
1. Where do you live?
Cowes
2. How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
Since February 2019
3. What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?
In Bass Coast, I’ve volunteered at PICAL. Outside of Bass Coast, I’ve was a Girl Guide leader in Mount Waverley, worked with Australian Conservation Volunteers in Canberra, and spent many years volunteering with the Victorian YMCA in their youth programs. Before living in Cowes, I lived for nine years in Kenya where my tour company engaged with community-based organisations and we encouraged our guests to visit these organisations to see the positive work Kenyans were doing to develop Kenya. I was also a member of Nature Kenya and took part in a number of their activities including bird walks and wildlife censuses.
Cowes
2. How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
Since February 2019
3. What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?
In Bass Coast, I’ve volunteered at PICAL. Outside of Bass Coast, I’ve was a Girl Guide leader in Mount Waverley, worked with Australian Conservation Volunteers in Canberra, and spent many years volunteering with the Victorian YMCA in their youth programs. Before living in Cowes, I lived for nine years in Kenya where my tour company engaged with community-based organisations and we encouraged our guests to visit these organisations to see the positive work Kenyans were doing to develop Kenya. I was also a member of Nature Kenya and took part in a number of their activities including bird walks and wildlife censuses.
4. What experience or attributes do you bring that will help you in the role of shire councillor?
Academic Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Politics)
Bachelor of Business (Marketing)
Masters of Arts (Intelligence)
Work History:
2020 to present - Various roles at Bass Coast Health including Clinical Application Support, Project Officer, and Organisational Support
2012 to 2024 - Managing Director of OTA-Overland Travel Adventures, a Kenyan bespoke tour company
2008 to 2012 - Tour leader for various companies including Africa Expedition Support, Kumuka, and Sundowners Overland working throughout Southern and Eastern Africa, China, Russia, and Central Asia.
2004 to 2008 - Analyst at the Defence Imagery and Geopatial Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra
2003 to 2004 - Houseparent at Callistemon House, Katherine, Northern Territory
As you can see I've had a varied career that has given me vast exposure to all sorts of people from all sorts of cultures. I have worked with Indigenous youth in the Northern Territory, military personnel in Canberra, and now liaise between clinicians and IT technicians in my current role at Bass Coast Health, and that's not to mention the twelve years I spent overseas leading groups of people from Australia, the US, UK and Europe to destinations throughout Africa and Asia.
In my university days I had a passion for politics and participated in Youth Parliament twice, bringing bills to the Victorian government about compulsory teacher re-training and reforming the VCE to make it fairer for students who couldn't access private tutors or other advantages. I also completed a Parliamentary Internship with an MP on the Mornington Peninsula where I researched the homelessness situation in his electorate and made recommendations on how to address it.
My mission in starting a tour company in Kenya was to show travellers the incredible work Kenyans are doing for their country. I connected with community-based organisations that were established and managed by Kenyans and encouraged our guests to include visits to these organisations as part of their safari.
While my work history seems disparate, I believe this next journey to becoming a Councillor (if elected) will prove to be the culmination of all my experience. I look forward to applying my knowledge and skills to the task of connecting with community and providing values-based analysis to the issues facing Phillip Island.
5. Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
No
6. Do you belong to a political party?
No
7. Are you directing preferences?
Yes. I am encouraging people to put Tim O'Brien and David Rooks at 2 and 3, in either order.
8. Name up to five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you believe the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: Community recreation facilities. We need to get more sporting facilities so more kids can be involved in community sport. We have lots of sporting opportunities for the younger years, but once they hit the Under 14/15s (that most vulnerable time for kids), two footy teams become one as there is only one team per area allowed to compete at the district level. The same in netball, basketball, soccer, cricket. For the kids who don’t quite make the grade, or whose parents cannot drive them all over the state on a weekend, there’s a void. The sporting clubs do as much as they can, but they need support in increased facilities and resources.
Issue 2: Coastal erosion. The immediate emergency is at Silverleaves but it is extending along Cowes West as well. DEECA has spent a lot of money for consultants to analyse why the erosion is happening, but no solutions have been presented after years of promises. The community were able to express their upset at a forum recently, but it was again full of promises from state government that are not coming to fruition. We need to apply constant pressure before the whole of the northern coastline disintegrates into the ocean.
