vibrant community.
Why are you running for council? I have no allegiance or commitment to any faction or group. My commitment is to examine, research and vote on every decision to achieve the best result for the community
How would you assess the performance of the current council? Not quite there yet, could do much better.
If elected, what would you lobby for? A major change I would like to achieve is a transparent decision making process. Presently the Mayor and Councillors are reluctant to be seen openly discussing issues and frequently move into ‘closed council’ unnecessarily.
What are the main issues you see in the Griffith LGA? Griffith Council presently is a ‘top down’ authority where senior management and councillors make decisions and consultation means letting the residents know what’s been decided.
Best ways council can help businesses prosper? By listening to businesses.
Are there any major projects you would champion if elected? I would like to start a conversation about the best use of the proceeds of the sale of the councils Water entitlement. We have in excess of 20,000 megabites and presently sell approximately 6000 megs each year. We need community input to how that water is sold and money spent.
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