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Transcript

Katie Woolf spoke with candidate for Litchfield Council Mayor Maree Bredhauer · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Well, joining us on the line right now is our
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  Speaker 1: final one for this morning, and it is the current sitting.
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  Speaker 2: Mayor, Marie Brett Howe. Good morning to you.
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  Speaker 3: Good morning Katie.
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  Speaker 1: Now we'll get cracking with these questions. Are you ready, Marie?
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely all right.
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  Speaker 1: Sorry, let me just get my let me just make
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  Speaker 1: sure I've got the stop watch running properly.
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  Speaker 2: Marie.
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  Speaker 1: Most people out there listening will know that you are
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: the current sitting mayor. But the first question that I
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  Speaker 1: had for everybody is what job were you in before
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  Speaker 1: putting your hand up for the election? So maybe even
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  Speaker 1: a bit of your former experience.
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  Speaker 3: Sure, that's great, Katie. Before before I became mayor, I
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  Speaker 3: was the executive manager of a large NT wide not
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  Speaker 3: for profit organization based in early childhood and and so
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  Speaker 3: then prior to that, of course, I had a long
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  Speaker 3: and very successful career in education, both as a teacher
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  Speaker 3: at the university and as a general manager in corporate services.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: How long have you lived in the Litchfield Municipality?
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  Speaker 3: Thirty nine years. First came here to work and live
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  Speaker 3: at middle Point and then moved into Humpty Doo to
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  Speaker 3: where we've stayed since then.
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  Speaker 1: And why did you put your hand up to run
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  Speaker 1: for the mayor's job.
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  Speaker 3: Well, Katie, I have led a functional council for the
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  Speaker 3: past six years and over this time we've continued to
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  Speaker 3: improve governance, finances, balanced the budget, focused on future planning
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  Speaker 3: and delivered value for money for ratepayers. Our decisions are
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  Speaker 3: always based on evidence and research, but there is lots
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  Speaker 3: more to do. We've built roads and there's more roads.
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  Speaker 3: We've improved reserves. In fact, we've developed a new reserve
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  Speaker 3: at my Square. We've maintained community assets and worked in
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  Speaker 3: partnership with the community. We have the absolute best staff
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  Speaker 3: available who reflect the diversity of our population, and we're
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  Speaker 3: able to get good outcomes and financial efficiencies. We're always
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  Speaker 3: on budget, best quality and on time.
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  Speaker 1: And what do you see as being the big issues
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  Speaker 1: in the Lichfield municipality at the moment.
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  Speaker 3: Well, Katie, if you listen to the other candidates, there
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  Speaker 3: are two top issues are the exorbitant rate increases, which
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  Speaker 3: I dispute. Currently Lichfield has the second lowest rate in
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  Speaker 3: the MT, other than Bellwin. This year our raid increases
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  Speaker 3: eighty six cents per week and the rates are set
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  Speaker 3: by all of the councilors under resolution and each year.
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  Speaker 3: The long term financial plan is exactly that. It's a
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  Speaker 3: long term prediction of the needed income and the expenses
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  Speaker 3: into the future. The plan is absolutely essential for good planning,
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  Speaker 3: business development and financial ability, sustainability.
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  Speaker 2: And so sorry you continue, yah, oh.
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  Speaker 3: Well there you know the other things council meetings have
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  Speaker 3: been have been mentioned. They're always open to the public
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  Speaker 3: and always have been. In fact, at the last meeting
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  Speaker 3: there was one person who took the opportunity to talk
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  Speaker 3: to the counselors as advertised on the agenda. There were
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: seventeen viewed the council meeting online and there were no
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  Speaker 3: public questions. As per the agenda Item nine, residents can
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  Speaker 3: talk to the Mayor, myself, the counselors and office staff
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  Speaker 3: at any time.
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  Speaker 1: And Marie taking some of those issues that others have raised,
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  Speaker 1: I guessed into account. But why do you see yourself
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  Speaker 1: as the best place to work with the community to
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  Speaker 1: fix the various concerns that people have got.
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  Speaker 3: Well, certainly, Katie, I like to look at challenges and
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  Speaker 3: opportunity challenges and the opportunities and so we have waste
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  Speaker 3: management dogs, the new development at Holt and Kuwandi that
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  Speaker 3: we do need to be very very mindful of and
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  Speaker 3: ensure that it maintains our lifestyle and amenity and push
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  Speaker 3: back any attempts, of course to move it into Parmiston.
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  Speaker 3: And we need to protect our environment. So I guess,
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  Speaker 3: with all of those things in needed and in place
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  Speaker 3: as core business of counsel, I believe I'm the best
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  Speaker 3: person to do the job because I have a positive
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  Speaker 3: and can do respectful attitude. I'm open and connected to
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  Speaker 3: the community, and all my work experience and qualifications have
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  Speaker 3: given me the skills and the ability to lead a council,
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  Speaker 3: connect and partner with community, and to develop those relationships
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  Speaker 3: with government and business. I'm absolutely accountable, and I truly
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  Speaker 3: believe in the value and value Lichfield as a place
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  Speaker 3: and its people.
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  Speaker 1: Marie, A couple of seconds left. Just finally, why should
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  Speaker 1: people vote for you?
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  Speaker 3: I think they should vote for me because I am
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  Speaker 3: the most experienced since still candidates, and I will provide
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  Speaker 3: leadership that counts for all parts of our very diverse community.
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  Speaker 3: And I will continue to put my heart and soul
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  Speaker 3: into working for all of the things Lichfield. And I've
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  Speaker 3: said that lots of times, all things Lichfield, putting community
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  Speaker 3: first and advocating where ever is necessary to achieve what's
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  Speaker 3: needed for the community.
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  Speaker 1: Marie, we have run out of time. Thank you so
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  Speaker 1: very much for answering those questions. All the best on
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  Speaker 1: the weekend.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you, Kay, thank you soon.
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  Speaker 1: And now thank you and well. We got through five
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  Speaker 1: of the candidates. Two of them Peter we sent a
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  Speaker 1: message to but haven't heard back from. And Trevor Jenkins.
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  Speaker 1: If you're out there listening, mate, feel free to get
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: in contact with us here at the station. Be more
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  Speaker 1: than happy to hear you answer those questions.