Issue 3: Youth resource centre. There are five schools on the island with nearly 2000 kids enrolled – there’s a need here. In my teens, I spent a lot of time at my local YMCA where I volunteered on holiday program and organised events for teens. When the Y lost the tender for the leisure centre, our group migrated to the youth resource centre to meet. We were lucky to still have support from Vic Y to run a holiday program out of a community hall and we held events to raise money so we could attend Youth Parliament. We were from different schools and if not for these youth programs we would never have met. Nearly 30 years later, this group is still my nearest and dearest. When we provide resources and spaces for young people to safely gather, ideas and energy that benefit our community emerge. Moreover, they build their own community that gives them strength and support when they move off the island for uni or work, that they know they always belong somewhere and have somewhere to return when they are ready to start their own families.
Issue 4: Responsible tourism. The BURT (Bass Coast Unlocking Rural Tourism) opens up Phillip Island to too much risk in the way of large developments in the name of tourism. We need to protect our natural spaces and develop tourism in a way that does not destroy these assets. I also believe we can do more to ensure the wider community benefits from tourism. We have many day-trippers bring their packed lunch, use our roads, our public toilets, our picnic facilities and rubbish disposal all for the price of a penguin ticket. Council and DPI need to work together to develop strategies, better than the BURT, to encourage visitors to stay longer, experience more, and contribute to our island.
Issue 5: Mental Health, Family Violence, Aboriginal Health & Homelessness services. We have a lot of smaller organisations and community groups doing great work to support the most vulnerable in our community – PICAL, Vinnies, etc. – but dedicated services are severely lacking. BCH has one family violence worker for the shire; our closest Orange Door is in Morwell and if you are a woman in trouble on this island looking for refuge they don’t have much available. BCH has two Aboriginal Health workers and again the nearest VACCHO (Aboriginal Health Service) is in Morwell. People struggling with mental health, can access free counsellors and social workers at BCH, but if a psychologist is needed, they are only available in private practice. The nearest mental health unit is in Traralgon, which is quite far from home support networks. BCH has a few AOD workers and we have an AA chapter in Cowes, but it’s not enough to support a growing problem in our community. Homelessness services are provided by the Salvos office in Leongatha. We need to get these services into our shire.
9. Name the one thing you would most like to achieve if you are elected a Bass Coast Shire councillor.
Creating opportunities for youth to participate, contribute, and thrive. I’m dedicated to creating safe spaces for our young people including setting up a youth resource centre, establishing safe bike paths in built-up areas, and building the long-promised recreation reserve.
Academic Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Politics)
Bachelor of Business (Marketing)
Masters of Arts (Intelligence)
Work History:
2020 to present - Various roles at Bass Coast Health including Clinical Application Support, Project Officer, and Organisational Support
2012 to 2024 - Managing Director of OTA-Overland Travel Adventures, a Kenyan bespoke tour company
2008 to 2012 - Tour leader for various companies including Africa Expedition Support, Kumuka, and Sundowners Overland working throughout Southern and Eastern Africa, China, Russia, and Central Asia.
2004 to 2008 - Analyst at the Defence Imagery and Geopatial Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra
2003 to 2004 - Houseparent at Callistemon House, Katherine, Northern Territory
As you can see I've had a varied career that has given me vast exposure to all sorts of people from all sorts of cultures. I have worked with Indigenous youth in the Northern Territory, military personnel in Canberra, and now liaise between clinicians and IT technicians in my current role at Bass Coast Health, and that's not to mention the twelve years I spent overseas leading groups of people from Australia, the US, UK and Europe to destinations throughout Africa and Asia.
In my university days I had a passion for politics and participated in Youth Parliament twice, bringing bills to the Victorian government about compulsory teacher re-training and reforming the VCE to make it fairer for students who couldn't access private tutors or other advantages. I also completed a Parliamentary Internship with an MP on the Mornington Peninsula where I researched the homelessness situation in his electorate and made recommendations on how to address it.
