Cr Michael Whelan and Cr Brett Tessari: plenty of work to be done. By Catherine Watson
OVER a cup of coffee in the sunshine in Wishart Reserve yesterday, Bass Coast’s returning mayor, Brett Tessari, and new deputy, Michael Whelan, discussed how the partnership would work.
“I think Michael and I are going to complement each other,” Cr Tessari said. “I can probably be the softer version ... “
“I thought that would be my role,” Cr Whelan quipped.
Anyone who has seen Cr Whelan in action in the council chamber would know why that’s funny. He’s is an outstanding debater, always well prepared and able to muster an argument convincing enough to change people’s positions. But he’s also ferocious when it comes to fighting for the causes he holds dear, particularly environmental issues.
OVER a cup of coffee in the sunshine in Wishart Reserve yesterday, Bass Coast’s returning mayor, Brett Tessari, and new deputy, Michael Whelan, discussed how the partnership would work.
“I think Michael and I are going to complement each other,” Cr Tessari said. “I can probably be the softer version ... “
“I thought that would be my role,” Cr Whelan quipped.
Anyone who has seen Cr Whelan in action in the council chamber would know why that’s funny. He’s is an outstanding debater, always well prepared and able to muster an argument convincing enough to change people’s positions. But he’s also ferocious when it comes to fighting for the causes he holds dear, particularly environmental issues.
Cr Tessari is a complete contrast. A Wonthaggi boy, he is friends with almost everyone. During his two years as deputy mayor and two as mayor, he has never lost his small town affability. His colleagues describe a man who has grown in the job as his horizons and knowledge have expanded.
He was narrowly elected to his third term as mayor after a challenge from his former deputy Cr Bruce Kent. Recent councils have decided mayoral contests behind closed doors and voted unanimously at the actual meeting but this time the contest was decided in public, at the first meeting of the new council on Wednesday.
When CEO Ali Wastie, as chair of the meeting, called for a vote, Cr Kent secured four votes (Cr Rochelle Halstead, Cr Clare Le Serve, Cr Les Larke and his own,) before Cr Tessari secured five (Cr Michael Whelan, Cr Ron Bauer, Cr David Rooks, Cr Leticia Laing and his own).
Cr Whelan was elected deputy mayor unopposed.
The election and the mayoral vote give the council the kind of stability it hasn’t had for many years. Only a single councillor survived a community backlash at the 2012 and 2016 elections. This time there are five returning councillors and four new ones.
With the newbies probably spending their first year learning how to do the job, the experience of the old hands will be invaluable as the council has serious and immediate issues to deal with, including a post-COVID recovery.
Cr Tessari said he would continue to focus on liaising with ministers, department heads and external bodies.
“The state budget was a big spend and they’re going to continue to spend to get the state going again. It’s crucial that we stay in front of the people who make the calls.
“For the first time we’ve got our opportunity to be part of the Growing Suburbs Fund. We’ve reaped the rewards - $2.5 million that went retrospectively towards the Cowes Cultural Centre – that then enabled us to pursue another project in the shire.
“I’ll continue to push for a fairer share for the peri-urban group of councils to enable us to continue to grow at the same rate as the inner ring of councils.
“We did a lot of work last year with One Gippsland rebranding ourselves and came together as a tight unit to push Gippsland as one in Canberra or Spring Street. We’ve already seen that reap rewards in the state budget. The funding that’s coming to Gippsland as a whole is fantastic.
“So it’s really important for us to continue to advocate at all levels – for Bass Coast but also for One Gippsland and the peri-urban group. To continue to be in front of the minsters and the department heads so when they do come writing the cheques we get our fair share of money.”
Cr Whelan said he saw his role as backing up at home while Cr Tessari pursued the external relationships. And he will continue to push on environmental issues.
“One is the council’s declaration of a climate emergency which I helped to drive last year. I want to see that through to a detailed action plan. We’re already acting on it. We put money in the budget.
