Meet the candidates running for Hay Shire Council

By Krista Schade

The Riverine Grazier contacted each of the 10 members of the Hay community who have nominated to run for a position on Hay Shire Council.

Local government elections will be held on Saturday September 14, 2024.

Will Miller

A Passionate Advocate for Hay’s Future

When I considered running for Council, my immediate response reflected my deep connection to this remarkable community.

Growing up here, my parents instilled in me the value of listening, asking questions, and understanding. Now, alongside my husband, Brett, I have returned home, ready to give back.

I envision Hay as a sustainable, vibrant hub for generations to come. Acknowledging community challenges – housing, child care, living costs, support services and isolation to name a few – I am committed to hearing all voices; ‘Local concerns, hopes and dreams matter’ is my mantra.

Inspired by the passion of the Hay Youth Taskforce, I want to champion initiatives for a brighter tomorrow.

My dedication extends not only to the present but also to those who came before us referencing Hay’s very important history, and future generations. I know the importance of transparency and accountability and that they are non-negotiable; I aim to earn trust through honest communication.

If I am successful in the upcoming election, I may not have all the answers, but look forward to working with other councillors, experts and the community to find the best solution and meet the community’s expectations.

My clear message to all eligible to vote, is simple - regardless of your voting choice, I hope you will all join me on Saturday, September 14, to exercise our privilege and cast your vote.

Carol Oataway

Moving Hay Forward

First and foremost a love for my community and a desire to see it prosper is at my core.

I am committed to moving our community forward by embracing the opportunities that lie ahead.

Our region is rich in potential, and with the right leadership, we can make Hay a great place to visit, work, live and play.

We need to harness our opportunities. Take renewable energy as an example, which could be a game changer for our community.

Tapping into this has the potential to create jobs, lower our electricity bills and generate legacy projects that could last well into the future.

Youth development and education are also at the forefront of my platform. Our young people are the future of Hay, and we must invest in their education and skills.

I will work to attract local access to training, apprenticeships and higher education, ensuring our future workforce are equipped with the necessary skills.

In addition, I am committed to addressing the challenges of housing and childcare. We need innovative solutions to provide affordable, quality housing for our residents and additional childcare places to address workforce shortages. These are fundamental needs.

As a councillor I work hard for my community. I listen, empathise, advocate and recognise opportunity. People are what make our community tick, along with a thriving economy. I represent all, from our youngest residents through to our seniors.

As a candidate, I seek re-election to continue building a better Hay Shire for everyone.

Darren Tapper

Community Obligation at Heart

Cath and I have been fortunate enough to raise our three children here in Hay and enjoy everything it has to offer.

Throughout this time, I have been an active member of the community, being involved in many sporting clubs, schools and volunteer groups.

Until last year I had my own business supporting residents and farmers supplying their inputs and farming services.

Throughout this time, we sponsored many events such as the Hay Races, sporting associations, schools etc. It was something we thought was our community obligation to support where we can, and we enjoyed doing so.

Supporting our community and having a positive input to its future is something I strongly believe in, and being a councillor is where I can add value.

I would like to see Hay grow and expand, especially in tourism, capitalising on what we already have. Being on council, I believe you are there to act on behalf of all residents, have an open mind, be positive and be outcome driven.

We have made Hay our home and I have a lot more to offer to ensure we keep improving our services and amenities for future generations to enjoy.

Our role as I see it, is to look for opportunities and make decisions that benefit the community.

Please consider myself for council, I have a realistic approach, and I want to help.

Steve Young

A Life of Service

Steve Young was born on January 9, 1962 in Melbourne to loving parents.

Having joined the Australian Defence Force in 1979 as a young 17-year-old, he successfully completed 21 years’ service to the nation in the Australian Army retiring as a Warrant Officer Class 2.

Subsequently after his service, he worked across a number of large and medium size businesses in the corporate sector and the Not-for-Profit sector, performing such roles as Office Manager, Finance and Administration Manager, Executive Officer and Business Operations Manager.

