General News
3 September, 2020
Cr Jill Parker to end council run
MORTLAKE’S Jill Parker will end a 12 year stint as a Moyne Shire councillor when local council elections are conducted next month.
MORTLAKE’S Jill Parker will end a 12 year stint as a Moyne Shire councillor when local council elections are conducted next month.
Cr Parker has announced she will not stand for re-election after serving three terms in the role.
She was first elected in 2008 and was subsequently re-elected in 2012 and 2016.
“I’ve been privileged to do three terms in office,” Cr Parker said.
“I actually retired from teaching in 2007 and then in my retirement I’ve spent 12 years with local government so this is my second retirement you might say.
“I’ve had 12 years but now I want to do other things with my friends and family and I think Moyne is better off having new voices coming in regularly with different ideas.
“It’s easy for council to keep things the same but I think council also has to be open to new opinions and new ideas.”
Cr Parker said her time on council had been both challenging and rewarding.
She said she particularly enjoyed working with small community groups such as Mortlake Community Development Committee, Panmure Action Group and Peterborough Residents to improve the shire’s townships.
“It’s certainly been challenging but I’ve certainly enjoyed it,” Cr Parker said.
“It’s been a pleasure to see the improvements that are visible over the last 12 years.
“What I’ve found really rewarding and pleasing is the increased community engagement, particularly with the smaller communities in the shire and giving them more of an input into what they want in their local communities.
“It’s their chance to tell us what they want to see in their community and then we attempt to put in place what people want rather than what we think they want.”
Cr Parker said she was proud to see the numerous developments in Mortlake come to life at the recreation reserve, swimming pool, library and community hub and Tea Tree Lake come to life.
She was also thrilled to see stages one and two of the Mortlake streetscape completed and welcomed the announcement of impending improvements for the town’s caravan park.
“I’m also pretty chuffed Woorndoo Mortlake Football Netball Club now have netball rooms for their girls,” Cr Parker said.
“I think on the whole most towns in the shire now looked loved and cared for, whereas when I was first elected that was a long way off.
“I think town maintenance (in the shire) has improved immensely.”
Cr Parker said there were several projects to complete and numerous issues for the incoming council to address.
“The renewal of the Avenue of Honour I think is a major undertaking for the shire,” she said.
