Speakers
Bob Abbot, former Mayor and Councillor of Noosa Council.
Bob's local government career started in 1982 when he became a Noosa Councillor also holding the deputy mayor position for six years. In 1997 Bob became Noosa mayor, holding that position until the amalgamation of Noosa with the larger Maroochy and Caloundra Councils in 2008. Running his Big Bob for the Big Job mayoral campaign, Bob secured over 70% of the vote across the coast and became the mayor of the new Sunshine Coast Council, the fourth largest in Australia. He held that position from 2008 until retirement at the Council elections in March 2012 after thirty years as a Councillor or Mayor.
Bob set the fledgling Sunshine Coast Council the goal of becoming "Australia's most sustainable region". Just two years later the Council was recognised by Cleanup Australia as "Australia's Greenest" winning the national award for local government. Sunshine Coast Council was also recognised in 2010 as the 2nd most sustainable region in Australia, second only to Darwin by the Australian Conservation Foundation. When Bob retired in 2012, Bob then became Australia's first mayoral mentor working with the LGAQ to help mayors around the state.
Bob was elected Councillor for the new Noosa Council in 2014 and worked to restablish the Noosa Council including its values and culture. With the Council well established and in excellent financial shape Bob retired at the recent 2016 election.
Debra Bambrook, Community Engagement Manager, Noosa Council.
Debra joined Noosa Council in 2014 and has managed the community juries at Noosa as well as the media and communications unit of Council. Debra has extensive previous experience in strategic marketing and research and has previously been a part-time lecturer at the Business School at the University of Hertfordshire.
Brett De Chastel, Chief Executive Officer, Noosa Council.
Brett has worked in Queensland local government for over 25 years holding senior executive roles at Ipswich City Council, Noosa Shire Council and Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Brett has also operated a specialist local government consultancy business providing advice to over 25 councils across Queensland. Brett is a fellow of LGMA and was elected to the Board of LGMA Qld in September 2015.
Clint Irwin, Property and Facilities Manager, Noosa Council.
Clint has worked in local government for 15 years at the Noosa and Sunshine Coast Councils. He has worked in variety of roles from supervising beach lifeguards, to Community Development, Facility Management, Community Leasing and Assets Manager and most recently as Property and Facilities Manager for Noosa Council.
Wayne Jensen, Financial Services Manager, Noosa Council.
Wayne's local government career spans more than two decades. He began as a junior rates clerk in 1979 and he has worked at councils in both Queensland and New South Wales joining Noosa Council in 2007. Wayne worked at the Sunshine Coast Council during amalgamation and then at the new Noosa Council where Wayne setup the financial systems and processes. Wayne was awarded Local Government Finance Professional of the year in 2014 by the LGFPA of Queensland. Wayne was elected to the board of the LGFPA for 2015/16 and is the secretary.