About Me

February 29th, 2016

 

Biographical Information

I arrived in Australia at 2 years of age in 1957. I grew up in Victoria and lived in Melbourne while studying at the Melbourne State College (part of Melbourne University) to become a teacher. On graduating I taught for a short while in Melbourne prior to moving to the Wangaratta district (NE Vic) where I had my children. I then moved to Ballarat where I lived for the next 10 years. It is here that my children ‘grew up’. I completed a Graduate Diploma in Librarianship at the Ballarat College of Advanced Education (now University of Ballarat) in 1985 but was a co-director of a company principally focused on earthmoving and mechanical work during most of my time in Ballarat. I also helped manage a successful local rock and roll band called ‘The Shyboys” during these years.

 

 In 1998 sick of the heat and homesick for Queensland (yes Queensland not Victoria) I resigned from my job and came to Hervey Bay. Luckily we bought land at Dundowran Beach straight away as we would not be able to afford to buy land here now! I was now unemployed and this was quite scary. I started treading the footpaths with my resume and found casual work in the wonderful Book City Bookstore at Bay Central. Graham had stayed in Darwin (one of us had to earn an income..) and we decided to buy a business as we thought we would struggle to find employment. I was lucky though, and gained full time employment at the Wide Bay TAFE, working between Hervey Bay and Maryborough based in the Libraries. I then discovered Wendy’s Supa Sundaes in Bay Central was for sale.

 So commenced this new stage of our lives as small business owners. We purchased Wendy’s in 1999 and my daughter arrived from Darwin to help me manage the store as I continued to work part time at TAFE. My daughter successfully managed our store while still only 19 years old. Graham arrived in Hervey Bay in November 1999 and quickly learned how to sell ice-cream, though he had also successfully gained full time work at Wide Bay TAFE as a Business Development Officer.

In 2001 I successfully applied for the position of Campus Librarian here in the Hervey Bay Library working for our wonderful University of Southern Queensland. I enjoyed the work immensely and together with the Hervey Bay City Council Library staff we made many positive changes to the Library.

In early 2005 I chose to resign from USQ and devote my time to our latest venture Mind Games. We opened our shop in September 2004, doing all the setting up ourselves. I’m pleased to report that the business is doing well. It won’t ever turn us into millionaires but it keeps the roof over our heads and Graham enjoys working and meeting people from everywhere.

I was elected via a by-election to Hervey Bay City Council in October 2005 and recently retained a position on our new bigger regional Council in the 2008 March election. The role is full time and I no longer work in our shop although I pop in from time to time to visit Graham. It is a good place to catch up with people from here and everywhere.

Hopes, dreams and ponderings

Why a Councillor? I worry about development wrecking a city I fell in love with the first time I visited. I enjoy helping people and being a Councillor is a role that challenges me to continually help people by listening to them and doing my very best to represent them and adopt or adapt policy within Council, to better meet community needs. I may not be able to change the world but just maybe I can make my little patch of the planet a better place!

I love the outdoors and I appreciate wildlife and our natural environment. Our climate is to be envied and is one of the main reasons we live here. I have dogs and cats and lots of wildlife including wallabies and many birds with which to share our acre near the beach. Daily walks along our beach, pottering in the garden and reading are my favourite activities when I’m not attached to a keyboard!

  • Reading. I can’t live without a book on the go and need the local paper and a cuppa to start each day.
  • Pets. My animals include our new puppies Ellie and Becki who fill the hole in our hearts left when our elderly dogs Jake and Sharna died last year. We also lost Katy our beautiful white puss cat so now we have just the two cats who share our patch of nature with all the native fauna that live in our backyard forest.
  • Gardening. I’m finally creating a garden to grow old in.
  • Environment. I care deeply about our environment and am keen to promote conservation. We only have one planet. We must care for it.
  • Sport. I stopped playing netball in 2008 but walk the dogs daily. I am a passionate follower of football (Aussie Rules Football of course!) and cricket. Go the Lions!

 

Just some of the very many wonderful people who supported me in the past. I cannot thank you enough. Together I am sure we can make our Fraser Coast an even better place to live (although it is pretty good already)!

Sue’s recipe for a great Councillor!  Mix together the following ingredients and stir.

 ü Passion. Reads the daily news and watches it on TV, but still thinks there is hope for the world, and  wants to help make it a better place.

ü Persistence. An ability to be a pest by following up issues and getting things done. Otherwise called ‘nagging’.

ü Communication skills. Loves a chat and can talk to anyone, anywhere anytime (even underwater while snorkeling)! This skill comes in handy for meetings.

ü Toughness. Has a very thick, tough outer coating (skin) which can withstand criticism.

ü Creativity. Can think on ones feet… or even sitting down! Loves to explore new ideas.

ü Intelligence. Can balance a cheque book and use a calculator. Better still, can read and understand a spreadsheet (No, not the one on my bed!), and complex, lengthy reports.

ü Honesty. Knows when one has put foot in mouth and can take foot out again, while retaining balance and composure. Tells it like it is.

ü Humility. Can admit mistakes and change ones mind when new information is discovered! (More people should try this… it doesn’t hurt!)

ü Humour. Last but not least – must have a sense of humour (even if it’s not very good) and the ability to laugh at oneself.

 

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

 

2014 – Present           CALL CENTRE AGENT

Telstra Call Centre Maryborough – Directory Assistance

2012 – 2015           SMALL BUSINESS OWNER

Try Paradise Mobile Cafe – Serving food and drinks to businesses and work sites in Hervey Bay

2013 – Present      Redberry Kiosk Pialba

                                 

2005 – 2012                COUNCILLOR

Hervey Bay City Council (2005-2008) Fraser Coast Regional Council (2008- 2012)

 

1999 – 2011                SMALL BUSINESS OWNER/DIRECTOR

                                    Wendy’s Franchise (1999- 2004) and Mind Games (2004-2011)

 2001 – 2005                CAMPUS LIBRARIAN

                                    Fraser Coast Campus of the University of Southern Queensland

 1999 – 2001                ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

                                    Library, Hervey Bay Senior College Wide Bay Institute of TAFE

10/98 – 11/99               RETAIL SALES ASSISTANT                              

                                    Book City, Hervey Bay

1995 – 1998                SENIOR LIBRARIAN – COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

                                    Darwin Public Library and Information Service

1993 – 1995                LIBRARIAN

                                    Bundaberg College of TAFE

 

 

1986 – 1994                 COMPANY DIRECTOR

Sturni Motors Pty Ltd

1976 – 1978                 PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER

 

EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS

1985- Present Various staff training short courses and certificates eg First Aid etc

2001    Studied BSZ 40198 Certificate IV in Assessor and Workplace Training at the Wide Bay Institute of TAFE

1985    Graduate Diploma Librarianship from the Ballarat College of Advanced Education

1976    Diploma Primary Teaching from Melbourne State College, Melbourne, Victoria

 

 

  

 

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