Coffs councillor Keith Rhoades calls time and issues warning to candidates

He has issued a warning for candidates in the upcoming council election and singled out one person for special thanks.

Cr Keith Rhoades says “There is no place for party politics on Coffs Harbour Council.”

Veteran Coffs Harbour City Councillor Keith Rhoades will not be contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections in September.

He is the longest serving Coffs Harbour councillor having first been elected in 1991 and re-elected at every election since.

Cr Rhoades was elected deputy mayor in 2000 and mayor in 2004 serving in that position until 2012.

In 2008 he was elected to the Board of the Local Government Association of NSW. He was then elected by his peers to serve as the State President of Local Government NSW. He held this position for the next seven years.

Also in 2010 Cr Rhoades was appointed to the Board of the Australian Local Government Association. During that time he served two years as the Vice President and stood down in 2017.

During his 30 years of service he was involved in thousands of decision making recommendations but he has some favourites.

Keith Rhoades in July 2019 with Crs Paul Amos and Tegan Swan who walked out of a meeting in opposition to a vote on the Cultural and Civic Space. Cr Amos speaks with Cr Michael Adendorff who was keen to progress with the vote.

Cr Rhoades issued the following press release reflecting on some of his proudest moments, thanking those who have supported him, and issuing a warning on party politics:

Those (significant decisions he has been involved in) being his support for the upgrade of Coffs Harbour Airport in 1993. Coffs Harbour Regional Airport is now recognised as one of the best in regional Australia. He served on the Coffs Airport Development/Focus group for 29 years.

Another favourite was his total support for the Regional Water Supply in conjunction with Clarence Valley Council. With water restrictions common in our area at the time a solution had to be found.

We now have the Shannon Creek Dam Supply which has secured the usage and future growth of both areas for the next 70 years.

But without doubt his favourite project was his total support and commitment to seek the support of his fellow Councillors in 1992 to construct the Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium now known as C.ex International Stadium.

Support from State and Federal Governments over the years now has the stadium classed as the best sporting facility in regional Australia.

It now attracts top line sporting events and has proven itself as a fantastic entertainment centre for outdoor concerts. Remember Elton John, recently. What a show.

Cr Keith Rhoades during a meeting in August 2019.

The facility now injects well over $40m to the local economy each year.

The stadium works hand-in-hand with Coffs Harbour Regional Airport delivering tens of thousands of sports lovers and visitors to our region annually.

But no one Councillor can achieve results without the support of the majority of their fellow Councillors.

“I found it easier to work with colleagues on common sense projects and this made the decision making process easier. But there was opposition along the way to most issues and I respected that,” Clr Rhoades said.

“I thank all those I have worked with, both elected members and staff, over the past 30 years and feel privileged to have known them.

“I thank all those community members that have supported me at elections and my time serving as your Councillor and Mayor during that time.

“But my biggest accolade goes to my wife Trish and my family for all their support over my time as a Councillor. I could have not done it without them.

“I enjoyed my experience in Local Government and wish all candidates well in the upcoming election in September.

“If you stand on a platform of achieving local outcomes for you local community and not introducing party politics you may well succeed. There is no place for party politics on Coffs Harbour Council. Local Government is about local people making local decisions on behalf of local residents.”