Name of ticket or Independent: Ticket, Group J.

Are you a mayoral candidate? Yes.

Age: 53 years old.

Family: Married for 24 years, with four children.

What do you do for a living? Business owner and farmer.

Are you currently Orange councillor? Yes, for the past five years.

How long have lived in Orange? 27 years.

What is the best part of living in Orange? Our country way of life is so much better to raise children. In addition, we also have the best medical facilities in Western NSW while our schools and cultural amenities are very good. Orange has so much to offer in such a diverse way and has a bright future socially and economically. But apart from that, appearance-wise, our historic aspects, parks and beautiful tree-lined roads give us all the colours of the seasons.

Why are you running for Orange City Council? If I’m lucky, this will be my second term and I have learnt so much. I am enthusiastic and I want to see our city prosper. As mayor I can unite our councillors and staff to achieve great outcomes for Orange. In the next three years I intend to change the perception of our council and build trust, transparency and accountability.

How would you assess the performance of the current council? As a current councillor I have a good understanding of all of the different policies and procedures in council, the codes of conduct and chamber etiquette. Understanding this and living it for five years and only missing only three meetings in that time has given me real insight into the everyday running of the group. I believe we have achieved a lot in that time including the new pavilion for the showground, Orange Regional Museum and the planned planetarium, the airport terminal upgrade, the runway extension so jets can now land and leave in safety, and of course the upgrading of roads, much of which has been achieved but we recognise that it is an ongoing task which has a definitive plan and money allocated to it for the next three years.

If elected would you lobby to reduce rates? No and I will explain why. Just like a family has a budget which covers expenses such as groceries, medical expenses, petrol which is paid for by what you may earn, council too has to budget for things like footpaths, garbage collection, their staff, etc. The rates help but do not pay for all the expenses the council has to cover. Were we to freeze rates for two years or so like some other candidates have, it wouldn’t take too long before Orange City Council was in the red. We just have to face that paying rates are part of living in any great town.

Council has budgeted $17 million for roadworks in the next road-building season. Is this enough? Which roads should get priority? Understanding the challenges of keeping the budget on roads under control is so important we have already spent a great deal of ratepayers’ money improving and maintaining our roads and I will continue to try to achieve that. Council has a list of priority roads to fix in the coming months which is available at council. While I understand ratepayers may have individual roads they would like to have repaired, it needs to be part of the bigger picture; some other roads may in direr need. Personally I believe Coronation Drive as it goes past Wentworth Lane needs attention and have raised this at council.

What is your plan for the Northern Distributor Road? The Northern Distributor Road has had a lot of problems; this said, if you drive along it to day you should be satisfied with the investment. The total refurbishment of the NDR with hot mix tar will last for a long time. This road is acting as the Mitchell Highway it has been the taking thousands of trucks out of the CBD and providing a quicker, easier route for trucks. Also council has had little investment from government for this vital infrastructure.

Do you agree with the industrial re-zoning at Orange airport? What should the space be used for in the future? No, and I ask the people of Orange to strongly oppose this idea. Orange has plenty of industrial land such as Clergate, Narrambla, Leewood Industrial Estates, with plenty of factories and industrial sheds empty, not to forget the old saleyards. We do not need to risk our water catchment and aquifer in any way, as a chemical fire or spillage in this pristine part of the water catchment would be disastrous. Our airport should only be used for aircraft activity. I will fight to build jobs in Orange maximising the industrial land already available.

What specific uses for the former Electrolux factory will you pursue or support? You must understand this is not belong to council, and so it is a commercial decision for the owners. This said, I intend to try to help find a good use for it, encouraging investment in it for the good of our city.

Do you agree with real estate agents and property developers being on council? Why or why not? No.

What are the best ways council can help businesses prosper in the city? Our CBD needs a facelift and council has a plan to beautify the main street. This and more parking would help the look and feel of our city. It’s also important to encourage local businesses to flourish by making the whole process easier.

Is there enough parking in Orange? If not, where should additional car parks be constructed? No, this will be a big challenge for the next council, we must invest in parking in the CBD.

Do you support the proposed purpose-built sporting complex council has acquired land for to the north of the city? This is a long-term project as over the next 15 years when Orange will grow from 42,000 to 60,000 residents. This is a sensible investment in our future. If and when this project comes to be, it can only be State and Federal grants that will pay for it, not ratepayers.​ 

Are there any major projects you would champion if you elected? To be a responsible councillor, you must approach each project with caution, as you have a great responsibility to the ratepayer on how we spend money wisely and within budget. Any project that comes before council must be considered carefully with its pros and cons weighed up.