My mission in starting a tour company in Kenya was to show travellers the incredible work Kenyans are doing for their country. I connected with community-based organisations that were established and managed by Kenyans and encouraged our guests to include visits to these organisations as part of their safari.
While my work history seems disparate, I believe this next journey to becoming a Councillor (if elected) will prove to be the culmination of all my experience. I look forward to applying my knowledge and skills to the task of connecting with community and providing values-based analysis to the issues facing Phillip Island.
5. Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
No
6. Do you belong to a political party?
No
7. Are you directing preferences?
Yes. I am encouraging people to put Tim O'Brien and David Rooks at 2 and 3, in either order.
8. Name up to five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you believe the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: Community recreation facilities. We need to get more sporting facilities so more kids can be involved in community sport. We have lots of sporting opportunities for the younger years, but once they hit the Under 14/15s (that most vulnerable time for kids), two footy teams become one as there is only one team per area allowed to compete at the district level. The same in netball, basketball, soccer, cricket. For the kids who don’t quite make the grade, or whose parents cannot drive them all over the state on a weekend, there’s a void. The sporting clubs do as much as they can, but they need support in increased facilities and resources.
Issue 2: Coastal erosion. The immediate emergency is at Silverleaves but it is extending along Cowes West as well. DEECA has spent a lot of money for consultants to analyse why the erosion is happening, but no solutions have been presented after years of promises. The community were able to express their upset at a forum recently, but it was again full of promises from state government that are not coming to fruition. We need to apply constant pressure before the whole of the northern coastline disintegrates into the ocean.
Issue 3: Youth resource centre. There are five schools on the island with nearly 2000 kids enrolled – there’s a need here. In my teens, I spent a lot of time at my local YMCA where I volunteered on holiday program and organised events for teens. When the Y lost the tender for the leisure centre, our group migrated to the youth resource centre to meet. We were lucky to still have support from Vic Y to run a holiday program out of a community hall and we held events to raise money so we could attend Youth Parliament. We were from different schools and if not for these youth programs we would never have met. Nearly 30 years later, this group is still my nearest and dearest. When we provide resources and spaces for young people to safely gather, ideas and energy that benefit our community emerge. Moreover, they build their own community that gives them strength and support when they move off the island for uni or work, that they know they always belong somewhere and have somewhere to return when they are ready to start their own families.
Issue 4: Responsible tourism. The BURT (Bass Coast Unlocking Rural Tourism) opens up Phillip Island to too much risk in the way of large developments in the name of tourism. We need to protect our natural spaces and develop tourism in a way that does not destroy these assets. I also believe we can do more to ensure the wider community benefits from tourism. We have many day-trippers bring their packed lunch, use our roads, our public toilets, our picnic facilities and rubbish disposal all for the price of a penguin ticket. Council and DPI need to work together to develop strategies, better than the BURT, to encourage visitors to stay longer, experience more, and contribute to our island.
Issue 5: Mental Health, Family Violence, Aboriginal Health & Homelessness services. We have a lot of smaller organisations and community groups doing great work to support the most vulnerable in our community – PICAL, Vinnies, etc. – but dedicated services are severely lacking. BCH has one family violence worker for the shire; our closest Orange Door is in Morwell and if you are a woman in trouble on this island looking for refuge they don’t have much available. BCH has two Aboriginal Health workers and again the nearest VACCHO (Aboriginal Health Service) is in Morwell. People struggling with mental health, can access free counsellors and social workers at BCH, but if a psychologist is needed, they are only available in private practice. The nearest mental health unit is in Traralgon, which is quite far from home support networks. BCH has a few AOD workers and we have an AA chapter in Cowes, but it’s not enough to support a growing problem in our community. Homelessness services are provided by the Salvos office in Leongatha. We need to get these services into our shire.
9. Name the one thing you would most like to achieve if you are elected a Bass Coast Shire councillor.
Creating opportunities for youth to participate, contribute, and thrive. I’m dedicated to creating safe spaces for our young people including setting up a youth resource centre, establishing safe bike paths in built-up areas, and building the long-promised recreation reserve.