“The other is the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes legislation which is underway at the moment. We need to be all over that as councillors and community because that’s going to be crucial to preserving Bass Coast’s natural values against the push for an expansion of sand mining.
“The council and community need to be all over this process. We can’t continue this schizophrenic approach of saying we’re an environmental sweet spot and a tourist mecca and we want to be a mining mecca at the same time. There are decisions to be made.
“One of the sleeping issues is that we can expect 2000 B double movements a day through Bass Coast as a the sand mining industry develops. That’s going to have a massive impact on our roads and our tourist traffic. We need to sit down and do some strategic work in that area.”
Cr Tessari said unanimous support by councillors at the first meeting for urgent action on sand mining showed the new council would support the community, but ultimately the the conflict had to be resolved by the State Government.
He was narrowly elected to his third term as mayor after a challenge from his former deputy Cr Bruce Kent. Recent councils have decided mayoral contests behind closed doors and voted unanimously at the actual meeting but this time the contest was decided in public, at the first meeting of the new council on Wednesday.
When CEO Ali Wastie, as chair of the meeting, called for a vote, Cr Kent secured four votes (Cr Rochelle Halstead, Cr Clare Le Serve, Cr Les Larke and his own,) before Cr Tessari secured five (Cr Michael Whelan, Cr Ron Bauer, Cr David Rooks, Cr Leticia Laing and his own).
Cr Whelan was elected deputy mayor unopposed.
The election and the mayoral vote give the council the kind of stability it hasn’t had for many years. Only a single councillor survived a community backlash at the 2012 and 2016 elections. This time there are five returning councillors and four new ones.
With the newbies probably spending their first year learning how to do the job, the experience of the old hands will be invaluable as the council has serious and immediate issues to deal with, including a post-COVID recovery.
Cr Tessari said he would continue to focus on liaising with ministers, department heads and external bodies.
“The state budget was a big spend and they’re going to continue to spend to get the state going again. It’s crucial that we stay in front of the people who make the calls.
“For the first time we’ve got our opportunity to be part of the Growing Suburbs Fund. We’ve reaped the rewards - $2.5 million that went retrospectively towards the Cowes Cultural Centre – that then enabled us to pursue another project in the shire.
“I’ll continue to push for a fairer share for the peri-urban group of councils to enable us to continue to grow at the same rate as the inner ring of councils.
“We did a lot of work last year with One Gippsland rebranding ourselves and came together as a tight unit to push Gippsland as one in Canberra or Spring Street. We’ve already seen that reap rewards in the state budget. The funding that’s coming to Gippsland as a whole is fantastic.
“So it’s really important for us to continue to advocate at all levels – for Bass Coast but also for One Gippsland and the peri-urban group. To continue to be in front of the minsters and the department heads so when they do come writing the cheques we get our fair share of money.”
Cr Whelan said he saw his role as backing up at home while Cr Tessari pursued the external relationships. And he will continue to push on environmental issues.
“One is the council’s declaration of a climate emergency which I helped to drive last year. I want to see that through to a detailed action plan. We’re already acting on it. We put money in the budget.
“The other is the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes legislation which is underway at the moment. We need to be all over that as councillors and community because that’s going to be crucial to preserving Bass Coast’s natural values against the push for an expansion of sand mining.
“The council and community need to be all over this process. We can’t continue this schizophrenic approach of saying we’re an environmental sweet spot and a tourist mecca and we want to be a mining mecca at the same time. There are decisions to be made.
“One of the sleeping issues is that we can expect 2000 B double movements a day through Bass Coast as a the sand mining industry develops. That’s going to have a massive impact on our roads and our tourist traffic. We need to sit down and do some strategic work in that area.”
Cr Tessari said unanimous support by councillors at the first meeting for urgent action on sand mining showed the new council would support the community, but ultimately the the conflict had to be resolved by the State Government.