Graeme Faulkner - Personal Pespective on Bega Valley Shire Council

Outgoing GM Bega Valley Shire Gives his Personal Perspective

Q. What are you most pleased about during your time with the Bega Valley Shire?

A. It has been an extremely positive experience working with the Councillors of the Bega Valley Shire Council, more so than any other Council that I have had the opportunity to work for.

I have been fortunate to have strong and amiable relationships with each one and, to their credit and my benefit, they have pursued their particular interests mindful of the need for the administration to maintain its independence throughout.

I will miss the interaction with this particular group of Councillors who, in no small way have been in my view responsible for positioning the Bega Valley Shire Council to take on some significant challenges in a context of a very divisive and unstable community environment.

Q. Any regrets?

A. Yes, I would have preferred to have been able to stay longer to achieve the economic and commercial objectives that are required for the shire to grow.

The particular problems that face the shire have accumulated over some 15 to 20 years and cannot be solved in 12 months. I would have preferred to have been judged on my achievements in this context after my term of five years. However, judgement has been forthcoming on a weekly, if not daily, basis in the media.