Further to these skills and experiences, Steve has also undertaken a wide and varied number of volunteer roles, from St John Ambulance, Assistant Scout Leader, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, to NSW SES.

Steve has also undertaken tasks with a number of charities such as the Red Cross, Organ Donor Register and Breast Cancer Foundation, performed as an administration volunteer with a Primary School and has acted as an Independent Official Visitor with the Office of the Public Advocate (Victoria).

Steve has held every possible position on a large number of committees and boards and has the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to add value to the Hay Shire Council.

John Perry

Listening and transparency are vital

As a former mayor of Holroyd City Council I started the alliance between Hay and Holroyd Councils that is still working today.

I served six years on the Hay Local Health Advisory Committee (LHAC) - three years as the Chair.

I played a major role in Hay Hospital becoming a multi-purpose service, which means they now receive Federal Government funding for the aged care unit.

I currently sit on the Ministry of Health Environmental Sustainability Steering Committee to ensure the long-term viability of our hospitals, my focus being rural and remote NSW.

I will listen and involve residents in the decisions that affect our community, and work with the business sector to attract more business and industry to Hay.

I will look at ways to minimise costs on sporting and community groups who use Council-owned facilities.

Council needs to be completely transparent in it’s dealings with the community, particularly the management of Council expenditure.

Geoff Chapman

Committed to involvement

Having moved to semi-retirement in 2017, I have continued my involvement in the Hay community through election to Council in 2021 as well as in the local Landcare, NSW Farmers and the Tennis Club.

Through participation on several Murrumbidgee River committees and as Chair of the NPWS western regional advisory committee I have proven that I have the governance skills, the time to prepare for meetings and I am willing to ask questions.

My Shire committee involvement has included Hay and Maude Floodplain Risk Management, Maude Hall, Bushfire Advisory committee, Murray Darling Association and the NSW Planning Panel.

I have made it a priority to attend and participate at Shire meetings and events whether it be in Hay, Maude or Booligal.

There are many project areas currently being actively pursued by Hay Shire Council. The recycling of waste, flood recovery works and bridge replacements are visible.

The swimming and therapy pools, truck stop, renewable energy, economic viability, advocacy for health, childcare, water and housing are not quite so visible but equally important to the Shire’s future.

With your support and vote I wish to continue to be part of Council working through the complexities of policy through to implementation as we strive for longevity of the Shire, and quality and fairness of affordable services for all ratepayers.

Paul Porter

An honour to serve

It has been an honour to serve one term on Hay Shire and I thank the community for voting for me. Being a lifelong resident of the Hay Shire I feel I can contribute to the betterment of the town and district in many ways.

Hay has been good to our family, who were primary educated here and my three daughters also, two who operate businesses within the Shire.

Small towns and shires have many challenges due to our population base and the reduction of government and corporate services, and consequently less employment and less facilities. Moving forward I see great opportunity for Hay particularly if the marriage of rural and urban can be achieved for a stronger, integrated community.

Hay has a great opportunity with the adoption of renewable energy within the shire, however the town needs to share in those benefits long after the construction phase and the jobs that are created.

I have proposed a model of cheap energy for the shire and a municipal electricity provider, where every resident benefits from lower electricity tariffs. Cheap energy will grow and enhance commerce within the shire. This will give us a secure income stream to claw back some of the services we have lost, particularly in health and transport.

I originally stood for council to put something back into the future of Hay as it continues to be a great town and wonderful to my own family.

Lionel Garner

Here to stay

I am one that was born and bred in this town and I am here to stay.

My passion for this town and surroundings is as big as it gets.

We are heading into real tough times over the next few years and I intend on being here when we come out the other side of it as good a shape as the town can be in.

I will help make Hay and surrounding villages a vibrant place for future residents and visitors.

Please feel free to contact me 0427 696346.

All candidates were offered the opportunity to be part of this feature, at no cost to them, in order to bring this important information to our readers. In addition, discounted advertising was also separately offered.