Tony Driscoll re-elected Northern Grampians mayor

The Kara Kara Ward councillor said he was honoured to be elected mayor for a second term. 

He was first elected to the council in October 2012. 

“It is an honour and a privilege to lead the Northern Grampians Shire Council and to represent this community for another term,” Cr Driscoll said. 

“I will continue to do my utmost to represent the Northern Grampians Shire Council to the best of my ability, and I know my fellow councillors will do the same.” 

Cr Driscoll said the establishment of the Nectar Farms development, the Bulgana Green Power Hub, the clearing of the Stawell tyre stockpile and the Grampians Peaks Trail were recent successes to build upon. 

“This council has proven that it is proactive and focused on delivering outcomes which benefit the community we have been elected to serve,” he said. 

“I can assure you that this energetic approach to representing this region will continue under our leadership.”

But Cr Driscoll said there was still plenty to do to ensure a more viable future for the shire.

“We need to continue to work closely with state and federal government to ensure that local government receives its fair share of funding from both levels, and to advocate for a more equal distribution of the Australian tax dollar,” he said. 

“Already we have instituted reviews of all 41 services which council currently provide to the community, and how we can best tailor those services in order to meet local demand, and we will be working closely alongside the community throughout that process.”

Cr Jason Hosemans thanked the re-elected Cr Drsicoll for his service during the last 12 months and wished him well for his next term as mayor. 

“You would probably know and appreciate that being the mayor can be a 24-hour and seven-day-a-week job, so it’s a big personal commitment and it’s a financial commitment,” he said. 

“It is something you lose sleep over, but you deal with the problems along the way and it’s something you've done well.”