Mildura’s top 10 most influential: Ali Cupper, Anne Webster, Simon Clemence
From the supporter of young mums who rose to political office, to the top cop who’s battled crime and cancer. These are Mildura’s top movers and shakers. SEE THE LIST
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Mildura’s most influential people come from all walks of life.
They are a mix of politicians, business people and community advocates — some in the public eye, others in the background.
All are trying to move the Sunraysia region forward.
Here’s our list of Mildura’s top 10 movers and shakers.
Ali Cupper
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper described voters as having taken “a leap of faith” after electing her to Spring St in 2018.
One of just three independents in the Legislative Assembly, notably for a rural electorate she was also “a progressive, a feminist and the first female MP for Mildura (or) Mallee”.
But in the state’s second-tightest race, she surpassed the 12-year Nationals incumbent by 253 votes.
Returning Mildura Base Hospital to public management was a signature issue of her campaign and within her first year in office, she was able to secure a commitment from the Victorian Government to do just that.
It was the first big win of a career in state politics for the former lawyer, social worker and Mildura councillor.
Beyond that, her front-foot advocacy of Mildura’s interests as coronavirus restrictions and border closures have impacted the community has given the region a strong voice.
Anne Webster
Member for Mallee Anne Webster has represented Victoria’s largest federal electorate since last year’s election.
Dr Webster was the founder of Zoe Support, an organisation which helps young mothers in Mildura, and she was named Mildura Rural City Council Citizen of the Year in 2019.
Her journey to the Mallee job wasn’t easy, having to first secure Nationals preselection in a seat the party had never lost in 70 years.
After that, she had to contend with Australia’s largest field of candidates, with 13 putting their hand up.
She was also tasked with injecting new life into the Nationals’ brand locally, given previous MP Andrew Broad had become embroiled in a “sugar daddy” scandal.
But Dr Webster was able to come out on top following a complicated preference count.
Her national profile has risen in recent months as she challenged border closures and Victoria’s catch-all regional restrictions.
Rebecca Olsen
Mildura’s “top cop”, Superintendent Rebecca Olsen, oversees the region’s police force.
Having previously been posted in Mildura, she returned after a stint in the Wimmera to take on the Superintendent role in 2017.
Well known in the community, Supt Olsen has battled both crime and cancer.
A breast cancer diagnosis put her off duty for a year in 2019.
Her return to work in February this year was met with an outpouring of relief.
Melisa Hederics
Melisa Hederics has had a four-year run as Mayor of Wentworth Shire, which covers towns such as Wentworth, Dareton and Gol Gol on the NSW side of the border.
Cr Hederics was the first voted-in at the last election in 2016 and has held the support of fellow councillors for the top job ever since.
During recent years, Wentworth Shire has risen to the challenge of addressing Wentworth’s doctor crisis and has also welcomed new development, such as the new supermarket at Buronga.
Cr Hederics and the shire have also had a key role in advocating for residents and growers impacted by the NSW Government’s border closures during the coronavirus response.
Mary Rydberg
Mary Rydberg will step into the chair role on the board of the newly named Mildura Base Public Hospital.
After a successful fight by the Mildura community to have the hospital to be returned to public management, the new board will be responsible for steering into a new direction.
Ms Rydberg is an experienced board member in the region, also holding positions with the Mallee Track Health & Community Service and Mallee Accommodation and Support Program, known as MASP.
Simon Clemence
Mildura Mayor Simon Clemence is in his second year in the top job, although he has pledged to step away from council this year.
After a prominent police career, Cr Clemence decided to turn to local politics at the last election.
Impressively for a first-time campaigner, he was third elected, behind another key council figure in Glenn Milne and eventual state MP Ali Cupper.
In addition to his local government role, Cr Clemence also holds the chief executive role with one of Mildura’s most talked-about businesses, the new flying school for Chinese pilots at Mildura Airport.
Geoff Dea
One of the key people in Sunraysia’s education space, Geoff Dea is the chief executive of SuniTAFE.
Mildura is one of the TAFE’s two main campuses and it also has a smaller campus at Robinvale and a training farm at Cardross.
SuniTAFE has a key role in providing people with the skills to meet the needs of a diverse range of employers in the region.
Mr Dea had a 20-year career in public accounting and held a senior role at Mallee Family Care before taking on the SuniTAFE job.
Jason Modica
A passionate advocate for the Murray-Darling Basin, Jason Modica is a Mildura councillor who also made a tilt for federal office last year.
He joined the council after positioning himself as a Nichols Point “tradie”.
Cr Modica has become a key powerbroker on the council, although an attempt to become mayor late last year didn’t gain the support of enough fellow councillors.
His run as an independent for the seat of Mallee earlier in 2019 garnered about 9.4 per cent of first-preferences in the vast electorate, although his vote at booths within Mildura suggested he had strong support at a local level.
Nathan Hancock
Nathan Hancock is the chief executive of Citrus Australia and he rose to the challenge earlier this year when his industry was threatened by a sudden border closure that prevented the movement of workers.
Mr Hancock was on the front foot, raising the alarm over the NSW Government’s decision to stop seasonal workers from entering the state.
As most worker accommodation in Sunraysia is in Mildura, this cut off NSW farms from their own workers during the middle of harvest, costing an estimated $1.7 million a day.
Mr Hancock’s fast response, and willingness to work on a solution with authorities, helped get the decision overturned in 10 days.
Craig Kerr
In a competitive real estate market, Ray White Mildura chief executive Craig Kerr has helped put his agency in a prominent position in recent years.
Two of the top three agents in the Mildura region by property sales on realeastate.com.au are with Ray White.
Mr Kerr, one of 13 children, all born and raised in Mildura, has spent 20 years in the real estate industry and advertisements featuring his face can often be seen on buses zipping around Sunraysia.
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